Atlanta Braves trade talk: 3 way-too-early trade targets
By Kevin Henry
A way-too-early Atlanta Braves trade target: Andrew Benintendi
Due to be a free agent next season, the 27-year-old Benintendi has slashed .327/.393/.425 through his first 173 plate appearances, posting a 138 OPS+ and 1.4 bWAR, both of which lead the Kansas City Royals.
His play in left field last season earned him a Gold Glove and he would provide an offensive and defensive improvement over what Marcell Ozuna has done early in the season, whether that is what Ozuna has produced while playing left field or serving as the team’s designated hitter.
Benintendi has already been whispered to be a good fit for the Braves and he has some previous MLB experience playing center field, so he could slot in there if Atlanta chose to go after him rather than Kevin Kiermaier.
He also has postseason experience during three playoff runs with the Boston Red Sox from 2016-18. While his time in Kansas City has been productive, Benintendi likely would relish the opportunity to chase another ring through a trade to the Braves.
Additionally, here’s something interesting pointed out in this MLBTradeRumors article. When you compare what Kyle Schwarber (who landed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason) and Benintendi have done over the past five seasons, there is little difference between the two players (Schwarber with 10.8 fWAR in 593 games and Benintendi with 10.1 fWAR in 585 games).
Benintendi will be on the radar of plenty of teams looking for outfield help at the trade deadline, and that list should include the Braves.