The Atlanta Braves confused the vast majority of their fanbase at the MLB trade deadline. Not only did Atlanta refuse to make any major upgrades (which was likely the right call, given they aren’t going anywhere fast), but Alex Anthopoulos also held on to the likes of Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias, both of whom are on the final years of their respective contracts, and are likely to leave in free agency this winter. Yet, per a report from The Athletic, Atlanta did show some interest in one MLB star – outfielder Byron Buxton.
Per Dan Hayes – Twins beat reporter for The Athletic – Minnesota received some calls on Buxton. The two teams which showed the most interest were the Mets and Braves. Buxton has been on the record saying he wants to remain in Minnesota, a place where he feels valued and signed a long-term contract. While the Twins offloaded much of their talent at the deadline, dealing away Buxton – a fan favorite and face of the franchise – would have been greeted with even more pessimism.
“It’s always good to be wanted,” Buxton said. “Don’t get me wrong. But the only place I want is Minnesota. All of my choices are easy. I ain’t got but one place on my mind. That’s how it’ll be.”
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Why were the Braves interested in Byron Buxton?
The question shouldn’t be why were the Braves interested in Buxton, but why more teams didn’t make the call. Buxton is a bonafide star and does everything on and off the field the right way. He would not have been in the same role in Atlanta, but the Braves need bodies in the outfield. When Buxton is healthy he is an All-Star caliber talent. That is why the Twins did not trade him away, even if it would have ridded them of some payroll. As Buxton noted, the Twins players did not expect ownership to shed this much money and talent from the MLB roster. Had he been dealt, that would’ve been even worse.
“Nobody expected all the moves,” Buxton said. “But for me, I knew I ain’t going nowhere. Even though it’s a lot of chaos, it’s still calm within to know it is what it is. It’s part of the process. Obviously, you don’t want that to be the case, but we’ve got a young group of guys where these last two months will be fun. We’ve just got to come out and play hard and play good baseball and see where it takes us.”
Michael Harris II won’t be happy about Braves rumors
As FanSided’s Eric Cole pointed out in his own column, Harris II’s future could be in doubt if the Braves are pursuing alternatives.
“There is no denying that Buxton is one of the most dynamic players in baseball and he is under team control through 2028, Atlanta already has (for the moment) a centerfielder in Harris and once Acuña Jr. returns, things could have gotten pretty awkward in the outfield in a hurry,” Cole wrote. “Buxton pursuit or not, it is pretty obvious that the Braves are not sold on Harris or Profar going forward.”
Harris II is signed to a team-friendly contract through the 2032 season if you include the club options. He isn’t going anywhere unless the Braves want to trade him. So far this season, Harris II has a .627 OPS and a WAR under one. That won’t cut it in the Atlanta outfield next to Acuña Jr.
