This article was originally published with The Red & Black on August 6, 2015 and can be found here.

The Atlanta Braves turned heads on July 30 when they traded five players to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Atlanta making a trade wasn’t a shock. Braves president of baseball operations John Hart has preached about building for 2017 when SunTrust Park opens, so most assumed a few players would be dealt before the trade deadline. It was who was included in the deal with the Dodgers that was surprising.

 

Starting pitcher Alex Wood was one of the five players shipped to Los Angeles. Wood fit the mold of many former Braves players: he was a player with Southern roots that became a hometown hero for the club. Wood, a Charlotte, North Carolina native, played his collegiate baseball at Georgia and quickly drew followers due to his local ties. It seemed like Wood would be an integral part in rebuilding the Braves, but it didn’t turn out that way.

Another interesting inclusion in the Dodgers trade was infielder Jose Peraza. Peraza was considered to be one of Atlanta’s top prospects and showed solid results in AAA, hitting .294 with 37 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. It looked like Peraza was destined to eventually make it to Atlanta as a second baseman. Now the 21-year-old has a chance to make his Major League debut with a playoff-bound team.

What do Wood and Peraza have in common? They were brought into the organization by previous general manager Frank Wren. Hart’s thinking with the Braves is clear: this is his team and any holdovers from Wren shouldn’t get comfortable. Ties to the team’s last regime or the state of Georgia aren’t enough anymore.

Hart has sliced through the roster like a sharp butcher’s knife. As of Aug. 1, only 11 Braves players from Opening Day are still on the team. Think about that for a moment. Hart sent off 14 men who were once counted on to help the Braves win on a nightly basis.

Some were cut for poor play while others were traded for more prospects. Either way, Hart has shown no hesitation in shaping the roster the way he wants it.

In Hart’s moves, his checklist became clear.

It started with pitching. Atlanta made its emphasis on pitching last November when it traded outfielder Jason Heyward, who was also a local player the Braves coveted. Heyward was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals for starting pitcher Shelby Miller, who made the All-Star Game this season.

More offseason deals brought pitchers Mike Foltynewicz, Manny Banuelos, Max Fried, Arodys Vizcaino, Matt Wisler and Touki Toussaint. Atlanta’s success in the 1990’s and early 2000’s came due to excellent pitching, and Hart added talented pieces that should show up in the rotation in two years.

The trade sending Wood, Peraza, relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan and starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo began the next step for Hart.

Atlanta’s biggest acquisition in the trade was third baseman Hector Olivera, a 30-year-old Cuban who the Braves tried to sign this past offseason. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Olivera is expected to be a .280 hitter who should hit around 20 home runs in a full season. While he won’t lead the league with his power, his ability with a bat is something the current Braves team desperately needs.

Where Hart goes from here is hard to tell.

The addition of Olivera sets an infield that doesn’t have problems in need of addressing. Atlanta’s biggest issue for the future looks to be catcher, where high prospect Christian Bethancourt struggled until 38-year-old A.J. Pierzynski took his place. Atlantaappears to have two secure outfielders in Cameron Maybin and Nick Markakis, but they could both be supplanted if minor leaguers like Mallex Smith continue to excel. There may also be movement among the pitchers previously mentioned, as they could be moved to bring in a few bats to match Olivera.

Hart wasted no time gutting the roster Wren and his front office pieced together. We have no way of knowing how well it will work, but it’s clear when Hart said he’s building for two years down the road, he meant it.