The Atlanta Braves have a big hole in the middle of their lineup now that Josh Donaldson has signed with the Minnesota Twins, and some have wondered if the team could try to pull off a blockbuster trade to make up for that. However, they do not appear to be thinking that big.
Jim Bowden of CBS Sports reports that the Braves are likely to shift their attention to free agent outfielders Marcell Ozuna and Nick Castellanos after they lost Donaldson. While they could pursue a trade for either Nolan Arenado or Kris Bryant, they do not want to deplete their farm system.
#Braves more likely to pivot to either Ozuna or Castellanos in FA after losing out on Donaldson. They are comfortable with Camargo and Riley at 3B and don’t want to trade away their strong farm system for Arenado or Bryant according to sources.
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) January 15, 2020
Castellanos hit .289 with 27 home runs and 58 doubles in time split between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs last season. One report claimed the Texans Rangers were the favorite to sign the 27-year-old, but he would be wise to wait and see if more offers come in now that Donaldson is off the market.
Ozuna also had solid power numbers last season with 29 home runs and 89 RBI, though he hit just .241 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Either player could provide the Braves with some pop in the middle of their lineup.
