Returning Braves hero won’t suffice as club’s only move at trade deadline

The first of hopefully a series of trade deadline moves happened for the Atlanta Braves over Fourth of July weekend. After being released by the Washington Nationals, Atlanta swooped in to sign their former outfielder Eddie Rosario to a minor-league deal. Rosario initially came over to Atlanta from Cleveland in exchange for Pablo Sandoval and a bag of baseballs. He became a legend in the NLCS.

While Rosario was a postseason hero for Atlanta during the Braves' latest World Series championship, 2021 was a long time ago. Rosario spent all of 2022 and 2023 with the Braves, playing sub-par and unfocused outfield, as well as not being the consistent power hitter he was in his prime with the Minnesota Twins. If not for the 2021 NLCS vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, why is he back?

The good news is Rosario is well-versed in Braves culture and could fit in perfectly to an outfield in need. The bad news is this cannot possibly be the only trade deadline move general manager Alex Anthopoulos can make this year. It isn't good enough. No, Atlanta is not catching Philadelphia in the NL East, but you have to go all-out when it comes to the postseason. Catch lightning in a bottle again.

Surely, this isn't it for the Braves in terms of deadline deals. Otherwise, it will be a disappointment.

Eddie Rosario cannot be Atlanta Braves' only trade deadline acquisition

Although I fully understand the low risk, high reward sort of component with Rosario, we've kind of been there, done that with him here in Braves Country for nearly three years now. While we all want him to play up to his standard, he lost his starting job in the Atlanta outfield for a reason and had to sign with the Nationals incredibly late into the offseason. It is still good to have him back, though.

However, Atlanta needs a bit more firepower offensively in the outfield, as well as a back-end starter to help bridge the gaps. I would suspect that Anthopoulos will get the Braves the starting pitcher they are looking for. He might be a No. 3 on a decent team but would slot down to the No. 5 spot in Atlanta's rotation. Anthopoulos has plenty of time to get a deal done, but not all the time in the world.

Overall, this just feels like a season that is going to end in heartbreaking disappointment again for the Braves. I can feel it in my bones. But on that note, you still have to try. Unless you are truly out of it, you owe it to your fans to make a deal or two of significance at the trade deadline to improve your roster for the postseason push. Fortunately, Atlanta has often made great deals before in late July.

If Rosario is the Joc Pederson addition from back in 2021, Atlanta might shock the world yet again.