Spring training is underway and the Atlanta Braves are very clearly among baseball’s elite teams heading into the 2024 season. The lineup is stacked from top to bottom with reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. leading the way and the pitching staff has both elite arms and plenty of depth. You won’t find a more complete roster in all of MLB, at least on paper.
That said, there are always ways that the Braves could improve if the need arises. Opportunities to upgrade the roster can pop up or the Braves could opt to cash in on an opportunity to foster more minor league depth with moves with a team that has a pressing need. As a result, it is good to think about who the Braves have in their ranks that could be expendable when it comes to trades.
Are the Braves likely to make a trade before the start of the 2024 season? No, probably not. Again, Atlanta has been busy this offseason already with multiple trades and signings and there isn’t really a strong need to get anything done for the moment. However, if the right set of circumstances did come about, here are a few Braves players that could be available on the trade market for the right deal.
Dylan Dodd
Dylan Dodd emerged last spring as an unexpected contender for the Braves’ rotation in the wake of Kyle Wright’s shoulder issues that ultimately required surgery. While his first look at the big leagues last year didn’t go overly well with a 7.60 ERA in 34.1 innings of work, Dodd did show flashes of his potential thanks to a healthy mix of pitches from the left side even as he battled arm soreness and fatigue after his strong showing in spring training.
Right now, Dodd is in a weird spot with regards to his future with the Braves. The team likes him and lefties with multiple quality pitches are tough to come by, but Atlanta has a lot of starting pitching depth that may just be ahead of Dodd in the pecking order now. With Bryce Elder and AJ Smith-Shawver among others on the 40-man roster and Hurston Waldrep, Luis De Avila, and more lurking in the minor leagues, Dodd has become an expendable piece that could appeal to a pitching needy team before the start of 2024. The Braves shouldn’t force a deal as last season proved that you can never have enough pitching, but Dodd is a guy that could be on the move for the right price.
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