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October 26th, 2013
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The Atlanta Braves are willing to trade Dan Uggla this offseason and will shop him to other teams, reports Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.
Moving Uggla could be a chore for the Braves, however. He is still owed $26 million over the next two years, a hefty price tag for a player whose skills appear to be rapidly declining. If Atlanta were to make a deal, they would either have to pick up a significant portion of his contract or include a good prospect.
Acquired in a trade with the Marlins prior to the 2011 season, Uggla hit a career-high 36 home runs in his first year with the team, but also posted a 764 OPS. That was the first time in his career his OPS dipped below 800 for a full season. His power numbers dropped off in 2012, but he led the league with 94 walks en route to a .348 OBP.
Uggla's 2013 campaign was his worst yet. He hit just .179 with a 671 OPS. Though he hit 22 home runs, he rarely picked up any other extra base hits. His season culminated with the Braves leaving him off their playoff roster as they lost to the Dodgers in the NLDS.
There have been rumors that the Braves could look to swap second basemen with the Reds, who are rumored to be seeking a deal to send away Brandon Phillips.
It's shaping up to be an interesting trade market for second basemen with big contracts. Both Phillips and Uggla will be shopped, and there have been rumors that the Brewers could look to trade Rickie Weeks as well.
