Worst Trades in Atlanta Braves History

The Atlanta Braves have had some recent success on the trade market, pulling off some fantastic trades to get their rebuild on track. Just look at the Shelby Miller for Dansby Swanson trade in 2015. However, every MLB team has had their fair share of bad trades, and Atlanta's pockmarked history is no different.

Here are the four worst trades in the history of the Atlanta Braves.

4. Gorkys Hernandez/Jeff Locke/Charlie Morton to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Nate McLouth, 2009

On June 3, 2009, the Braves acquired Pirates outfielder Nate McLouth. He was serviceable for the rest of 2009, but then hit .190 in 2010 and .228 in 2011. Meanwhile, the young bucks that the Braves traded for him went on to find some serious success. Hernandez had some stability in the big leagues in 2017 and 2018 for the San Francisco Giants, and Locke made at least 20 starts every year from 2013-2016 for the Pirates, and was an All Star in 2013. The most successful piece of the trade was Charlie Morton, though, who, after seven years of inconsistency with the Pirates, was traded to the Houston Astros, reformed the way he pitched, and found great success. He eventually signed a $45 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays prior to 2019 and pitched to a 3.05 ERA.

3. David Justice and Marquis Grissom to the Cleveland Indians for Alan Embree and Kenny Lofton, 1997

This March 25, 1997 trade for the Braves was a truly terrible one, basically on the verge of Opening Day, gutting two locker rooms. Kenny Lofton, a fan-favorite Cleveland Indian, was only in Atlanta for 1997, and missed out on the Indians' second World Series appearance in three years. He returned to Jacobs Field in 1998. Alan Embree had a 3.06 ERA in Atlanta, but was only there for parts of two seasons. Meanwhile, on the other side of the trade, Justice went on to hit .298 in his three seasons in Cleveland, and Grissom was still an above-average player for The Land in 1997, and again after he left in 1998. The Braves got two rentals for two important pieces of their 1995 championship team.

2. Dusty Baker and Ed Goodson to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Lee Lacy, Tom Paciorek, Jerry Royster, and Jim Wynn, 1975

Of the four players the Braves traded Dusty Baker and Ed Goodson for on November 17, 1975, only one would remain in Atlanta for more than two seasons. Jerry Royster played for the team as a utility man until 1984, hitting .246 in his time in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Lee Lacy spent 50 games on the Braves, and found most of his success with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .304 in his six years with the team. Tom Paciorek was up and down to the minor leagues with the Braves, but was an All-Star...with the Mariners in 1981. Jim Wynn led the league in 1976 with 127 walks, but batted .207. On the other end of the trade, Goodson had little success during and after his Braves stint, but Baker was one of the Braves' best hitters, and became iconic when he crossed the country. He played for another 11 years after leaving Atlanta, and was an All-Star in 1982 and 1983 with the Dodgers. An obvious loss for the Braves.

1. Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz, Matt Harrison, Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the Texas Rangers for Mark Teixeira

Elvis Andrus and Neftali Feliz became cornerstones of the Texas Rangers after being traded on July 31, 2007, making a pair of World Series in the process. Andrus is still their starting shortstop, and is an underrated team legend, and Feliz was their elite closer during the run, winning Rookie of the Year in 2010. Harrison was an All-Star in 2012 and member of that same World Series rotation, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia found a starting role in Boston, winning a World Series with the Red Sox in 2013. Mark Teixeira performed relatively well for the Braves during his time in Atlanta, but was traded at the 2008 deadline for career minor-leaguer Stephen Marek and Casey Kotchman. Pretty lopsided trade.