Take What's Available

The Braves just watched Tarik Skubal go to LA and responded by browsing the clearance rack.

Four days ago I laid the line. 90% if Skubal. 70% if you settle. You settled. I'm at 70%.

The Dodgers gave up two top-100 prospects for a two-time Cy Young winner. Three-peat money. No hesitation. The Braves got Lane Thomas — a platoon bat hitting .207 against righties — and Bailey Falter, who was DFA'd in May with a 13.97 ERA.

That's not a trade deadline. That's a grocery run.

Anthopoulos said the quiet part out loud: "Sometimes you just have to take what might be available to you." The Dodgers didn't take what was available. They took what they wanted. And they didn't blink.

Compare the rotations. LA: Skubal, Yamamoto, Snell, Ohtani, Glasnow. Five aces deep. Atlanta: Sale and then Elder, Lopez, and prayer. The prospect cost tells the rest — Dodgers spent two top-100 prospects. The Braves spent their eighth-ranked prospect and a second-rounder. The ambition gap isn't subtle.

Monday. 6 PM. Mize and Greene are still out there. That's the 30%. Anthopoulos has gone underground before and come back with players.

But right now the team with the best record in the NL East just let their biggest October threat become unbeatable. And they did it shopping what was available instead of what was necessary.

Tell me I'm wrong.