Deadline Day is here. And it while it may be filled with disappointment so far now that Mike Clevinger is headed to the Padres, there is still time for Atlanta to make a needed move to upgrade its rotation.
The good thing is that the Braves have cast a wide net when it comes to their search for options. Atlanta seems intent on adding another arm, and a quality one at that.
The #Braves have been in contact with #Rangers on Lance Lynn in last 48 hours, source confirms. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 31, 2020
Lynn makes a lot of sense for Atlanta. Both talented and durable, he would be a perfect compliment to Max Fried for the stretch run and post season in 2020. He also would allow Atlanta to feature a formidable trio with Fried and Mike Soroka in 2021. From whatever perspective you choose to view, the addition of Lynn certainly makes the Braves stronger through the end of next year.
However, the same reality that applied to Clevinger applies to Lynn in terms of prospect cost. His talent, control, and the fact that other teams are pursuing him likely means the Braves will have to part with talented prospects. However, Lynn comes with a better track record than most other options, and knows the National League well. Furthermore, the Rangers know the Braves’ system from several talks in the past regarding trades, including the Chris Martin deal last season.
As we saw with the Clevinger saga, nothing is certain until it is done. Furthermore, Alex Anthopoulos continues to show his intent of not overpaying or parting with his best prospects. However, after Tommy Milone’s debacle of a debut last night, the need for another starter remains a high priority. Anthopoulos has shown he will make the right deals when he needs to. Just like he signficantly improved the bullpen at last year’s deadline, it seems he is looking to make the needed moves to do the same for the rotation for this year and beyond.