With the Major League Baseball trade deadline quickly approaching, the Atlanta Braves are looking at all their options to add talent to the roster. The deadline is July 31st for the 2019 season. Being just a few days out, now is a good time to look into three possible targets for Atlanta.
Amir Garrett
Pitching is the Braves' weakest point as we approach the season's halfway point. It's only fitting to start off with a pitcher. Garrett's Cincinnati Reds are in one of the leagues toughest divisions and can not seem to make up much ground in the Wild Card race despite a resurgence from 2019 All-Star pitcher Sonny Gray. Garrett would give the Braves a much-needed flamethrower out of the bullpen to complement the many finesse arms the team currently employs. Early season acquisitions of Jerry Blevins and Anthony Swarzak gave the pen some stability but this group needs an intimidating presence who can shut the door on games. The closing role is up for grabs in Atlanta and Garrett would have a legitimate shot. The 6 foot 5-inch lefty boasts a 1.85 ERA in 2019, among the league's best.
Jake Diekman
Diekman would be more of a buy-low candidate than Garrett. The Kansas City Royals reliever possesses an 0-6 record and a 4.75 ERA this year. The Royals are not in postseason contention so the team is firmly in selling mode. The 32-year-old does not quite fit on the rebuilding squad but can hold value on a contender like Atlanta. Diekman has struggled in his past few major league seasons but was a solid contributor in the past. He has a career 3.87 ERA across 413 appearances. This would be a way to shore up the bullpen's backside with a proven, veteran presence.
Noah Syndergaard
The man is known around baseball as "Thor" has had a whirlwind of a career. The fact that he plays for the dysfunctional New York Mets surely does not help. He has a career ERA of 3.21 despite posting a much worse 4.33 in 2019. His down year is a great opportunity to the Braves to put a lowball offer on the table. The Mets have been linking him to trades for multiple seasons now and it seems the partnership is getting a bit stale. Atlanta would likely have to part with multiple prospects in a deal for Syndergaard but a top MLB farm system allows for such a package. The Braves will need pitching upgrades if they hope to make a run in the postseason and these three players are some of the best pieces available.
