ATLANTA -- Before committing to acquiring a controllable outfielder for this season, the Braves would likely need a plan in place to trade Nick Markakis. And if the controllable outfielder they could acquire is Christian Yelich, they would essentially be netting the young, healthy version of Markakis.
Looking to make a quick strike as some outfield-hungry teams were showing interest in Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna last month, the Braves felt like they made some progress in Yelich's direction. But as the Winter Meetings neared an end, the talks stalled as the Marlins assessed their situation and dealt with the backlash created by trading Stanton, Ozuna and Dee Gordon.