Atlanta Braves fans were shellshocked to hear about Chris Sale landing on the 15-day IL with a fractured ribcage on Saturday.

It hasn’t been confirmed what caused it but it most likely occurred when Sale laid out for a groundball during the ninth inning of his start against the Mets.

That was not the news anyone expected just when the team started to get things on track. This leaves a massive hole at the top of Atlanta’s rotation. The Braves were already going to be busy trying to improve at the trade deadline. However, the rotation wasn’t really a huge priority… until now.

There’s no timetable for Sale’s return, but a broken rib cage is going to take some time. The team will want to be careful with him and only return him when he’s fully healthy. Alex Anthopoulos will need to at least consider some trade candidates to replace him in the event of a lengthy absence.

3 trade targets Braves need to consider in the wake of Chris Sale’s injury

Charlie Morton

Okay, okay…we know what you are thinking and your skepticism is valid. Morton has not had the best season, but he’s pitched better lately. While he isn’t as effective as he once was, he is an obvious trade candidate. The Braves are familiar with him, he fits well in the clubhouse, and he is a veteran arm.

He has a 5.64 ERA over 67 innings with 32 walks and 74 strikeouts. However, over his last seven games, Morton is 4-0 with a 2.43 ERA, 10 BB, and 44 K. This success could fade and it would be a risky trade. However, it would likely be an easily affordable trade option.

Tyler Anderson

Anderson hasn’t had a great time in June thus far with a 9.00 ERA in the month. However, the lefty had success in his first 11 starts with a 3.39 ERA, 31 walks, and 65 strikeouts. The main problem here is that the Angels aren’t far from a Wild Card spot.

They may not want to part with Anderson unless things change soon. He is not the same caliber as Sale but having a lefty in the rotation would be valuable. And it doesn’t hurt that AA has a good relationship with Angels GM Perry Minasian.

Andrew Heaney

Heaney surprised everyone with an electric start to the season but he’s cooled off recently. However, the lefty is still sporting a 3-5 record with a 3.33 ERA over 82.1 innings. He’s not going to blow anyone’s doors off but he would be a dependable arm at a relatively low cost (he is owed $5.25 million this season) with postseason experience.