Braves: Kris Bryant Makes Too Much Sense for AA

We take a look at why a trade for Kris Bryant makes a ton of sense for Alex Anthopoulos and the Atlanta Braves this offseason.

As we continually see other teams in the NL East beef up their rosters for the 2021 season, we look for answers for the Atlanta Braves.

This idea today is not something new, but the longer the offseason goes on, the more I think trading for Kris Bryant makes the most sense for the Braves.

I don’t know if Bryant is exactly the perfect fit for the Braves, but outside of Noaln Arenado, there aren’t a ton of great options available.

A lot of fans really want Marcell Ozuna back, but I’m not in that boat — at least not at the price point he’s likely to get.

But Bryant fits the model that AA likes to go after — he’s essentially a guy on a one-year, $19.5 million deal looking establish himself before hitting free agency.

AA has struck gold the past two seasons getting players in that exact same scenario like Josh Donaldson and Marcell Ozuna.

The only difference with Bryant is you’d have to trade for him, but I can’t imagine the price is very high. Perhaps the Braves get him for Sean Newcomb and a C-level prospect that has some upside.

Of course, with Bryant’s value being so low, the Cubs might not want to sell low on him right now. They could wait and hope he regains some value to start the season and then trade him at the deadline.

They’d likely get at least the same value then as they would now.

But trading for Bryant now, even if the Braves have to overpay a little, benefits Atlanta in that they get to extend him a qualifying offer at season’s end so they at least get a draft pick back.

Again, Bryant is a one-year player looking to improve his stock before free agency, he’s the big right-handed bat we need behind Freddie Freeman, and he shouldn’t cost a ton in prospect capital.

Plus, he’s cheaper than any similar free-agent bat the Braves would sign.

As I’ve said plenty of times, you can’t put much stock into the 2020 season — good or bad. Obviously, it was bad for Bryant. But he’s also put up at least 4.8 WAR in every year that he’s played at least 147 games.

I have no doubts that he’ll hit as long as he’s healthy.

There are questions about his defense, but he’s actually been solid in left field. And if you put him out there Cristian Pache and Ronald Acuna Jr. can help cover him up.

Ron Washington can always work some magic to make him a better defender at third as well.

The longer this offseason goes on, and the more I consider the limited options out there, the more I feel that trading for Bryant is the right move for the Braves in 2021.