Unfortunately, Buxton, who is a native of Georgia, was not willing to waive his no trade clause for any team, even as he watched the Twins trade away nearly half of his teammates in a full-blown fire sale.
He’s someone who’s said he has no interest in going anywhere in the past, showing a unique kind of loyalty that doesn’t often exist in today’s world of sports.
Perhaps that tune changes as the Twins enter this rebuild. Those conversations could certainly pick back up during the offseason or at next year’s trade deadline, but the Braves don’t have time to wait for Byron Buxton. The goal is to compete in 2026, and we learned a couple of things about Alex Anthopoulos’ plan to get this club back into contention.
Outfield is a priority
Outfield was the only thing the Braves addressed last winter, and coming into the season, it looked like it could be one of the team’s biggest strengths.
Fast forward to today, and an argument could be made that the Braves shouldn’t feel 100% comfortable at any position in the outfield.
Jurickson Profar was suspended just four games into his stint with the Braves after violating the league’s PED policy.
He’s since served that suspension, but it’s more than fair to question what he’ll be able to provide moving forward.
2024 was a career-year for a player that’s been in the league for over a decade, and it just so happens he was busted for PEDs. In all likelihood, Profar is not going to provide the Braves with anything more than replacement level production moving forward.
Alex Anthopoulos should actively be looking for alternatives to replace him in left field.
Center field is also a bit of a concern. Michael Harris II was among the worst offensive players in baseball in the first half of the season.
He’s off to a much better start to the second half after some mechanical adjustments, and the Braves likely aren’t looking to replace him, given he’s under contract through 2030.
But there has to be at least some level of worry that Michael Harris II might not end up playing out that entire contract as the club’s starting centerfielder.
Then, there’s the Ronald Acuña Jr. dilemma.
The Braves star returned from his second torn ACL better than anybody could have possibly imagined, but he’s now back on the IL after another serious injury scare. The Braves know there’s a world where Acuña can no longer play right field. They could start using him as a DH more often in an attempt to keep him healthy for 162 games.
Don’t Think Small
The nightmare scenario for the Braves this offseason would be if Alex Anthopoulos tries to run it back as currently constructed, relying solely on guys returning from injuries and bounce back campaigns.
This is one of the worst teams in baseball, and they were bad well before players started dropping like flies.
Atlanta has dealt with plenty of injuries in the past and still managed to make the postseason. Hell, they won a World Series without Ronald Acuña Jr. and a rotation that featured three major-leaguers.
The 2025 Braves have been a flawed team from the jump, and it’s going to take some significant changes to get this club back into contention. At least from this report, it does seem that Alex Anthopoulos recognizes that and will try to be aggressive this offseason.
