Braves-Red Sox trade pitch sends $7.7M All-Star MVP to Atlanta to form electrifying outfield

The Atlanta Braves have started this season on a tear, and there is no looking back for them. They currently have 41 wins and sit atop baseball as the best team in the league.

Atlanta still feels a couple of pieces away from being a true World Series favorite, but the trade deadline is still two months away. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has already hinted that moves could be coming.

“I fully expect and hope that we will be engaged in trades come July. I'm not trying to overly excite anybody or promise anything. But if we're playing the way we are right now, we're going to be in there,” Anthopoulos said.

The Braves are arguably a starter or two and another bat away from being favorites to win the World Series. One potential target could be Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran.

“We know the Braves aren't going to make a big splash, adding a big-money superstar, but a player like Duran on an expiring contract is right up their alley. He would bring pop and speed to a lineup that is lacking an everyday left fielder and true DH. Duran brings a lot more value to a starting lineup than players like Mike Yastrzemski and Eli White,” SI’s Mark Morales-Smith wrote.

This would be a perfect time to trade for Duran, as he is heating up at the plate and appears to be finding his rhythm after a slow start.

“It was his second homer of the series and 10th homer of the season so far. While there's a lot of negativity around the Red Sox's offense, Duran has clearly turned a corner and that's going to go a long way. When Duran is clicking, he is one of the most electric leadoff hitters in the game,” SI’s Patrick McAvoy wrote.

Adding Duran would give the Braves another left-handed bat, one who could be an upgrade over Yastrzemski in the lineup. At the very least, Duran could also provide value late in games with his defense.

Duran is currently playing on a $7.7 million contract with the Red Sox. Atlanta needs another bat, but it likely will not make a blockbuster move. This type of deal feels much more in line with an Anthopoulos trade deadline addition. The Braves would add another dynamic player while improving their overall depth.