Braves and White Sox make emergency trade to get Mets wild card

The Atlanta Braves held the top spot in the National League Wild Card all season. Injuries to Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., among others, kept the Braves from competing in the NL East.

For the first time in weeks, the Braves lost their first wild-card spot, falling to their division rivals, the New York Mets. Atlanta will have to respond accordingly at the trade deadline if they want to be competitive in the National League.

After losing Acuña, Atlanta needs an outfielder. They haven’t made any moves to find one yet, but they still have a few days left before the deadline. One interesting option is Chicago White Sox veteran Tommy Pham. Pham would be a cheap option that Atlanta has been looking for.

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Pham, 36, is hitting .267/.333/.382 with an OPS+ just over 100. The veteran is on an expiring contract and would cost the Braves next to nothing in terms of prospect capital.

The really intriguing aspect of Pham’s game is his ability to platoon. Against left-handed pitchers, Pham is hitting .255/.377/.471 in 2024, giving him an OPS nearly .200 points higher against lefties than against righties. Over his long major league career, Pham is hitting .270/.381/.454 against lefties.

This deal would be a simple one-for-one trade that would send a top-30 prospect from the Braves’ farm system to the White Sox for Pham. Pham is on an expiring contract and is worth a negative WAR on the season. The White Sox don’t have much leverage in a trade for him.

Keller, 20, is exactly the kind of prospect Chicago is looking for. He’s a 20-year-old right-handed pitcher still finding his way in professional baseball. He’s struggled in his short pro career, but the idea here is that he’s still young and very projectable. If he can learn to find the zone with a little more frequency, he could make progress in the minor leagues.

The idea here is that the Braves need an outfielder. Pham is one of the cheapest options on the market and would fit in nicely with some of the Braves’ current outfielders.