The Braves have made another move in the trade market, and this one brings a starter into the fold.
According to MLB Insider Robert Murray of FanSided, Atlanta is acquiring right-hander Tyler Mahle from the Giants in exchange for right-hander Anthony Molina.
Mahle’s season in San Francisco has been uneven on the surface. He’s posted a 5.13 ERA and a 4.38 FIP over 18 starts and 94.2 innings with the Giants. He joined them on a one-year, $10 million deal after spending a couple of seasons with Texas, and that contract followed a strong 2025 run with the Rangers, when he made 16 starts, threw 86.2 innings, and turned in a 2.18 ERA with a 3.37 FIP.
The Braves are clearly betting on the better version of Mahle showing up in Atlanta. One reason for that optimism is his ability to limit hard contact.
In 2025, he was in the 77th percentile among starting pitchers, with 37.1 percent of his batted balls classified as hard-hit. That puts the spotlight on pitching coach Jeremy Hefner to help get the most out of him in a Braves uniform.
This also looks like a classic buy-low move for Atlanta, especially with Anthony Molina not having done much at the big league level for anyone yet. He’s only thrown five innings for the Braves in 2026.
Mahle at least has shown he can give a team length. He has reached the fifth inning in 16 of his 18 starts, though his most recent outing on Saturday was a rougher one.
Against the Padres, he allowed five runs in 5.2 innings. Even so, he struck out nine batters, and his numbers include a 22 percent strikeout rate and a 9.2 percent walk rate.
He may not project as a top-of-the-rotation arm for Atlanta, but the Braves appear to believe he can be a useful starter if Hefner can help him find something closer to his best form. More moves could still be coming from Atlanta.
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