The Atlanta Braves are in a lot of trouble right now. And it's not like things are getting any better, either.
Brian McCann is going to miss at least two more weeks with a strained oblique. Chipper Jones is currently ailing with a sore groin and his health has been a constant question mark the last three seasons. Jordan Schafer is already on the disabled list with a broken bone in his hand and now Nate McLouth is heading to the DL with a lower abdominal strain. And guys like Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward and Martin Prado have all had their fair share of nagging injuries this season.
It is time for Frank Wren to do something.
In the two weeks since the All-Star Break the Braves have seen their lead in the wild card cut in half to just 3.5 games and they've fallen to five back in the NL East. This happened with their best player, Brian McCann, in the lineup and both McLouth and Schafer available for the outfield. What do you think is going to happen now that all three of those players (plus others) are out?
Wren has done a great job since coming to Atlanta. He has made a few questionable mid-season trades, but nothing to seriously jeopardize the future of the organization. His work in the off-season has been pretty stellar and he's managed to turn a 75-win team into a 90+ win team in just two years. That isn't easy to do, and he's done it while keeping a majority of his better prospects.
The Braves have enough talent in the Minor Leagues to make a trade for just about any player in baseball. Julio Teheran is untouchable, but Randall Delgado, Mike Minor and Arodys Vizcaino should all be available. With the recent stretch of injuries to hit our club, it is time for Wren to use some of these assets to improve the team.
It makes the most sense to acquire a center fielder. Whether that player is Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, Co-Co Crisp or someone else, the center field position is and should be our area of focus in the next 48 hours. If it is not, Frank Wren's future as the Braves GM should seriously be in question.
This team is really good when healthy. Unfortunately, this team isn't healthy and isn't going to be for at least a few weeks. Can the Braves hold on until then? Maybe. It won't be easy. But why take that risk when the club has the assets in place to acquire an outfielder that it so desperately needs? The playoffs could depend on it.