The Braves’ trade deadline has started to look a lot better, and Tyler Mahle is the main reason why.
Jeff Francoeur didn’t just like the move - he went all the way out on the limb and called Mahle the best pitcher moved midseason, putting him ahead of Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and Kevin Gausman. That’s a strong statement, and even if saying Mahle is better than Skubal may be a stretch, the numbers behind Francoeur’s point are hard to ignore.
Mahle has been excellent since landing in Atlanta, posting a 1.25 ERA across seven starts. Skubal, meanwhile, has a 2.93 ERA over the same stretch of appearances after going to Los Angeles. On performance alone, Mahle has been the sharper arm so far.
The real separator, though, is the price. Atlanta got Mahle in what amounted to a salary dump, sending out a journeyman reliever and taking on the remaining $2 million on his deal for this season. The Dodgers paid a much steeper cost for Skubal, giving up multiple top-100 prospects and taking on nearly $10 million.
That’s why, at this moment, Mahle looks like the more valuable deadline pickup. If Skubal turns into a major piece of another Dodgers World Series run, that conversation could flip fast.
But right now, Mahle has been the standout addition of the deadline, and if he carries this form into October, he could end up in the conversation for one of the best midseason acquisitions ever. Alex Anthopoulos may not be perfect,
In Other News...
Braves Quietly Added A New Arm And The Bullpen Implications Matter
The Braves picked up another arm just as the regular season enters its final stretch, claiming right-hander Michael Grove off waivers from the Rays while Tampa Bay was sorting through its own late-season roster moves. Grove gives Atlanta another live option to plug into the pitching mix, and any addition at this stage tends to carry extra weight for a bullpen that can always use more coverage as the calendar winds down.
The move also came against a backdrop of more shuffling elsewhere on the Rays' roster, with Tyler Wells landing on the 15-day injured list because of right forearm tightness and ending his regular season. Alex Cook was brought up from Triple-A Durham to take Wells' place, while Jake Fraley returned from the 60-day injured list and Kenny Piper was sent back to Triple-A, a reminder of how quickly September roster management can change the look of a pitching staff. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Move On From Pitcher Still Trying To Rebound From Surgery
The Braves added another arm to the organizational pile Monday, claiming right-hander Michael Grove off waivers from the Rays and sending him to Triple-A Gwinnett. It is the kind of depth move that can matter more than it looks on the surface for a club trying to survive a rash of rotation injuries, especially with a pitcher who has worked both as a starter and a reliever in the majors.
Grove had been designated for assignment by Tampa Bay before Atlanta stepped in, giving the Braves a low-cost way to keep a familiar major league option in the system. For now, he gives them some extra flexibility at Gwinnett while the bigger question remains how soon the big league staff can get healthier. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Ownership Debate Just Got More Real Than Fans Expected
The talk around the Braves has shifted from routine ownership chatter to a more pointed debate, with Breach Inlet Capital Management now publicly urging Liberty Media to sell the club. The argument is rooted in money and timing, pointing to the potential upside of a deal while also flagging broader league risks, including new tax rules and the possibility of an MLB lockout.
John Malone has not suggested any willingness to move the team, and inside the organization the logic runs the other way. Braves officials believe a sale before the leagues national media contracts are set to take effect around 2029 would leave value on the table, which is why this remains more a market conversation than a true transaction watch, at least for now. [Read more 🡒]