The Atlanta Braves appear to be getting worse before they will get better. The team is in the midst of full rebuilding mode as new team president John Hart attempts to rid the pay roll of overblown contracts. That has come at the cost of Jason Heyward, Kris Medlen, Ervin Santana and now Justin Upton who has been traded to the San Diego Padres. As the Braves continue to try and build their pool of prospects up, who could be next in a deal?
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Atlanta Braves have officially traded outfielder Justin Upton to the San Diego Padres. This has been a move in the making since the MLB Winter Meetings began. Hart had stated that while Atlanta was looking in to trading the outfielder, they would not make a deal unless it was totally worth it. He had stressed his comfort in keeping Upton on the roster if the ideal trade did not get presented. However, San Diego offered several top young prospects and Atlanta made the move.
The trade shows the Braves are in full rebuilding mode. How Nick Markakis' four-year, $45 million contract fits into that is anyone's guess, but that is the route the Braves are taking. So what deal is next? Right now, the team cannot afford to make a trade for Evan Gattis. He is expected to transition into the outfield along with BJ Upton and Markakis.
Third baseman Chris Johnson will be the next likely target for a Braves deal. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the San Francisco Giants are one of the many teams interested in Johnson. The Braves had reportedly attempted to package Justin Upton and Johnson together for the Giants, but that deal soured. However, San Francisco could still make a move on the third baseman.
The Braves are in desperate need of strong pitching with their next move. They acquired Shelby Miller who will likely enter the starting rotation. The team has been keeping their eyes on Taijuan Walker of the Seattle Mariners, but with Upton gone, the team does not have what it will take to get him. Where the Braves are headed is anyone's guess. With a multi-million dollar stadium set to open in 2017, the Braves would ideally like to be back at winning, but right now the bigger picture has yet to develop.
