Atlanta Braves Add Bench Depth in Trades for Backup Players

The Atlanta Braves added bench depth for September adding two players in trades with the Angels and Royals. The most notable addition for the Braves was former Mets slugger Lucas Duda.

Adding Lucas Duda to the Atlanta Braves bench was a good move for a team with questionable pinch-hitting options. Duda has spent the season with the Royals and is on the last year of his deal.

The Braves acquired him in exchange only having to pay part of his salary. A good add for a team who could use some power off of the bench.

Duda is questionable defensively and has little upside in a starting lineup, but having him as a late-inning power option is a nice commodity.

Rene Rivera is headed to Atlanta as well, coming from the Angels giving the Braves more depth at catcher. With the recent injury scare concerning Kurt Suzuki, it is a good depth move with September call-ups two days away.

Rivera is a light-hitting catcher but is an upgrade over Chris Stewart who had been the Braves third catching option this season.

Rivera has hit .244 so far this season and could earn some starts down the stretch to give Tyler Flowers and Suzuki breaks from the Atlanta heat. Helping keep his team fresh for the postseason while keeping their postseason spot will be a balancing act for manager Brian Snitker.

With two of their last three series coming against the Phillies the Braves will have their work cut out for them claiming the division title.

It is very likely the division will be clinched during one of the two finals series of the year between the two teams barring a collapse from the Phillies.

Duda and Rivera will join what is starting to become a crowded Atlanta list of players set to be added to the team as we head in roster expansions.

With the Braves hanging onto a slim division lead more moves are likely to come in the final month of the season.