Braves’ Shortstop Problem Could Lead to Blockbuster Bichette Trade
The Braves have a shortstop problem that’s becoming impossible to ignore.
Despite having a 2023 All-Star at the position in Orlando Arcia, Atlanta has turned to Nick Allen as their starter. Allen, a former Athletics utility player, brings stellar defense but just a .613 OPS to the lineup. It’s a telling move for a team with championship aspirations.
That’s why former Rockies GM Dan O’Dowd believes the Braves should make a splash before the trade deadline by acquiring Blue Jays star Bo Bichette.
“I’ve got the Blue Jays trading Bo to the Atlanta Braves,” O’Dowd said Thursday on MLB Network. “I think the Braves need a bat, but I think they need that kind of bat. High contact, low strikeouts, use the entire field. They’re getting very little offensive production at shortstop now for a number of years.”
The suggestion makes sense. Bichette would bring immediate offensive firepower to a position that’s become a black hole in Atlanta’s lineup. While Allen and Arcia can flash the leather, neither provides the offensive punch a contender needs.
“It’s a deal that the Braves, for me, really need to plug that position in their lineup with an offensive shortstop,” O’Dowd added.
Bichette, 27, isn’t just any shortstop. He’s a two-time All-Star with a career .794 OPS and 119 OPS+. This season, he’s posting similar numbers (.752 OPS, 113 OPS+) despite a brutal slump to start the year when he went homer-less for the first month and missed half of Toronto’s games.
He’s hitting his stride now, which raises the question: will the Blue Jays actually make him available? Toronto would need to fall further out of contention before considering moving their franchise cornerstone. But with Bichette approaching free agency, the Blue Jays might be forced to consider offers if they’re buried in the standings come July.
For the Braves, who’ve watched their shortstop position become an offensive liability, a move for Bichette could be exactly what they need to solidify their championship hopes.
