The Atlanta Braves have an intriguing offseason ahead of them. Two of their top starting pitchers, Max Fried and Charlie Morton, are entering free agency and Atlanta may not be able to bring either of them back.
But the bigger issue for Atlanta isn’t what it might lose. It’s what the National League East could gain. Both the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets are listed in the top six teams left to sign New York Yankees superstar Juan Soto.
What would the Braves do to combat a division rival adding one of the best bats in the league?
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 02: Garrett Crochet #45 of the Chicago White Sox throws a pitch during the first inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 02, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images
FanSided’s Christopher Kline has a solid answer to that question. Kline recommends the Braves swing a trade for Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet.
“If the Mets or Phillies load up on offense with Soto, perhaps the Braves should take the opposite approach and add Garrett Crochet to arguably the best pitching staff in the National League,” Kline wrote. “We’ve seen Atlanta connected to Crochet and it’s a clear fit, made all the more appealing with Fried’s potential departure looming over the franchise.”
Crochet would make a lot of sense for Atlanta. Not only that, but the Braves could trade one of their young starting pitchers as the headlining piece in the deal. Somebody like Hurston Waldrep or AJ Smith-Shawver could be the headlining piece, paired next to Nacho Alvarez Jr. and another prospect.
If the Braves really want to upgrade here, they could mortgage their farm system and attempt to trade for both Crochet and White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. in one massive blockbuster deal. This is all hypothetical, but it fits the Braves’ needs and it would combat the Mets or Phillies signing Soto.
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