Sep 9, 2020; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Travis dÕArnaud (16) celebrates his three-run home run with first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Only being a week into the MLB season, we have an idea of teams that will be buying and selling at the trade deadline. Here’s who each NL East team should try to trade in 2023.
Even just a week into the regular season, we know what the teams from the NL East will be looking to do at the trade deadline. The three-headed monster of the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will be jockeying for the NL East. The Marlins will be somewhere in the middle of trying to build for now and for the future. The Nationals are sellers already.
Knowing the statuses of these teams makes it pretty easy to come up with trade candidates for each NL East club. Here are players each team should look to move.
MLB Rumors: Atlanta Braves should trade C Travis d’Arnaud
The Atlanta Braves will be looking to capture their sixth consecutive NL East title this season and are off to a great start in their quest, starting the season 6-2.
Atlanta has dealt with some injuries, like most other teams in this division, but have one of, if not the best roster in the game. Their rotation is elite, their bullpen might be the best in baseball, and their lineup rakes.
What they have that other teams don’t is two high-quality starting catchers in Sean Murphy and Travis d’Arnaud. Atlanta is intending on keeping both, for now, but I think it’s very possible we see them look to move d’Arnaud, as they already extended Sean Murphy immediately after acquiring him.
d’Arnaud has been used both behind the plate and at DH to begin the season. The Braves have someone like Marcell Ozuna who’s a capable DH but lack a legitimate starting shortstop or left fielder.
Trading d’Arnaud can help them fill one of those holes. It might be unorthodox for a win-now team to do this, but Atlanta traded from a position of strength last season when they traded Will Smith for Jake Odorizzi at the deadline. They didn’t win the World Series, but did end up winning the division.