The Atlanta Braves were unknowing participants in the Chicago Cubs 2023 turnaround that turned them from trade sellers to buyers.
The fate for the 2023 Chicago Cubs is unknown, but already, they've made massive shifts to the way their season will be perceived. At one point, they were viewed as definitive sellers, with players like Cody Bellinger clearly to be dangled as trade bait.
The MLB trade deadline came and went, and the Cubs bought rather than sold, adding infielder Jeimer Candelario from the Washington Nationals. Their shift to buyers happened just a few days before the deadline after the Cubs had gone on a positive run that looked entirely different than most of the rest of their season.
Chicago is winning, and looks like it could win its division. If not, a Wild Card playoff spot is certainly in play.
So what do the Braves have to do with that?
Braves were among teams that inspired Cubs complete turnaround
The Cubs have done a 180-degree turn, and one of the teams that helped them was the Atlanta Braves.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on the Cubs turnaround (subscription required). Within, he explained that manager David Ross held a meeting with the team after being swept by the Angels in early June. He asked two players to speak to turnarounds they themselves had been a part of. Yan Gomes spoke of a 2019 Nationals turnaround leading to a title, and Dansby Swanson spoke to the Braves triumphant World Series victory in 2021.
Swanson and the Braves are remembered as a great team, the best of that season, but it didn't start that way. The Braves, even at the trade deadline, were below .500. It was a team who didn't see a division lead until mid-August. They were as many as eight games back in mid-June, much like Chicago who has been as many as 8.5 games back.
Then, the Braves made huge additions, recalibrated, and got on track. They did so in a massive way, winning the World Series.
Chicago did not make additions that appear as seismic as the Braves that year. Atlanta added Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, and Adam Duvall. The Cubs' biggest move was Calendario, which while appearing fruitful so far, is not as much of a drastic retool as Atlanta went through.
Perhaps, though, the Cubs don't need as much of a refit, and rather just need a small tweak.
In a few short months, when the fate of the 2023 Cubs is clear, we'll know what path was right. In some small way, they can credit Atlanta for inspiration.
