The Atlanta Braves’ trade deadline goals are clear: upgrade the outfield bats and add a more reliable fifth starter. Just as Spencer Schwellenbach put in his claim for the fifth starting spot, the Braves were spooked with a Reynaldo Lopez injury. Max Fried is still on the IL, and Chris Sale’s late-season durability has been an ongoing mystery for years.

In short, Atlanta needs to stockpile depth on the mound. Atlanta has several appealing young pitchers to dangle in trade talks, ranging from top prospects AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep, to more fringe bets such as Darius Vines or Allan Winans.

The general expectation was that Atlanta would target a solid mid-to-back end rotation guy and leave it at that. Even with Spencer Strider out of commission, Atlanta has three All-Stars in the starting rotation this season between Sale, Fried, and Lopez. The Braves aren’t necessarily wanting for star power on the bump.

And yet, the latest report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post connects Atlanta to the most coveted starting pitcher on the market — Chicago White Sox All-Star and potential Cy Young candidate, Garrett Crochet.

That would come as a shock. Crochet won’t come cheap and his very public contract demands are the sort of thing that might scare off a less aggressive front office. Crochet won’t start in the playoffs without a contract extension, and he doesn’t want to move to the bullpen. With the Braves floundering in the Wild Card race, however, Alex Anthopoulos could get bold.

A Crochet trade wouldn’t just be oriented toward immediate improvement, though. It could also signal what happens with Max Fried down the line.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, and join the discord to get the inside scoop as we near the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

Braves trade for Garrett Crochet might seal Max Fried’s free agent fate

Max Fried is a free agent at season’s end. He has very publicly hinted at the lack of progress in contract talks over the years, to the point where a breakup feels almost inevitable. The Braves tend to lock up their stars early, avoiding the risk and financial burden of a free agent bidding war. Fried is going to field a vast array of suitors in a few months. He should get several long-term, big-money offer sheets before Atlanta can say the words ‘Garrett Crochet.’

As such, a Crochet trades makes sense. He’s 25 and under team control through the 2026 season. If the Braves don’t want to extend Crochet right now, he won’t play in the postseason. That’s fine, because the Braves ostensibly have three All-Star starters (and Charlie Morton) to choose between. Atlanta can realistically target Crochet as 2024 regular season insurance and Fried’s eventual 2025 replacement.

Or, if Atlanta does hammer out a new contract for the fireballing lefty, that only further cements Fried’s fate. Crochet has more than doubled his career high for innings pitched this season, sparking some long-term health concerns. In terms of pure stuff, however, few pitchers project better moving forward. Crochet should be racking up K’s for the next several years, and he could end up doing it in a Braves uniform.

The Fried affair has been difficult to comprehend at times. He is very obviously someone the Braves should want to keep around. Alas, if he’s destined for a new home, Crochet is the best replacement Atlanta has a realistic path toward acquiring. This would be the sort of trade that jolts the struggling Phillies awake and injects a sense of unease into the Mets dugout.