The season has reached its halfway point and the trade deadline is just four days away.
Things are getting real, folks.
The Braves are out in front of the National League East, but it’s come with more surprises than expectations met. Dansby Swanson is tied for the team’s lead in fWAR (1.0) with the fourth-best mark among NL shortstops; the catching position has been the NL’s second best at 1.2 fWAR (though maybe that’s not stunning given what teaming up with Tyler Flowers has meant for catchers these past three seasons); opt-out, opt-in, sit-out due to precautionary reasons Nick Markakis is hitting at a career-best clip (176 wRC+) and Atlanta has one of the circuit’s top bullpens (of course, given how much it was bolstered since last year’s deadline) behind big contributions from unexpected sources Tyler Matzek (0.