After exhibiting (perhaps excessive) prudence in deals early in his tenure, Atlanta Braves front office manager Alex Anthopoulos has found his stride when it comes to wheeling and dealing in recent years.
After making a hefty trade for Matt Olson after the Freddie Freeman negotiations fell down, and then giving up a large package to obtain Sean Murphy, Anthopoulos has demonstrated that he is prepared to make a big trade if he wants a player sufficiently.
Garrett Crochet is one guy who is obviously on the Braves’ trade radar this winter. Crochet is without a doubt the most sought-after player on the trade market right now, and the Braves are far from alone in their pursuit. The problem is that the White Sox appear to want position players in exchange for Crochet, and Atlanta isn’t exactly flush with hitting prospects right now, other from Drake Baldwin and possibly Nacho Alvarez.
Garrett Crochet is one player who is clearly on the Braves’ trade radar this winter. Crochet is unquestionably the most sought-after player on the trade market right now, and the Braves are not alone in their pursuit. The problem is that the White Sox appear to want position players in exchange for Crochet, and Atlanta isn’t exactly wealthy with hitting prospects right now, with the exception of Drake Baldwin and potentially Nacho Alvarez.
If the Braves were willing to trade Ozzie Albies, a Garrett Crochet trade looks a lot more likely
To prevent at least part of the hate mail, this is not an endorsement of trading Albies. Albies has been a crucial part of the Braves’ success since 2018, and he is now on an exceedingly team-friendly contract. Albies is not a perfect player by any means, but he is one of the best second basemen in baseball when healthy, and for $7 million in 2025 with club options for 2026 and 2027, Albies is an excellent steal.
Bowman, on the other hand, isn’t the type to spread wild rumors, and he has a point here. Albies has battled to stay on the field; his offensive worth is restricted by his aggressive approach at the plate, and his defensive stats haven’t been spectacular in recent years. If the proper player is involved, trading Albies for a proven commodity with inexpensive, flexible club control isn’t so crazy.
This leads us back to the crochet discussion. Crochet, one of baseball’s top young pitchers, would come with two years of team control and has already showed a strong willingness to sign an extension with his new team, so trading Albies may be worthwhile. It would undoubtedly create another roster problem for the Braves, and Anthopoulos would probably not do it unless he believed Crochet was likely to be extended, but there is a scenario in which the Braves could do the unthinkable and trade Albies to provide the White Sox with the position talent they seek in such a deal.
