The 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline officially is two weeks away.
Teams have two weeks to determine their plans with the deadline being imminent. The deadline will pass on July 30th and it is expected that the Atlanta Braves will look to add a veteran starting pitcher to help shore up the rotation.
One player who could be a perfect fit is Toronto Blue Jays lefty Yusei Kikuchi. He joined the Blue Jays ahead of the 2022 campaign and has been with the club ever since but it sounds like he may end up getting traded soon.
Kikuchi has been mentioned in trade rumors over the last month and could give the Blue Jays a "significant return," according to USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale.
"The free-falling Blue Jays will soon start their fire sale while keeping Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr," Nightengale said. "Rival GMs say the only player who will bring a significant return is starter Yusei Kikuchi. The Blue Jays’ bright future suddenly looks quite murky."
Kikuchi has a 4.42 ERA so far this season in a league-high 20 starts. He could be a solid option to bolster the back of the Braves rotation down the stretch as the club looks to make another deep playoff run.
The Braves aren't at full strength due to some high-level injuries, but still should be considered as contenders in the National League. Landing someone like Kikuchi would only help further this fact.
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