![\"MLB:](\"https:\/\/www.sportstalkatl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/dgo2307210437-mil-vs-atl.jpg\")
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The calendar has yet to even turn to May, and it\u2019s already clearer than ever that the Braves roster is not championship caliber as currently constructed.<\/p>\n
The return of Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. will help, but if Atlanta wants to hoist the Commissioner\u2019s Trophy for the second time since 2021, Alex Anthopoulos will have to pull off some magic, much like he did at the 2021 trade deadline.<\/p>\n
The Braves have a slew of needs, which MLB insider Jon Heyman recently pointed out in his latest piece for the New York Post.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThere are multiple problems for a change: rotation, bullpen and shortstop,\u201d Heyman wrote of the Braves.<\/p>\n
Rotation<\/strong><\/p>\n The Braves rotation depth was questionable coming into the season, and it\u2019s gotten dire\u2026 quickly. Ian Anderson has already been traded and DFA\u2019d by the Angeles, AJ Smith-Shawver doesn\u2019t look quite ready, Reynaldo Lopez might be out for the season, and Spencer Strider is back on the IL after making just one start.<\/p>\n Strider is dealing with a minor hamstring injury, so he should be back within the next month, but the Braves really have to pray nobody else deals with a serious injury, or this could get ugly fast.<\/p>\n Bullpen<\/strong><\/p>\n Unfortunately, the bullpen is not going to be picking up the rotation very often.<\/p>\n They currently are near the bottom of the league in every category, and everyone should have seen this coming.<\/p>\n The Braves lost A.J. Minter and Joe Jimenez, yet they did absolutely nothing to replace either of them.<\/p>\n Daysbel Hernandez has been splendid in a larger role, but after him, there aren\u2019t many positive talking points surrounding this group.<\/p>\n Thankfully, finding relievers at the trade deadline is much easier (and less expensive) than acquiring starting arms. This group needs a lot of work.<\/p>\n Shortstop<\/strong><\/p>\n Letting Dansby Swanson walk in free agency without any resistance a few offseasons ago is looking worse by the day.<\/p>\n He continues to play like one of the best shortstops in baseball, while the Braves haven\u2019t made any attempt to find a long-term answer at the position.<\/p>\n Orlando Arcia is now a full-on tomato can that offers nothing at the plate or with his glove. It\u2019s so bad, the Braves are settling for Nick Allen to be their everyday shortstop.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, not many teams will be looking to trade shortstops at the trade deadline. The Braves might just have to take their medicine at the position and re-evaluate things this offseason.<\/p>\n Photo: Larry Radloff\/Icon Sportswire<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The calendar has yet to even turn to May, and it\u2019s already clearer than ever that the Braves roster is not championship caliber as currently constructed. The… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":51087,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n