A last-minute Braves-White Sox deal to take back the wild card from the Mets.
In order to respond, the Atlanta Braves must make a trade as they have lost ground in the NL Wild Card race. The Atlanta Braves have maintained solid possession of the top National League Wild Card berth for the entire season. Among others, injuries to Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider have prevented the Braves from contending in the NL East. The Braves have now dropped out of the top wild card slot for the first time in weeks, as the New York Mets, their division rivals, have surpassed them. If Atlanta want to contend in the National League, they will have to make the appropriate moves at the trade deadline.
Atlanta has been in dire need of an outfielder since losing Acuña. They still have a few days until the deadline, but they haven’t moved on with one yet. Tommy Pham, a veteran of the Chicago White Sox, is one interesting choice. Pham would be the low-cost solution Atlanta has been looking for. Atlanta Braves-White Sox swap for an improved outfield Pham, 36, is making slashes.267/.333/.382 with a slightly higher than 100 OPS+. The veteran would cost the Braves almost nothing in prospect capital because his contract is about to expire.
The real intriguing aspect of Pham’s game is his ability to platoon. Against left-handed pitchers, Pham is slashing .255/.377/.471 in 2024, good for an OPS nearly .200 points higher against lefties than righties. Over the course of his lengthy big league career, Pham is slashing .270/.381/.454 against southpaws.
This deal would be a simple one for one trade that sends a backend top 30 prospect from the Braves farm system over to the White Sox for Pham. Pham is on an expiring deal and he’s worth negative WAR on the season. The White Sox don’t have much leverage in a negotiation for him at all. Keller, 20, is the exact kind of prospect that Chicago is looking for. He’s a 20-year-old right-handed pitcher that is still finding his way in professional baseball. He’s struggled in his short pro ball career, but the idea here is that he’s still young and very projectable. If he can learn to find the zone with a bit more frequency, he could work his way up the minor leagues.
The Braves are supposed to need an outfielder. Pham would platoon nicely with several of the existing Braves outfield guys and is among the least expensive possibilities available.
