Braves urged to avoid 4-time All-Star at trade deadline

The Atlanta Braves are nine games out of a wild card spot in the National League. Alex Anthopoulos has refused to commit to selling, so the Braves may actually look to make a few additions at the deadline. 

The Atlanta Braves could be looking for a rental closer to keep their slim postseason dreams alive. They have a talented team, but they have dug themselves into a deep hole. However, there is still a lot of time for them to make up some ground.

Even if the Braves do decide to add at the trade deadline, they may need to be careful about adding the right pieces. FanSided's Henry Palattella urged the Braves to steer clear of Kenley Jansen.

"While Jansen has the fifth-most saves in MLB history, it’s still not worth taking the risk on him," wrote Palattella. "He’s on pace for the highest ERA of his career, and is in the 1st percentile in average exit velocity and the 3rd percentile in ground ball rate. In short, people are hitting his pitches hard and they’re hitting them in the air, which is a recipe for disaster. The Braves have seen Jansen’s song and dance before, and they’d be better off by staying away from it this year."

The Braves have seen Raisel Iglesias have a subpar season. He has lost the full-time closer role, meaning the Braves could be in the market for a reliable closer. He has a 4.81 ERA in 36 games. He had a 1.95 ERA last season. He signed a four-year, $58 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels in 2022. However, he was traded to the Braves, and he had a 2.36 ERA and 84 saves through the first three seasons of his deal.

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Jansen is a four-time All-Star and two-time Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year. He has a case to be a Hall of Famer, but the Braves may want to find a more reliable and more under-the-radar option. Even if they are buyers, they will likely make moves that help them next season in case they cannot turn things around this year.