The Braves may have missed on Tarik Skubal, but the deadline still has a clear next move staring them in the face: Casey Mize.
With the Dodgers landing Skubal from the Tigers for three top prospects, Atlanta is now in the spot so many clubs dread - the star target is gone, the price is outrageous, and the clock is still ticking. Chasing Skubal all the way to the finish line would have meant paying an enormous prospect cost for what amounts to a two-month rental, and there was never any realistic shot he’d be back in Atlanta next offseason.
That’s why Mize makes so much sense.
He’s not the headline-grabbing answer, but he might be the cleaner baseball answer. The Tigers right-hander was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, and after an injury-riddled start to his career, he’s put things back together. He’s also far more affordable, carrying just $6.15 million this season.
And the production is there. In 86.2 innings this year, Mize has posted a 2.70 ERA with 19 walks, 85 strikeouts and a 0.99 WHIP.
The walk rate stands out most - 5.6% - and the underlying numbers back up the performance. He’s also shown strong whiff, strikeout, barrel and hard-hit rates, while his extension has been excellent.
His 3.07 xERA supports the idea that this isn’t a fluke.
There is one obvious flag. Mize dealt with a groin issue early in the season, and Atlanta has already taken enough hits on the injury front to pause.
But since returning, he has stayed healthy, and the price tag should keep the Braves from overthinking it. He also looks like a pitcher they could extend before he reaches free agency next year.
He might not be the massive splash fans had in mind. Still, he fills a real need, and he does it without stripping the roster bare. That matters, because keeping some resources available could give Atlanta room to improve the bullpen or even add a second starter if the market breaks right.
In Other News...
Braves Just Cleared Two Roster Spots For A Bigger Deadline Shift
The Braves used the deadline to shuffle the margins of their roster, dealing catcher Joey Bart to the White Sox and sending outfielder Eli White to the Red Sox in separate moves. In return, Atlanta picked up right-hander Duncan Davitt and minor league reliever Tyler Uberstine, with the latter optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, a sign these were as much about clearing space as adding immediate help.
Those openings matter because the roster is not done changing. Atlanta has a potential return behind the plate looming in Sean Murphy, and another outfield addition in Lane Thomas could soon fit into the mix as well, giving the club a little more flexibility for the stretch run. For a team trying to line up the right pieces after deadline day, the next round of moves may end up being the more interesting part of this one. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Catching Picture Is Finally Changing At The Right Time
Joey Barts brief run as Atlantas backup catcher has come to an end after the Braves and White Sox struck a trade that sends him to Chicago for rookie right-hander Duncan Davitt. Bart had been filling in behind the plate for Atlanta, but the clubs catching picture is now shifting with the roster moving toward a different look.
Davitt arrives with a little bit of big league experience already, having made two major league appearances with Chicago before the deal. For the Braves, the rookie is expected to work out of the bullpen, giving them another arm as they reshape the back end of the staff and prepare for the next step in the catching rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Take Another Rotation Gamble With Tyler Mahle
The Braves dipped back into the rotation market with another move aimed at stabilizing the back end of their staff, acquiring right-hander Tyler Mahle from the Giants for right-hander Anthony Molina. Mahle has logged 18 starts this season in San Francisco, and while the results have been uneven, Atlanta is clearly banking on a change of scenery and a different voice to get more out of him down the stretch.
Jeremy Hefner now gets the challenge of helping Mahle sharpen things up in Atlanta, where the Braves have made it a priority to keep searching for usable innings. Molina had only thrown five innings for the club in 2026, so this is the kind of deal that says the Braves are willing to keep tinkering if they think there is still a path to more reliable starting help. [Read more 🡒]