ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves entered the weekend with prospects to move, a comfortable lead in the NL East and an opportunity to strengthen a roster built for October. But they emerged from Monday’s trade deadline with a handful of modest acquisitions unlikely to match the impact of the moves made by some of their competitors.
Atlanta acquired outfielder Lane Thomas and left-hander Bailey Falter from the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, then added right-hander Tyler Mahle from the San Francisco Giants on Sunday and left-hander Brent Suter from the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. The Braves also traded away catcher Joey Bart and outfielder Eli White, creating roster space for the newcomers and for Sean Murphy’s return from the injured list Tuesday.
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With improving the rotation a priority, the Braves were linked to several established starting pitchers before the deadline and did not land any of them. Atlanta had been connected to Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom before he exercised his no-trade clause, and to Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize before he was dealt to the San Diego Padres, among others.
“We didn’t go into the deadline with the thought that we have to get this or we have to get that,” president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos told reporters over a call. “We were just trying to make the team better. A few years ago, we could have gotten one of the elite starters in the game, but Drake Baldwin would have been going out the door. That’s not to say those are easy decisions. You’d like to get deals done. But there’s certain asks you say ‘yes’ to and those are the deals that you do. And there’s certain ones you say ‘no’ to.”
Alex Anthopoulos said he is comfortable with the Braves’ rotation of Chris Sale, Bryce Elder, Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes and Martín Pérez, despite Atlanta making no other moves to bolster its staff beyond acquiring Mahle. He said they turned a lot of deals down.#Braves
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Anthopoulos did not address deGrom directly when asked about the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who has a 3.96 ERA in 21 starts for the Rangers this season. But when asked whether a no-trade clause had prevented a deal, Anthopoulos said, “There are various reasons why deals don’t get done. It’s not appropriate for me to discuss deals that didn’t get done. Sorry for the lame answer.”
deGrom made clear he wanted to remain in Texas, effectively ending any potential path to Atlanta.
“I want to be here,” deGrom said, according to MLB.com. “I believe in this group. Obviously, the last road trip didn’t go well, but I believe we can win. I signed here to help this team win a World Series. In 2023, the team was able to do that. I want to be a part of that in the future. I signed here to do that. I want to stay here and help this team compete.”
If the postseason began Tuesday, Aug. 4, the Braves’ rotation would likely include Chris Sale, Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes, Tyler Mahle and Martin Perez. Sale, Elder and Perez would be the most likely options to start the first three games of a postseason series.
Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep are likely out for the season, while Spencer Schwellenbach, who could return in September, may be limited to a bullpen role.
That made another starter an understandable target. Still, Braves starters ranked fifth in the majors in ERA since the All-Star break entering Monday, a stretch Anthopoulos cited as evidence of his confidence in the group.
But depth was not the only need. With a division lead, a respectable farm system and a rotation thinned by injuries, the Braves had a chance to add a proven front-line starter. Instead, they left the deadline hoping their internal options — and upside from Mahle — will be enough in October.
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