With the Atlanta Braves in full rebuilding mode, veteran outfielders Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher are on the trading block. Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that they hope to trade one of them prior to the season, and are willing to take on a significant portion of their salaries.
Bowman says that since the Braves are set in center field with Ender Inciarte and Emilio Bonifacio as his backup, it would make more sense to keep Swisher. However, he also notes that there’s serious concerns about Swisher because he underwent two knee surgeries in 2014.
Bourn, 33, batted .238/.310/.282 with a 64 OPS+ and 17 steals in 482 plate appearances during the 2015 season. Meanwhile, Swisher, 35, hit .196/.312/.320 with six home runs and posted a 75 OPS+ in 260 plate appearances.
While both players have severely declined in recent years, I can see someone taking a gamble on them as a bench pieces. They both were solid players in their primes, and may have something still left in the tank.
