Should the Atlanta Braves go after Yasiel Puig?

On Tuesday morning it was reported by multiple news outlets that the Los Angeles Dodgers would be willing to trade Yasiel Puig.

It sounds like, based on what Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal reported earlier today, that the Dodgers may be in panic mode or close to panic mode in regards to Puig’s 2016 performance.

Here’s the thing about Puig. We baseball fans suffer from memory loss. Puig is two years removed from slashing .296/.382/.480 and he’s still only 25 years old. He’s also signed through 2020. And his defense is above average.

With Kershaw out for the season, the Dodgers need another solid starter and I don’t think Chavez Ravine, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy are the answer if they intend to make the playoffs.

More from Tomahawk Take

The Dodgers could also use bats. They are last in the league in batting average and near the bottom in on-base and slugging percentage. Not much the Atlanta Braves can currently help with in this department. Unless they trade Freeman. So, if the Dodgers are looking for MLB offense right now for Puig, I’m not sure if the Braves would be a good fit.

But, if the Dodgers seriously believe that the current struggling Puig is the “real Puig” and want to get rid of him, there might be a couple of scenarios which could work for the Braves.

Trade Puig straight up for Julio Teheran. I know. I know. I probably just caused at least 35 readers to break their computer screens. I’m not proposing such an idea, I’m just talking it out.

I will say this – I believe June 2016 Julio Teheran was the best we’ll ever see him. While I think Teheran is good and effective and that the Braves don’t need to lose him, I do think he’s inconsistent and is not an ‘ace.’

“But, Coppy said he won’t trade him.” I don’t care. Everyone has their price. If the Dodgers offered Puig for Teheran, I think John Coppolella would entertain such a notion.

Another idea the Braves might consider if Puig is on the table is packaging Dustin Peterson, Tyrell Jenkins, Lucas Sims, and Nick Markakis for Puig. Settle down, I’m just throwing it out there. In this sort of a package deal, the Braves are only giving up one valuable guy – Tyrell Jenkins (in my opinionated opinion.)

I don’t see Peterson or Sims really working out like the Braves have dreamed about. I like them both, and I know Peterson’s bat is currently hot, but I don’t see it translating at the big league level.

Next: Around the League Chatter

The bottom line is this – Yasiel Puig is still really really good. And he’s still only 25-years-old. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet. And if the Atlanta Braves are truly in need of long-term bats, he’s someone to think about.

Home/Braves Rumors