Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Winter Meetings Day 3 rumors…emerging targets
Alex Anthopoulos can only keep so much under wraps and with so many people involved, information is one thing that doesn’t stay in Las Vegas. As a result, we are seeing some player targets emerge.
It still might be a while before any of these trade opportunities gel (if at all), but the Atlanta Braves are indeed in the thick of several discussions that could reshape this team for years to come.
Before we get to the specifics, here are the players that are getting the most chatter as the Las Vegas sessions are coming to a close today:
- Catcher J.T. Realmuto of the Miami Marlins
- Outfielder Nick Castellanos of the Detroit Tigers
- Starting pitcher Sonny Gray of the New York Yankees
Still want a relief pitcher or two added to the mix? Not to worry – there’s a host of them still available. According to the MLB Trade Rumors signing tracker…
- 6 have signed major league deals
- 1 minor league deal
- 1 Korean deal
- 67 remain unsigned as of Wednesday evening
- (UPDATE: 65 now: Joe Kelly [Dodgers] and Jeurys Familia [Mets] signed last night).
So the Braves can wait until their ‘major needs’ are dealt with before going to this well: seems that other teams are doing exactly the same.
Also: don’t be surprised if a promising reliever is taken in today’s Rule 5 draft. He may or may not ultimately ‘stick’, but it’s cheap for them to try.
Anthopoulos to Liberty HQ?
The Braves GM wasn’t actually in Vegas for most of Wednesday –
Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos left the Winter Meetings this morning to attend meetings with Liberty Media execs in Denver
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) December 12, 2018
We don’t know why, particularly, but Bowman reports that this was something scheduled some time ago… it’s not like he was suddenly summoned to the board room for a special meeting or anything. Still, while Bowman downplays the event the timing still smacks of something a bit odd.
But for now, let’s get to the juicy rumors…