The Braves didn’t make the loudest splash at the MLB trade deadline, and for a while it looked like that might count against them. Instead of landing Jacob deGrom, Atlanta ended up with Tyler Mahle - a move that didn’t exactly fire up the fan base at the time.
That reaction made sense. Mahle came over from the San Francisco Giants with a 5.13 ERA, hardly the kind of number that screams deadline win. But once he got to Atlanta, the story changed fast.
Mahle has turned into one of the best arms in baseball since joining the Braves. MLB Network noted that his 1.48 ERA with Atlanta is the best among starting pitchers traded before the deadline. Over five starts, he’s posted that 1.48 ERA, along with a 0.956 WHIP and 32 strikeouts in 30.1 innings.
That kind of production matters for a rotation that has had plenty of questions around it lately. Chris Sale is still the ace, but Atlanta has had to deal with injury concerns for starters like Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach. Against that backdrop, Mahle has given the Braves exactly what they needed.
Meanwhile, deGrom has not exactly been cruising. He gave up eight runs in his most recent outing, has allowed five or more runs in two of his last five starts, and now owns a 4.21 ERA on the season.
So even though Atlanta missed on the bigger name, the Braves may have come away with the better result. They didn’t have to pay the full price for a headline-grabber, and they still landed a starter who is performing at an All-Star level right now.
In Other News...
Braves Offseason Trade Picture Is Already Getting More Interesting
The Braves offseason already has the feel of a team looking to fine-tune a roster that still has plenty going for it. With Atlanta sitting in a strong spot in the division, the front office can focus on areas that could matter in October and beyond, namely starting pitching, a shortstop, bullpen help and an outfielder. That kind of shopping list usually leads to a wide range of calls, and this winter could be no different as the Braves keep an eye on clubs that might be willing to move useful pieces.
Houston, Seattle, the Angels and Minnesota all stand out as possible trade partners, each offering different paths for Atlanta to explore. The timing adds another layer, too, with the possibility of a lockout beginning Dec. 1 hanging over the market and potentially slowing the usual winter churn. For a team in win-now mode, that means the next few weeks may be just as important for mapping out the market as making the first move. [Read more 🡒]
Braves September Call Ups Put Two Very Different Roles In Focus
The Braves September roster move brings two very different storylines into the clubhouse, with right-hander Blake Burkhalter and infielder Kyle Farmer joining the mix as the calendar turns. Burkhalter is getting his first shot in the majors after a strong run at Triple-A, while Farmers path is more familiar, a return to the big league roster after he came back to the organization on a minor league deal in July.
Burkhalter gives Atlanta another look at a pitcher the organization has clearly liked enough to reward for his work at the upper levels, while Farmer offers the kind of infield depth and veteran insurance that can matter in September. The setup makes sense for a team trying to manage the final stretch, even if the real intrigue is how quickly Burkhalter can settle in once the games start to count at this level. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Suddenly Face A Frightening Spencer Schwellenbach Question
The Braves rotation depth took another hard hit when the club announced that pitchers Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach will need surgeries for elbow injuries. Waldrep is set for Tommy John surgery, while Schwellenbach will have a screw placed in his elbow to repair a fracture, a particularly troubling development for a pitcher the organization has been trying to build around.
Schwellenbachs situation is the one that hangs over the staff now, because this is already his second surgery in a year and his ability to pitch again is unclear. For a Braves team that has leaned on young arms and tried to keep its pitching pipeline intact, the news only adds to a string of setbacks that has made every injury update feel bigger than the last. [Read more 🡒]