Upgrade up the middle for the Atlanta Braves

Memorial Day has come and gone and the Atlanta Braves are not dead and buried. Far from it.

The team is 26-25 and only 2.5 games behind the Washington Nationals in the National League East division after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1 on Monday. The record to this point is only two games worse than last year’s 28-23 start.

Many expected the Braves to finish at or near the bottom of not only their division but all of the baseball after they traded away three of their top four hitters (Justin Upton, Jason Heyward and Evan Gattis) and elite closer Craig Kimbrel before the season started.

But two players they got in separate trades with the San Diego Padres are showing that playing solid if…