The cat is out of the bag that the Atlanta Braves are experiencing a disappointing season. Sitting at 39-51, the Braves are within spitting distance of the cellar in the NL East. Despite resistance to sell at the July deadline, the Braves have pieces they could dangle in front of desperate contenders. One wild trade proposal from ESPN’s David Schoenfield has the Tampa Bay Rays trading for Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves. Is that type of blockbuster actually a realistic thought?
Wild Trade Proposal Involving Acuña Has Baseball Fans Scratching Their Head
With the deadline three weeks away, it’s silly season when it comes to trade proposals. In that spirit, ESPN’s David Schoenfield concocted one such proposal in which the Rays acquire Ronald Acuña Jr. while the Braves acquire shortstop Carson Williams, RHP Shane Baz, OF Theo Gillen, RHP Yoniel Curet, and RHP Brady Hopkins.
Could Paul Skenes, Ronald Acuña Jr., or Byron Buxton be on the move? ?
David Schoenfield gives his potential trade proposals for these stars
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Williams is the Rays’ No. 1 overall prospect and the sport’s No. 31 prospect. He could theoretically help the Braves’ production at shortstop, but the Rays would be extremely loath to trade given his future in their organization. Plus, he has turned it around at Triple-A since early-season struggles. Baz is holding down his end of the rotation with a 4.34 ERA in 18 games started this season. Gillen is listed as MLB.com’s No. 67 prospect, while the other prospects are still a long way from contributing at the MLB level. It’s a boatload of players to give up for Acuña.
Would the Braves Seriously Listen to Trade Offers For Ronald Acuña Jr.?
Even though the Braves are experiencing a bad season, the franchise seems ready to reload for another shot at contention in the future. They have multiple core players signed to team-friendly contracts. Those are the types of contracts that aren’t just ripped up overnight. One such contract is that of Acuña, signed to an eight-year, $100 million extension. With three seasons at $17 million annually, Acuña Jr. will become an unrestricted free agent in 2029, thus giving a club three seasons of control.
Acuña was sidelined for a good portion of the early 2025 season because of a knee injury. His numbers have been impressive since returning from the injured list. In 40 games, he is slashing .331/.450/.561 with nine home runs and 18 RBI. The numbers are still down from his torrid 2023 season, but the power is impressive. Acuña has a career 141 OPS+ and has spent his entire career in a Braves uniform. For a Braves organization that has lost a handful of key players in recent seasons, they are likely sensitive to trading a franchise cornerstone like Acuña.
Rays Not Thrilled With This Trade Either
It’s hard to see how much additional value this proposed trade creates for the Rays this season. The Rays have plenty of bodies for outfield spots already, and their incumbent right fielder, Josh Lowe, is doing a nice job. He’s slashing .263/.333/.427 with six home runs and 17 RBI in 47 games after initially starting the season on the IL due to a Grade 2 right oblique strain. Like Acuña, Lowe is under team control for a couple more seasons and is making a cheaper salary.
Another question the Rays must ask is whether Acuña is the right fit from a chemistry perspective. He is known for his controversial celebrations and gestures on the field. The Rays, meanwhile, are an extremely tight-knit clubhouse that does a great job policing themselves. Adding Acuña to that mix may produce a few unintended consequences.
Combine that with the number of players the Rays are trading, and this proposal seems dead on arrival. The Rays never operate in a rash manner, and the nature of this proposal screams desperation. The Rays are successful because they stay disciplined, and a disciplined reaction would be to sidestep the parameters of this trade as quickly as possible.
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