ATLANTA — When Alex Anthopoulos made trades last summer, the goal was to give the Braves a chance to win a fourth consecutive National League East title and then see what happens in the postseason. The Braves are shoo-ins to play in the postseason this year, so any moves the general manager makes before the Aug. 2 deadline will be about boosting their chances once they get there. There’s still urgency for the Braves, if not desperation.
The Braves have holes to fill. They carry the expectation that they’ll make a serious run at another World Series title. The challenge for Anthopoulos is that their NL rivals are better suited to give trade partners what they tend to want: talented minor league players.
Baseball America updated its top 100 prospect list before the All-Star break. No Braves players made the cut. The Dodgers and Cardinals have seven players on the list. The Padres have five of MLB’s top prospects, the Phillies four and the Mets three. All those contenders are expected to be active at the trade deadline. The Braves will be at a disadvantage if the bidding reaches a point where sellers are demanding top prospects in return.
