The Athletic’s latest trade deadline prediction for the Braves

The Athletic recently announced their MLB Power Rankings, and as is customary, they included a theme for the week.

This week’s trade deadline forecast was “bold-ish” for all 30 teams, and Andy McCullough believes the Braves will make a move for veteran outfielder Tommy Pham.

T-6. Atlanta Braves

Record: 46-36
Last Power Ranking: 6

Trade deadline prediction: It’s Tommy Pham time

Atlanta knows it can’t replace Ronald Acuña Jr. with one person. But they can try to remake him in the aggregate. Pham would improve the club’s performance against left-handed pitching. He can handle multiple outfield positions. He plays with an edge. The Braves once traded for Joc Pederson to enliven the offense en route to a championship, and this would be an amusing bookend to that whole thing. What more do you need? — McCullough

I’m not sure whether this is even “bold-ish.” The Braves have a clear need, and if 2021 taught us anything, Alex Anthopoulos prefers to target veterans on one-year contracts that will not cost much in terms of prospects. Tommy Pham, who played an important role in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ World Series victory last season, fits that description perfectly.

However, Andy McCullough points out some unexpected irony in all of this, which is why I do not see the Braves chasing Tommy Pham at all. This is a player who was a postseason hero shortly before becoming a free agent, but the team he helped win the World Series had little interest in bringing him back for peanuts. In fact, nobody was interested in Tommy Pham this offseason, which is remarkable given how good he was on the field last season.

So, why is that? Tommy Pham is an asshole. Only a few years ago, he was punished for slapping Joc Pederson in the face before a game. The two could not have more different personalities. With the Braves’ emphasis on clubhouse dynamics, I don’t see them being interested in Tommy Pham, even if he appears to be a good fit.