The main goal of these mock trades is to get some reactions. It worked. They get credit for that. The Atlanta Braves gain an All-Star starting pitcher in a mock trade. However, it would come at a perplexing cost.
MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince has Freddy Peralta heading to Atlanta in a three-way trade with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. As part of a ‘7 Ridiculous Trades’ list, four Braves prospects would be on the move. Two, lefty Cam Caminiti (No. 1) and outfielder Diego Tornes (No. 14), would head to Milwaukee, and two others, shortstop Tate Southisene (No. 3) and righty Blake Burkhalter (No. 11), would head to Tampa Bay.
Infiedler Brandon Lowe and first baseman Yandy Diaz would head to Milwaukee, and shortstop Joey Ortiz would head to Tampa Bay. There is a lot to unpack here.
For what it’s worth, Castrovince finishes off his analysis with “who says no? Everybody.” There is self-awareness here. You kind of have to respect the humor in this.
He says everybody, but this is a trade that maybe the Brewers can get in on, given what they get in return. The Rays would likely take it, but sending off both Lowe and Diaz together is something they might not even be sure of. Then again, this is the team that sent off both Ben Zobrist and Yunel Escobar in the same move a decade ago. This proposed trade is at least unserious. The other one actually happened.
As for the Braves, that’s definitely the ‘everybody.’ Four top prospects who go to two teams, just to land a starting pitcher on an expiring contract, is a ridiculous way, using that specific adjective to stay with the theme, to get some depth for 2026.
It’s hard to imagine that they would send two prospects to the Rays to help the Brewers land two All-Stars. Lowe is a two-time All-Star, while Diaz has been an All-Star once. If anything, the Braves should be aiming to add either of these bats to their lineup. Atlanta Braves on SI has already built a case for acquiring Brandon Lowe as a designated hitter.
Diaz is coming off a career-best year for home runs and RBIs. Lowe is coming off his second-best year in these categories. If anything came out of this mock trade, it could help give some ideas for how the Braves could approach acquiring offense, or how not to acquire a starting pitcher.
It also got me to evaluate this whole trade. How’s your Saturday going so far?
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