The trade deadline passed earlier tonight, and some Braves fans aren’t exactly satisfied, particularly when it comes to the starting rotation.
It’s understandable. If there’s one area of the team that is the most concerning, it is the rotation. The Braves are getting Max Fried back, but there’s no telling what to expect when he returns. Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder have also pitched more this season than they ever have before. So there are some questions about whether they might flame out. However, Alex Anthopoulos’ comments after the trade deadline should ease some of those concerns.
The Braves GM did say he talked to several clubs about adding starting pitching, but ultimately he deemed the price to be too high. A big reason for that is the guys returning. Not only is Max Fried scheduled to come back this weekend, but Anthopoulos also seems to feel confident in where Kyle Wright is at right now, who was throwing a bullpen earlier today before the game.
#Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos is here.
“There was a lot of stuff that was out there. We definitely did check on some starters.”
“Our staff is very encouraged on Kyle Wright, Dylan Lee and Jesse Chavez which set the bar high for us.” #Braves pic.twitter.com/Glu7makXKn— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) August 1, 2023
I’ve been skeptical about Kyle Wright returning this year, and even if he does, he’s not going to have much time to get in a groove before the postseason. With that being said, I don’t know all of the details. Alex Anthopoulos does, and he seems to feel confident Wright will come back in time to make an impact.
That obviously changes how the Braves might have approached this trade deadline. They clearly didn’t feel starting pitching was a necessity, so they refused to overpay, which is what it would have taken if they wanted to acquire a significant contributor in the rotation.
The Braves rotation has been a rollercoaster ride all season. Adding another starter would have put a lot of fans at ease, but nobody the Braves could have traded for would have had as much of an impact as a healthy Max Fried and Kyle Wright.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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