Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos is still picking up the pieces after a stunning series of early-season pitching woes culminated in last night’s loss of Mike Soroka. Today, he discussed the possibility of swinging a trade with reporters including Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links).
The Atlanta organization is now going without four of the five anticipated members of the starting staff that Anthopoulos constructed last winter. Soroka follows Cole Hamels in suffering an injury, though it’s still possible the veteran Hamels will return later in the year. Mike Foltynewicz was outrighted after showing much-reduced stuff, while Felix Hernandez opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns.
That volume of significant losses obviously puts the Braves in position to pursue new arms, and Anthopoulos acknowledged that he’s been exploring the marketplace since Summer Camp reopened. However, getting a deal done under the present circumstances represents a major challenge. “It’s very hard to say” whether the team can get something done, says the veteran executive.
“Today, the likelihood is we’ll stay internal,” Anthopoulos explained, “but we’ll continue to inquire and see if we can line up on a deal.”
Despite the unusual nature of the season, and despite these heavy pitching losses, Anthopoulos says the Atlanta organization is willing and ready to value a shot at winning a title this year. It seems the club will be heavily involved in whatever trade talks can be had, though it’s hardly clear how much appetite the team has for taking on additional salary.
As for Soroka, there’s still no timetable, but he’ll obviously miss the remainder of the current season. The lack of specificity is certainly understandable, due both to the serious nature of the injury and the many potential nuances in his recovery. Anthopoulos did say that he’ll undergo surgery this week.
