The Atlanta Braves are expected to make some additions before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. At 55-40, they hold a lead in the National League East, but the Philadelphia Phillies (54-44) and Miami Marlins (52-45) aren't far behind.
Coming back from the All-Star break on Friday by opening up a three-game series against the Texas Rangers, Atlanta has just 17 more games before the deadline passes. With less than a month to go, general manager Alex Anthopoulos has been poking around.
Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Braves have expressed interest in Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray.
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The right-hander has been extremely effective for Boston this season, starting 17 games and producing a 2.54 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, 85 strikeouts and an opponent slash line of .229/.283/.371 in 95 2/3 innings.
However, after going 14-2 in the past 16 games, Boston is 46-48 and just half a game back from a wild card spot. After this stretch, ESPN's Jesse Rogers explained that the Red Sox's turnaround has likely changed the team's outlook before the deadline.
"About 10 days ago, I would have said Aroldis Chapman and/or Sonny Gray but that calculus has changed for the moment," Rogers wrote. "The Red Sox were built to contend for the playoffs and that's what they're finally doing. If they continue on this track, they won't be dealing players away."
With Gray potentially off the market, the Braves may need to look elsewhere to bolster their pitching staff. Luckily, there are a handful of talented starters expected to still be up for grabs at the deadline.
Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan list the Braves as one of the best fits for other options such as the Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal, the Minnesota Twins' Joe Ryan and the Los Angeles Angels' Reid Detmers.
With postseason expectations in Atlanta, upgrading the pitching staff is expected to be a top priority. While Gray may no longer be an option, the Braves have several other potential targets they could pursue.
