The Braves are still sitting three games ahead of the Phillies in the NL East, but the rotation has started to look a little thin at exactly the wrong time. With one week left before the All-Star break and the trade deadline creeping closer, Atlanta’s need for pitching is getting harder to ignore.
That urgency only grew Monday morning when veteran Martín Pérez was placed on the injured list.
“Looks like good news for Martin Perez as the Braves list is move to the IL as a left forearm contusion. Top prospects Owen Murphy and JR Ritchie will be in the bullpen this week. Neither is slated to start before the All-Star break,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote.
Even with that setback, the expectation around Atlanta is that help is coming. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has already made it clear the Braves intend to be active if they keep playing at their current level.
“I fully expect and hope that we will be engaged in trades come July. I'm not trying to overly excite anybody or promise anything. But if we're playing the way we are right now, we're going to be in there,” Anthopoulos said.
One name that has surfaced as a possible fit is Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize. Sports Illustrated’s Karl Rasmussen pegged him as a potential rental for Atlanta, and the case is easy to see.
Mize, who was the No. 1 pick in 2018, has put together a strong season, going 10 starts in 2026 with a 2.58 ERA, 52 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings, and just three home runs allowed. His walk rate of 2.2 BB/9 is tied for the lowest of his career.
“Casey Mize could be a solid rental addition for the Braves before he hits free agency after this season. The 29-year-old has made 10 starts in 2026, logging a 2.58 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings.
He’s surrendered just three home runs all year and his walk rate (2.2 BB/9) is tied for the lowest of his career. A former top prospect and No. 1 pick in 2018, Mize has had a rather inconsistent MLB career, but he’s been excellent in ‘26 and could be an adequate addition to Atlanta’s rotation with the Tigers out of contention,” Rasmussen wrote.
Mize would give Atlanta another arm with real upside, and the Braves have already shown a willingness to chase high-end talent from that 2018 draft class. After the season, he’ll be a free agent, which only adds to the appeal if Atlanta decides to push in for a postseason run.
In Other News...
Braves Quietly Got Back A Bullpen Arm They May Desperately Need
For most of the season, Atlantas bullpen has looked like one of the clubs quiet advantages, but the last stretch has brought a little more unease. Raisel Iglesias has blown a save, Dylan Lee has had shaky outings and Didier Fuentes is nearing the break, which has made the relief picture feel less settled than it did a few weeks ago.
Into that mix comes Danny Young, the left-hander the Braves have quietly gotten back after his injury layoff. His early work this season has been encouraging enough to give Atlanta another option for mid-to-high-leverage spots against left-handed hitters, and perhaps a way to ease the load on some of the other arms that have been asked to carry more lately. The bigger question is how quickly the Braves lean into that role, and whether Young can turn a useful return into something more than just a temporary fix. [Read more 🡒]
Walt Weiss Decisions Just Cost The Braves A Game They Had Won
The Braves had enough offense to put themselves in position to win, but the game slipped into the kind of extra-inning mess that usually leaves a manager under the microscope. Atlanta scored six runs and still could not finish off the Mets, with the lineups missed chances and a thin bench leaving the club in a difficult spot once the game stretched beyond regulation.
Walt Weiss choices only made the margin for error smaller. The Braves were already navigating a less-than-ideal setup in extras, and the way the bullpen and lineup were handled became a major part of why a game that looked won turned into a loss, even before the final inning had fully played out. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Cant Afford Another Quiet Deadline From Alex Anthopoulos
With the trade deadline approaching, the Braves look like a club that cannot simply sit back and hope the rotation and outfield sort themselves out. ESPNs latest best-fit rundown had Atlanta attached to 17 of the top 25 deadline candidates, which is a pretty clear sign that the market sees a team with real needs and a front office that should be active. Starting pitching remains the obvious priority, and the list of names floating around ranges from Tarik Skubal and Joe Ryan to Sonny Gray, Reid Detmers, Casey Mize, Jose Soriano and Freddy Peralta.
The outfield search is a little murkier, with Taylor Ward looking like the most realistic target if Atlanta wants to add a bat without emptying the system. Shortstop is another area worth watching, but the price tag on the top names would be steep enough to make any deal complicated fast. For Alex Anthopoulos, the pressure is less about making a splash than avoiding another deadline that leaves the roster looking almost exactly the same when the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]