The Atlanta Braves, losers of two in a row to the Dodgers, have received an up-close-and-personal look at exactly why they need to upgrade at the trade deadline.
After a Tuesday night defeat at the hands of Dodgers prospect Bobby Miller, Atlanta had a realization — when their lineup is off, so are they. Without Kyle Wright and Max Fried, both of whom are injured and therefore susceptible to such events occurring again, the Braves starting rotation cupboard is barren.
Give Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton and Bryce Elder credit, they have done their best. But eventually, that sort of weakness will catch up with you.
"Normally I get away with a few mistakes in a game but tonight I didn't," Strider said after a loss to the Dodgers. "I've got to give credit to them. They're capable of making you pay."
"Generally, I hold myself to the standard that if I get a guy with two strikes and he gets on base then I've messed up," he added. "There were a couple of times I didn't execute. Sometimes you get away with it, but they're talented."
The Braves only gave Strider one run of support. He would've had to be perfect, which is further evidence that this team isn't a complete product. Alex Anthopoulos knows he has to act, but who is on the outs?
Braves who could be traded: Braden Shewmake
Atlanta has a logjam at shortstop, that much is clear. While it seems that Orlando Arcia has won out for now, the Braves have two young players behind him in Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake. Grissom is a far better offensive talent, but struggles in the field of play. Shewmake is the better defender, but doesn't have the same ceiling as Grissom, especially with his bat.
MLB Pipeline described Shewmake as one of the best defensive shortstops in the minor leagues:
"Shewmake's defense has improved to the point at which the metrics point to him being one of the better defensive shortstops in the Minor Leagues. He's not flashy, but he has great hands, plus instincts and an above-average arm, leading other teams to ask about him because of his glovework. How much he hits will determine whether he can reach his ceiling as an everyday player at the premium position."
Shewmake's most recent major-league stint was up to par. He provided more defensive versatility than Grissom, which is what Atlanta needed at the time. He consistently makes contact, but not at a high exit velocity or barrel rate. Some teams could find that useful, nonetheless.
Braves who could be traded: Dylan Dodd
Yes, pitching is a relative weakness for the Atlanta Braves. We've already established that.
Even with that fact, though, Dylan Dodd is unlikely to receive another big-league opportunity in Atlanta anytime soon. It's not that he isn't talent, he's just behind the likes of Jared Shuster and Mike Soroka in the pecking order. By the time Fried and Wright return from injury, there will be no point in calling up Dodd. So, Alex Anthopoulos may as well trade him.
Dodd really established himself in spring training, emerging as one of the best major-league ready prospects in the Braves system. While he projects more as a bottom-of-the-rotation starter, he has plenty of value for a rebuilding team looking for innings-eaters. And who knows? At just 24 years old, Dodd has the potential to be even better than this writer suggests. MLB Pipeline praised Dodd for his athleticism as a former two-way player:
"A former two-way player, Dodd's athleticism is an asset on the mound, helping him repeat his delivery and higher arm slot, which leads to an ability to fill up the strike zone. That's enabled him to move quickly through the system, and he's close to reaching his ceiling as a No. 4 or 5-type starter in a big league rotation."
For the Braves, Dodd is a prospect they can afford to part ways with. They have younger, more electric pitchers on the way.
Braves who could be traded: Vaughn Grissom
While the Atlanta Braves claim to still believe in Vaughn Grissom, his recent experience in the big leagues suggests shortstop isn't the best fit for him. There's a reason Anthopoulos signed Orlando Arcia to an extension, and there's a reason Grissom is still in the minor leagues refining his game.
Grissom worked all offseason with Ron Washington to better his defensive skillset. It didn't work.
"I feel real good about Griss," Washington said, via the Athletic. "All it is, is gaining experience. He was trying to learn how to play shortstop in the big leagues. He wasn't learning how to play shortstop in the minor leagues. And learning how to play shortstop in the big leagues is night and day from playing shortstop in the minor leagues. There's so much that goes on out there when you're in the middle of that field that you have to be involved in. So he had a lot on his plate. But he's gained a lot, too. You may not see it right now, but he's gained a lot from spring training to now. And now he's gonna get a chance to apply it."
Washington views Grissom and Shewmake as the future, but that doesn't mean the Braves front office feels the same way. When asked about the possibility of flipping Grissom for some pitching, team insider Justin Toscano made it sound as though all options are on the table.
"A lot of it depends on what you (Braves management) think internally of him," Toscano wrote. "Do they have the same confidence in him that he can be a long term shortstop?"
Pitching wins in October, and if the Braves still doubt Grissom's ability to transition to shortstop or be an above-average defensive player, then perhaps they'd be better off selling high.
