How Braves Could Make Byron Buxton Work with Current Roster

Getting the Georgia native into the Atlanta Braves lineup would do wonders, but figuring out how to make it work is where it gets tricky

The Brave could do some maneuvering to make Buxton fit into their lineup | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

A Georgia native is open to being on the move this winter. According to The Athletic's Dan Hayes, Twins outfielder Byron Buxton could be willing to lift his no-trade clause. Naturally, that opens the door for the Atlanta Braves to add a bat.

Being an in-state product is only one layer to this potential opportunity. The Braves have checked in on Buxton before. That report came from Hayes as well, back in August. There is a good chance that the interest is still there.

However, there is one issue, and it's a good problem for the Braves to have. That is determining where Buxton fits into the equation. Their outfield is on lock. Jurickson Profar is in left, Michael Harris II is in center and Ronald Acuña Jr. patrols right.

The Braves could trade one of those outfielders in a deal to acquire Buxton. That's the easiest way to solve the issue. However, there has to be a way that they can get the best of both worlds, have those same three guys and get Buxton in the lineup. That's the more fun way of making it work, at least. Here is one idea for how they can figure it out.

It would require more prospects in a deal and maybe another proven talent, but it could happen, in theory. If they can pull this off, one of the outfielders could become the designated hitter.

Buxton had a down year defensively last year (-5 DRS), but for now, that can be chalked up to an outlier season. Every other year of his career, he's been a net positive defensively, and that understates his performance much of the time.

BYRON BUXTON CLINCHES THE GAME WITH AN UNBELIEVABLE CATCH! pic.twitter.com/9G4Ql38Yn6

— MLB (@MLB) April 23, 2025

Moving Profar to the DH spot and determining whether Buxton should play left field or center field would make the most sense. Profar is a net negative defensively (career -22 DRS in the outfield), but his bat, when available, is still valuable.

Here comes a tough decision. Buxton and Harris have both exclusively played centerfield for the entirety of their MLB tenure. Someone would have to move. Someone would have to move. That can be a bridge they cross if they get there. It would make sense that Acuña would stay in right field.

If there is a day when the Braves want to give Acuña a day off from the field, he could DH, and Profar could go to right field since he's played the position before.

So, there is a clear way to make him fit into the equation. The real question remains who they part with. To make room at DH, they'd have to move on from Sean Murphy. Right now, the plan is for him to platoon with Drake Baldwin at catcher and DH.

Trading Murphy to the Twins won't work. The Twins have Ryan Jeffers, and he's a solid bat in their lineup. There is no reason to move on from him for Murphy. It might require a separate move to send off Murphy and then acquire Buxton. That's where it could get complicated. Another move has to be made, and a somewhat Major League-ready player likely has to be part of the Buxton deal.

Not that this is the most ideal option, but they could shop Nacho Alvarez as an up-and-coming option for the Twins. He had his moments with the Braves last season, and he's been tearing it up in the Arizona Fall League.

A pitch could be that he partners up in the infield with Luke Keaschall and Royce Lewis. A couple of prospects not named JR Ritchie or Cam Caminiti, along with Alvarez, could get the Buxton deal done. Given that the Twins are in the middle of a teardown, a younger player with years of cheap control could make more sense for them anyway.

The Braves would be wise to explore shopping some minor leaguers who are soon to be Rule 5 Draft eligible this offseason. If there are some who just won't fit into the equation in time, make them available. Four players listed by MLB.com who are Rule 5 eligible are right-handers Blake Burkhalter, Ian Mejia and Elison Joseph, along with third baseman David McCabe.

These ideas are pure spitballing in the attempt to see how this could work. You can love it. You can hate everything about it. This is simply one suggestion to get a big bat from the Peach State down to Atlanta. It's an addition that would do a lot of good, so exploring the option is worth the mixing and matching.