Why the Atlanta Braves can’t afford to stand pat at the MLB trade deadline

Weeks from the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves are clinging to a two-game lead in the National League East. The pressure to win and make the right moves has grown over the past six weeks. With that in mind, we opened our mailbag — and fans in Braves Country have questions about what to expect for the rest of the season.

Let’s dive in.

Note: Submitted questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Do you think the Braves will target Sonny Gray at the deadline? — Kevin B.

The Boston Red Sox right-hander should be a priority arm for the Braves. We all know this starting pitching staff, outside of Chris Sale, isn’t going deep into games and is making the bullpen work. Gray has the playoff pedigree and the experience that matters during these stretches of the season. Also, considering how big his contract is, I don’t think he’ll cost as much to acquire compared with other pitchers on the starting market.

With no shortstops under contract next year, prospects seemingly a couple of seasons away and Ozzie Albies under team control for just one more season, how do you see the team addressing the middle infield in the medium term? Could another team-friendly Ozzie extension be possible? Is Mauricio Dubón thought of as a longer-term option? — Cooper A.

I don’t think Albies would be willing to sign another extension of that kind, especially if his production continues at this rate. I think the Braves should find a way to keep Dubón, who plays the game really hard and is an asset in the clubhouse.

How would you handle the Ha-Seong Kim situation? Do you think someone on this roster gets the most starts at short the rest of the year? — Raj K.

The simple solution, once Ronald Acuña Jr. returns: make Dubón the new starting shortstop. I know everyone is on the Jim Jarvis juice right now, and rightfully so, but Dubón is playing more consistently than previously in his career. The leash on Kim is probably the shortest it’s been all season, and if he can’t figure it out when he returns, I don’t even know whether he’ll be on this team in two months.

Are there any “untouchable” prospects that Alex Anthopoulos would never give up in a trade, or is everyone on the table? — Bill S.

During my time covering prospects at Baseball America, I learned that there truly isn’t an untouchable prospect — just ask the San Diego Padres. That doesn’t mean the Braves don’t have players they’d like to keep. Eric Hartman might be the only player who falls in that category considering how much he has boosted his stock, but I’d still like to see whether he can continue that production at the highest level.

Hi Jesús! If the Braves continue this slump into the end of July and slip into a wild-card spot, do you think they will still try to land a No. 2 starter and a power bat? Or is it likely that Anthopoulos will still tweak with fringe trades? — Willi G.

I don’t think they have much of a choice at that point. If this slump carries into the end of July and they’ve fallen into a wild-card spot, the pressure changes. It’s one thing to say it’s a long season, but it’s another when a double-digit division lead shrinks to just a few games. I still believe this roster has the talent to win a World Series. The lineup is too talented to keep underperforming, and the bullpen has shown it can get outs. But if the offense continues to stall, especially in the outfield, Anthopoulos has to be aggressive. Standing pat would be a tough sell when the window to contend is right now.

Would the Braves ever consider trading Acuña? — Kraig B.

I don’t see it happening. Acuña is too important to this organization, and not just because of what he does on the field. Even when he isn’t in the lineup, his presence is felt in the clubhouse. Teammates feed off his energy.

He’s also the type of player you build around, not discard. Unless something completely unexpected happens, I’d be shocked if the Braves ever seriously entertain trading him.

Will the Braves do something regarding Austin Riley, or will they continue to propagate the classical definition of insanity? — Trey N.

That’s a fair question. The contract makes it really difficult to envision the Braves doing anything significant with Riley. At this point, I think they’re going to keep betting on the track record and trust that he’ll get back to being the player we’ve seen for most of his career. He has shown that he is capable of being one of the better hitters in baseball. The more realistic path is to have him work through the adjustments rather than making a drastic move.

Hartman got off to a hot start (very hot), but his numbers have dropped like a rock since. Today, he’s batting .281 with an OPS just over .900 in High A, which must mean he has been an average-or-below hitter over the past six to eight weeks. Isn’t he overhyped? — Greg J.

Tranquilo, Papi.

The numbers have come back to earth, but that was always going to happen after the start he had. I don’t think it’s a reason to panic. A .281 average with an OPS north of .900 is still excellent production.

I don’t think he’s overhyped. The tools are real, the production is still there, and he’s shown he can make adjustments. I’d be much more concerned if the underlying quality of his at-bats started to disappear.

I do find it interesting that the Braves haven’t promoted him to Double A yet. I really think they’re waiting until after the trade deadline in case he gets exposed.

Does the organization still believe Bryce Elder can rebound in the second half? It looks like he may have simply run out of gas and may be dealing with some fatigue. — Brent L.

Elder still holds value for the Braves, but it’s fair to wonder whether they view him as a dependable rotation piece for a postseason run. He’s at his best when his sinker has late movement and he’s locating it consistently. When that command slips, even a little, he’s much more vulnerable because he doesn’t generate many swings and misses. That’s part of the reason Atlanta is expected to pursue starting pitching before the trade deadline. The Braves still see Elder as useful depth, but adding another starter would allow him to slide into a swingman or spot-start role better suited to his current profile.

I think they need an outfielder’s bat more than ever. Acuña can’t get healthy, Mike Yastrzemski isn’t going to get you much, Eli White is a subpar bat, Dubón should move to third base, and they can find a left field bat. What is your take? — Jordan K.

The Braves desperately need an outfield bat because injuries and a lack of production have completely stalled their offense. With Acuña recovering and Yastrzemski sidelined, Atlanta’s corner outfield spots lack consistent power. The lineup has become overly reliant on defensive specialists who struggle to provide game-changing hits. A high-impact right-handed bat would instantly inject needed power into the middle of the order. To salvage the Braves’ postseason aspirations and support the infield core, Anthopoulos must supplement the roster with an immediate, major league-ready producer who can reignite a dormant offense.