An impromptu Braves-Reds deal to cover for Reynaldo Lopez’s injury during the rotation
The injury-plagued Atlanta Braves got even worse when Reynaldo Lopez departed Sunday’s game due to discomfort in his right forearm. The Braves are hoping the ailment is mild, but stiffness in the forearms can occasionally be a sign of something far worse.
Given how effectively Lopez has thrown this season and all of the other problems the Braves have been dealing with, this setback is particularly disappointing for them. Ignore the numerous injuries sustained by their position players. Due to injuries, the Braves pitching staff is completely destroyed.
Since April, Spencer Strider has concluded his season. Right now, Max Fried is on the IL. Huascar Ynoa and Hurston Waldrep are examples of depth possibilities that are available. Grant Holmes, a pitcher with ten MLB appearances but no starts, will start Monday’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers because things have become so terrible.
Whether Lopez’s injury is mild or not, more depth is needed on this Braves club. The return of Spencer Schwellenbach may spare them from having to trade for a top starter, but they still need to add some depth. To close a transaction, they can turn to a group like the Cincinnati Reds.
(To obtain the inside word as the MLB trade deadline of July 30 draws closer, listen to MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast and join the discord channel.)
Frankie Montas is a pitcher that Atlanta might take into consideration; he is undoubtedly available and would provide them with some much-needed depth. While Montas’s 5.01 ERA in 19 outings is not particularly appealing, it was 4.23 before the start of July. Although Montas has had a difficult month, including a dismal performance against the Braves, he is a reliable innings eater that the Braves club could definitely use.
Despite how unimpressive his season has seemed on paper, Montas has made all but three of his starts, giving up four runs or less. He does a respectable job of keeping his club in games, and he would be a terrific No. 5 starter if the Braves offense plays up to its potential. More significantly, Montas won’t cost Atlanta a much to sign since he’s a back-end starter with an expiring contract (no team will take up his $20 million mutual option), which means Atlanta can still use some of its best prospects in exchange for outfield assistance.
The Braves would get enough money from this transaction to pay for the majority, if not all, of the money that Montas still due them this season. They forfeit a pitching prospect that is moderately enticing in exchange for the transaction.
The No. 19 prospect in MLB Pipeline’s rankings for Atlanta’s system, Luis De Avila, would be returning to Cincinnati. With 18 starts and 97.1 innings pitched, De Avila has put up a 3.42 ERA in his strong season at the AA level. It shouldn’t be too long until he is promoted to AAA, and if he does well, it might not be long before he gets promoted to MLB.
De Avila is somewhat replaceable because he is only one of several starting pitchers in a pitching-rich farm system. Considering how pricey the pitching market is, especially with Cincinnati eating the money, Atlanta might be better off getting a strong back-end starter for him.
Irrespective of the Montas trade, the Braves ought to have another starting pitcher in their lineup when they play on Wednesday.
