The Atlanta Braves have the best record in baseball at 48-28. That’s the good news. The bad news is they’ve gone 3-7 over their last 10 games, which is the worst stretch in the entire league. And with injuries piling up, the lineup suddenly looks thinner than it did in April.
So the front office has to decide: do they buy at the deadline, and if so, who do they target?
Royce Lewis of the Minnesota Twins is a name floating around in trade chatter. And the fit makes some sense on paper. The Braves need another bat. Lewis can play third and first. He’s 27 years old. But there’s a catch — actually there are a few.
The health question follows Lewis everywhere
Lewis has been in the majors for five seasons. He’s played 12 games, 58, 82, 106, and 45 games across those years. That’s not a pattern you love. This season he’s hitting .203 with a .290 on-base percentage, both career lows. He’s got pop when he’s on — 16 career homers and 52 RBIs — but he’s never been consistently available.
Still, when Lewis gets hot, he looks like a star. Last September he hit five homers and stole nine bases. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently listed him among the top under-the-radar trade targets, writing: “The only question is: Can he stay healthy? He’s healthy now, and several contending teams are looking to upgrade at third base.”
The Braves might be one of those teams. But they’re not going to overpay for a guy with a .203 average and an injury list that long.
What Atlanta could actually offer
The Twins don’t have a ton of leverage here. Lewis’s numbers don’t scream “centerpiece return.” So the Braves could put together a package of two lower-tier prospects and see if Minnesota bites.
First up would be Dixon Williams, a 22-year-old second baseman who MLB.com projects to arrive in 2028. He drew more walks than strikeouts in college, stole 22 bases in 25 tries at East Carolina last year, and has some power potential to his pull side. The Braves think his underlying contact rates are better than what he showed in his debut with Augusta. He’s a plus runner who could end up in a utility role.
The Twins would have to wait on Williams. So Atlanta would throw in a pitcher to sweeten the deal. Rayven Antonio is a 20-year-old right-hander who hit 98 mph this year but is about to miss the entire 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery. He won’t be back on a mound until 2027. His slider misses bats, his splitter gets ground balls, and when he’s healthy he throws strikes. But that’s a big “when.”
Two prospects who are both a few years away, one of whom just had elbow surgery. That’s not a blockbuster. But it might be enough for a player who’s hitting .203 and can’t stay on the field.
The Braves need to keep pace with the Dodgers. Whether Lewis is the answer or just another name on the IL is the gamble they’d have to make.
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