ATL All Day
Fansided

Atlanta Braves: Over/Under 4th Place in N.L. East in 2016?

By Matthew Schoettler

facebooktwitterreddit

As the 2015 season comes to close, the Atlanta Braves continue to battle it out with the Philadelphia Phillies for last place in the N.L. East.

The Atlanta Braves are in a rebuilding season, and John Hart expects an end-product in 2017 to be able to compete for an N.L. East title. For the upcoming 2016 season, the Braves’ lineup is hardly set in stone; thus, we can imagine a similar offseason what occurred after last year. What type of performance can Braves fans expect for 2016?

-= Related: Jason Heyward: Rendezvous with Atlanta Braves in 2016? =-

At the end of 2015, the Atlanta Braves find themselves in fourth place in the N.L. East, three games up on the Philadelphia Phillies. Moreover, the Braves are seven games behind the Miami Marlins for third place. By being 27 games out of first place, it is foolish to expect the Braves to catapult themselves to first place in one year’s time, but could the team see an uptick in performances within the next season?

The Atlanta Braves’ “core four” consists of Freddie Freeman, Andrelton Simmons, Shelby Miller, and Julio Teheran, so in the 2016 offseason, John Harts needs to continue to add to the core of the team to build a contender for years to come. Hart added a slew of young talent last offseason, but could he look to flip some of that talent for impact players of the present? 

More from ATL All Day

In addition to the possibility of flipping prospects acquired last season, it needs to be a priority of Hart’s to be active in the free agency market, as well as the trade market. If the Atlanta Braves added one or two impact players this offseason, performances on the field should trend in a positive direction. The Braves’ rotation, outside of Shelby Miller, is a let-down in 2015. Look for John Hart to pursue a pitcher either via free agency or the trade market.

Jeff Samardzija, Mat Latos, Scott Kazmir, or Jordan Zimmerman all seem to viable candidates for the Atlanta Braves to pursue, mainly because of their age and track record. Also, John Hart would not have to shell out unfriendly club contracts attached with huge contracts. Adding a third quality pitcher to the rotation sures-up the pitching rotation, it allows the Braves to be in a better situation to perform down the road. 

More from Atlanta Braves

Another category that the Atlanta Braves lack is impact hitting. Outside of Freddie Freeman, the Braves do not have a stalwart to plug into the middle of the lineup. Names like Justin Upton and Jason Heyward are out there, but it is likely that they will garner attention from numerous clubs. Thus, it makes more sense for John Hart to trade for a bat that could help out next season and beyond.

Looking at the Braves’ farm system, no position player jumps out as an impact bat; although, the club does have several arms that should boost the rotation and bullpen within the next couple seasons. If the Atlanta Braves add one front-end rotation arm and an impact bat, Braves’ fans could and should see an uptick in their performances, likely propelling the team to a third place finish.

Next: Nick Markakis: Quietly Best Brave in 2015

More from ATL All Day

Home/Atlanta Braves