The MLB Trade Deadline is Tuesday and 6 p.m. and the Atlanta Braves have remained quiet in the lead up. The Braves have several needs heading into the deadline and the uncertainty surrounding Reynaldo López may have just created another.
Atlanta has already lost Spencer Strider to a season-ending injury. Max Fried is currently on the injured list as well, although he may be nearing a return. Lopez was sent back to Atlanta Sunday after experiencing soreness in his forearm in the third inning of Sunday’s start against the New York Mets. Lopez was set to undergo an MRI but the results are unknown at this time.
All the caveats around reporting at the trade deadline apply here. The Braves notoriously keep things close to the vest when it comes to making moves, but this one actually makes some sense. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that the Braves are among the teams that are considering White Sox starter Garrett Crochet.
Braves are among teams considering White Sox ace Garrett Crochet. Makes sense for them if they can muster decent return. They have multiple injury losses/concerns at the top of their rotation and Crochet salary ($800K) is very reasonable.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 29, 2024
It is hard to speculate without knowing the extent of Lopez’s injury, but the worst case scenario would cause him to miss most if not all of next season as well. The Braves already have a number of questions for their 2025 rotation with Fried headed to free agency and the possibility that Charlie Morton retires.
Acquiring Crochet would check all of those boxes. There are caveats though. Crochet has been one of the most effective starters in the American League despite playing for the worst team in the majors. However, like Lopez, he has transitioned from the bullpen and has blown away his previous career-high in innings. A report surfaced last week that Crochet might not be willing to pitch in the postseason without a contract extension. While that report might have been overblown, it is part of the story for any team that is thinking about trading for Crochet.
The Braves’ biggest need at the deadline still appears to be a bat, but if the news on Lopez does turn out to be bad, then a move like this would be as much about next season as the stretch run. If it isn’t Crochet, and let’s be honest, it probably won’t be. But a move like this for a controllable starter might be something that Atlanta has to consider.
