The Deal and The Damage
The Atlanta Braves finally pulled the trigger on their first major move before the trade deadline. They shipped two fringe pitching prospects, Lucas Braun and Carter Holton, straight to the Kansas City Royals. In exchange, they snagged outfielder Lane Thomas and lefty pitcher Bailey Falter. It’s a swap that gives the Braves a solid platoon bat and a left-handed arm they can slot into the rotation or the bullpen depending on the matchup.
But the good news came with a heavy price tag almost immediately.
Saturday’s scheduled start got scratched for starter Reynaldo Lopez. He’s dealing with a knee injury that will land him on the injured list. The team needs to get imaging done on his knee to see the full extent of the damage, and Junior Ritchie is now expected to take the mound for Sunday’s game. (That’s a massive blow to a rotation that was already stretched thin.)
Young talent took another hit as well. Season-ending surgery for a torn labrum is reportedly what first-round pick AJ Gracia is getting. He hopes to return next season, but the farm system feels the loss of a top prospect right when the big club needs depth. These moves show the front office is trying to win now, but the injury bug bites hard.
What Thomas and Falter Bring
Lane Thomas fits a specific role perfectly. He’ll be a platoon outfielder and a pinch hitter who hits lefty pitching well. He’s also a plus baserunner when the team needs him to move around the bases. He should have a fairly concrete, if limited, role in the lineup, which is exactly what a contender needs off the bench. (He’s hitting .265 this season with 14 homers, so the power is real.)
Then there’s Bailey Falter. At the major league level, he’s been a serviceable fifth starter at times. What makes him so interesting is that he has a premium fastball. The low 90s sit it, with over 18 inches of induced vertical break. Extension coming from the left side is 97th percentile for him also. One heck of a starting point for a pitcher is that fastball.
The problem for him has been that he hasn’t been able to develop a remotely respectable second pitch, let alone a third or fourth pitch to keep hitters off balance. That said, that fastball could make him an interesting option out of the bullpen very easily. The Braves can work with him to find any sort of second pitch that can work at the major league level. This is a low-risk, high-reward move for the rotation.
The Bigger Picture for Atlanta
The Braves need every hand they can get right now. Martin Perez played hero in a strong 8-3 win over the Nationals. The offense gave him more than enough to work with. But Perez cannot carry the rotation alone while Lopez sits out. The team DFA’d Elieser Hernandez and called up James Karinchak in his place. This shows the roster is thin and the margin for error is gone.
I am worried about the pitching depth after this knee injury. The rotation was already shaky without Lopez. Now they have to rely on Ritchie and hope Falter can step in. The trade for Thomas helps the offense, but it does not fix the pitching hole. The front office needs to be ready to make another move if the rotation gets worse. The 2021 championship team had deep pitching. This squad feels like it is walking a tightrope. Mets Crush Connor Thomas as Braves Blow Lead in 14-3 Loss covers the wider picture.
The Mariners are reportedly considering a fire-sale and traded Luis Castillo to the White Sox. The Pirates traded two prospects to the Yankees for veteran reliever Camilo Doval. These moves show the market is active. The Orioles are listening to offers on former number 1 overall pick Adley Rutschman. The Braves might need to call someone else if the injury to Lopez turns into a long-term issue.
The next scheduled game for the Braves is on Sunday. Junior Ritchie is expected to start that game against the Nationals. The team will get imaging on Lopez’s knee after the game. They need to know how long the pitcher will be out. The trade deadline is still approaching, and the team has more moves to make.
The Pirates will miss offensive contributor Ryan O’Hearn for the next 6-8 weeks with a quad strain. The Angels’ Jose Soriano joined a handful of quality starters who have been scratched from their start. Injuries are hurting teams all over the league. The Braves have to hope their own luck turns soon. The fans need to see the team healthy before the final push.
