The Braves are still hunting for pitching help, and Jacob deGrom has at least come up in the conversation.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Atlanta has checked in with Texas about the Rangers ace as the MLB trade deadline closes in on Monday evening. Heyman posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Braves checked on Jacob deGrom.
Rangers listening on everyone. Unknown what chances are,”
That doesn’t mean a deal is close, but it does put one of the biggest names on the market into Atlanta’s orbit. DeGrom isn’t the same pitcher he was at his absolute peak, yet he’s still turned in a decent season for the Rangers and remains the kind of arm who can matter in October.
The fit makes sense from the Braves’ side. Pitching has been the major issue all year, with multiple starters going down before the season even began. Spencer Schwellenbach still hasn’t made his season debut, and that has left Atlanta trying to patch together the rotation.
The relief group opened the season well enough, but that unit has cooled over the last couple of months, which has only increased the pressure on the front office to add help before the playoffs arrive.
Atlanta already made one move with the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Tyler Mahle, along with other transactions, but the deadline activity has still left fans wanting more. A move for deGrom would go a long way toward calming those nerves.
The Braves will be back on the field Tuesday evening when they open a series against the division-rival Miami Marlins.
In Other News...
Braves Nearly Landed A Frontline Ace Before This Trade Twist
Tarik Skubal was one of the biggest names sitting in the trade market before the MLB August 3 deadline, and the Braves were right in the middle of the chase. According to a report, Atlanta put together offers that included some of its top prospects in an effort to land the frontline left-hander, a clear sign the club was willing to pay up for impact pitching as the deadline approached.
The Tigers ultimately sent Skubal to the Dodgers, and Detroit president Scott Harris said Los Angeles had the best offer in a bidding war that drew multiple teams. For Atlanta, the sting is not just that it missed out on a coveted starter, but that its pursuit never got the kind of response that might have pushed talks any further. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Made A Telling Call On A Former MVP Bat
Andrew McCutchens brief stay in the Braves organization is over. Atlanta released the veteran outfielder from his minor league contract after he joined the club in July following his own release from the Texas Rangers, and his opportunities in Triple-A Gwinnett never really got much traction.
The move was part of a broader roster reset that also sent left-hander Austin Gomber and outfielder Ben Gamel out the door. For a Braves team constantly sorting through depth and looking for the right mix, the decisions underscore how quickly those fringe spots can change when the clock starts ticking on the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Moved On From Three Familiar Veteran Names
The Braves trimmed their Triple-A roster this week by releasing three familiar veteran names, opening the door for Andrew McCutchen, Austin Gomber and Ben Gamel to become free agents and sign elsewhere. It is the sort of late-summer move that can get overlooked outside the farm system, but it speaks to how quickly Triple-A can turn into a holding pattern for experienced players trying to find one more path back to the majors.
McCutchens stop with the Braves was especially notable given his status as a former NL MVP, even if his time in the organization came only after he was released by the Rangers. Gomber and Gamel also brought plenty of big league mileage with them, yet all three had been searching for traction in the minors, and now Atlanta has moved on as they look for their next opportunity somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]