Braves predicted to solve Mike Yastrzemski shortcoming with 22-year old pitcher trade

Braves predicted to solve Mike Yastrzemski shortcoming with 22-year old pitcher trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Atlanta Braves planned on having Jurickson Profar this season, but his suspension made depth a bit of an issue in the outfield.

Mike Yastrzemski is still a quality starter, but he isn't the best option against left-handed pitching.

Where are they going to find a solution? ESPN's David Schoenfield suggests a trade.

In a new article on Monday, Schoenfield wrote that the Braves' main need is a right-handed hitting outfielder. And then he suggested that to get one, they should trade Owen Murphy.

Murphy is a 22-year old right-handed pitcher who has yet to reach the major leagues. He wouldn't fetch a huge haul. But he likely would work in a deal to get a short-side platoon bat.

"Despite injuries to Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep, the Braves are off to a strong start, with the offense and rotation clicking early," Schoenfield writes. "Their trade needs will be dependent on what happens with pitcher health, but they could use a platoon partner for Mike Yastrzemski in left field, thanks to Jurickson Profar's suspension. Teams will no doubt ask about Didier Fuentes, JR Ritchie and Cam Caminiti, the Braves' top three pitching prospects, but don't expect them to go anywhere. Murphy is next in line behind that trio, in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery, but will need to get his velocity out of the low 90s to have more trade value."

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Murphy was originally a first-round pick in 2022 by the Braves out of a high school in Illinois. He has a career 3.38 ERA in the minor leagues.

He's making his first foray into Double-A this season and has a 4.05 ERA through three starts with 10.8 strikeouts per nine. He's been a bit wild so far (6.1 walks per nine), but if he can find his groove and clean that up, he can climb the ladder to be in an MLB starting rotation in a year or two.

For a Braves team with quality pitching depth, he's probably expendable if they can land the righty outfielder they need.

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