The Atlanta Braves have made their way through a very impressive 2026 MLB postseason run, and the reason has been hard to miss: they’ve leaned heavily on just two dependable starters.
Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle have been carrying the load, and Atlanta has needed every bit of what they’ve given. The problem is just as obvious.
If the Braves had one more trustworthy arm in the rotation, their chances would look a lot better. Instead, injuries and poor play have left the club in a tough spot.
That’s why the offseason points straight at starting pitching. Fixing that issue has to be the priority. But Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller floated a trade idea that would send a starter out of Atlanta rather than bring one in, and the name is a painful one for Braves fans: Spencer Strider.
“Atlanta Braves send: RHP Spencer Strider ($22M in 2027, $22M in 2028, $22M club option (for $5M buyout) for 2029, Cash considerations. Baltimore Orioles send: OF Nate George (High-A prospect), SS Wehiwa Aloy (Double-A prospect),” Miller shared.
A deal with the Baltimore Orioles involving Strider would be a tough sell emotionally, but it also makes a certain kind of baseball sense. The Braves need pitching help, yes, but moving a starter like Strider could actually help them reshape the roster in a smarter way.
If Atlanta can find a team willing to take on Strider and a big portion - or even all - of the money left on his deal, the return goes beyond the players coming back. That kind of move would give the Braves flexibility to upgrade the rotation, lock up a key player long term, or simply create more breathing room for next season if they decide to push harder in free agency or on the trade market.
Strider is a fan favorite and a flame-throwing right-hander, so this would not be an easy goodbye. Still, from a franchise-building standpoint, it would make sense.
Even if the package Miller suggested isn’t flashy, it could still be the kind of trade Atlanta needs as it looks to clear money and reset its starting rotation after a frustrating 2026 campaign.
In Other News...
Ronald Acua Jr. Reopened Braves Drama Before A Huge Game 3
Ronald Acua Jr. gave the Braves a fresh bit of noise to navigate when he weighed in on the coaching staff during a recent Spanish-language podcast episode. His comments included a critical reference to someone no longer with the team, and because neither he nor his co-host named the person outright, the conversation immediately turned into a guessing game around Atlanta.
The timing is what makes it linger, with Game 3 of the NLDS approaching and every little storyline getting magnified. For now, the exact target of Acuas remarks remains unconfirmed, but the attention around them adds another layer to a postseason stretch already carrying plenty of pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Had To Change Their NLDS Plan Around Ronald Acua Jr
Ronald Acua Jr. was shuffled out of right field and into the designated hitter spot for Game 3 of the NLDS after knee soreness lingered from a slide in a previous game, forcing Atlanta to alter the plan it had prepared for the matchup. The move gave the Braves a way to keep Acuas bat in the lineup while easing the strain on his leg, a reminder of how quickly postseason lineups can change when one health concern starts to reshape the board.
Sean Murphy was also scratched before first pitch, with Lane Thomas sliding into right field and Atlanta planning to use Murphy as a pinch hitter instead. Behind the plate, Drake Baldwin was set to catch Chris Sale, another sign that the Braves were piecing together the game around availability as much as matchup, with every late adjustment carrying a little more weight in October. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers May Be Rethinking One Crucial NLDS Move Against Chris Sale
Chris Sale is forcing the Dodgers to at least reconsider how they want to line up for the National League Division Series, and that is the sort of October wrinkle that tends to ripple through a series quickly. Los Angeles has already started discussing possible changes with left-handed hitters and right-handed bats, with Dave Roberts floating Enrique Hernandez and Miguel Rojas as options while also leaving open the possibility of sliding Shohei Ohtani lower in the order.
For Atlanta, that only underscores how much this matchup has become about execution against one of the leagues most difficult left-handers. Roberts did not sound interested in panic, but he did make clear the Dodgers know they will need quality at-bats and cleaner offense to get through Sales side of the bracket. The question now is how far Los Angeles is willing to go in reshaping things before the first pitch forces the issue. [Read more 🡒]