Lopez was scratched from his last start with knee inflammation. There was little indication of exactly what went wrong, but it doesn’t appear to be serious. He’s already begun a throwing program and doesn’t anticipate this being a very long IL stint.

Spoke to Reynaldo López en Español. He said he’s begun a light throwing program and that he expects the it to be a short stint on the IL.

— Jesús Cano (@Jesus_Cano88) August 6, 2026

How the Braves handle the rotation the rest of the way will be very interesting. Smith-Shawver will surely get a look as a starter when he returns given his upside. It would be difficult to move Holmes or Elder to the bullpen after the way they’ve performed recently, even if Holmes has had a lot of success in a relief role during his time with the Braves.

Lopez has as well, and I’d guess that’s where the Braves put him when he’s ready. That still leaves six guys, but it’s very possible the club chooses to ride a six-man rotation down the stretch to ensure everybody stays healthy. The Braves are probably going to be very cautious with Chris Sale, knowing that if something happens to him, their season is likely over.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Smith-Shawver has already made his season debut for the major-league club after undergoing Tommy John surgery last May, and most recently turned in a really strong appearance for the Gwinnett Stripers. He should be back with the Braves within the next couple of weeks.

Schwellenbach’s situation is the most concerning of the bunch. His 2025 campaign ended with a fractured elbow, and he was supposed to be ready for the start of this season before a setback required surgery to remove loose bodies in that same elbow. He’s thrown a handful of bullpens to this point, but serious questions remain about whether the Braves push him to return at all this season, even if they could desperately use another starting pitcher.

Suarez’s injury falls somewhere in the middle. He was placed on the IL in mid-June with elbow inflammation. Further tests revealed no structural damage, and from the sound of it, this seemed like something he’d return from within a few weeks.

It’s now been close to two months, and Suarez still hasn’t thrown a bullpen. That’s not a great sign for someone this impactful. Over 31 appearances, he owns a 0.56 ERA in his first season with the Braves, pitching almost exclusively in high-leverage situations.

The expectation is that he should still return this year with plenty of time to ramp up before October, and Walt Weiss attempted to provide some clarity on the timeline.

“The philosophy there is we want him to be 100% pain-free before he starts to ramp up again,” Weiss said, via Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “At this point of the season, we just can’t afford a setback. If he were to have a setback, his season is probably over. So we’re just really making sure he’s 100% when he steps on the mound again so he can sprint to the finish line.”

Burns also reported that the pain in Suarez’s elbow is minimal at this point, and all of this lines up with something Alex Anthopoulos said earlier this week about the situation.

“This is about October,” Anthopoulos told Suarez, making sure there were never any thoughts in his mind about trying to rush back.

It’s too early to panic. There are still a couple of months before the Braves take the field for playoff baseball, and it sounds like they’re taking every precautionary measure possible. But if we don’t see Suarez start throwing over the next month, the alarms will be sounding — because not only do they need him healthy, they need him pitching like the dominant relief arm he was before the injury.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

However, let’s be very clear about something: the Braves acquiring more arms at the deadline was never about August. The division is already well in hand, and the team’s playoff odds sit at 99%. It was always about putting together a staff that was fully loaded for October, giving this incredibly talented team the best chance at lifting the Commissioner’s Trophy — and until that’s decided two months from now, nothing should change your mind about what the Braves did or didn’t do.

I’m worried about Bryce Elder starting in an elimination game and giving up a crooked number before the Braves offense even steps to the plate, leaving Truist Park feeling more like a funeral home than a playoff atmosphere. I’m worried about having a 3-1 lead on the Dodgers and failing to close it out, then spending the next six months wondering how the Braves would have surely been World Series champions if they hadn’t been so hyper-focused on hoarding prospects.

What I’m not worried about is a couple of games in August against the Miami Marlins. So let’s save the congratulations for when things really matter. Then we’ll know if the Braves made the right decision.

What we can all mostly agree on right now is that this team is capable of winning a World Series and is getting healthier than it’s been all season at exactly the right time. But if they’re going to overcome their lack of starting pitching, at least a few of these critical developments will have to go their way.

Austin Riley Stays Hot

Most likely, the Braves are going to have to slug their way to a World Series, and they certainly have the lineup to do it. Their 8th and 9th hitters in last night’s game were both former All-Stars.

Of course, Murphy has struggled over the last couple of seasons and has played in only five games this year, but when he gets hot, he has the type of power to carry an offense.

Riley is an entirely different beast, though. He was a perennial MVP candidate not long ago and one of the most talented offensive players in the league. Injuries have taken their toll of late, but he finally seems to be finding a rhythm, hitting over .300 with an .898 OPS in 18 games since the All-Star break. If he performs like that come October, the Braves are going to be tough to beat.

Didier Fuentes — The Next Ian Anderson

Obviously, Didier Fuentes and Ian Anderson are two entirely different pitchers when it comes to their respective repertoires. Fuentes is far more talented and will hopefully have a much more successful career. But October is where legends are made, and for that one fall month back in 2021, nobody could touch the 23-year-old Anderson, who allowed just three runs over four starts, including five hitless innings against the Astros in the World Series.

I’m not sure the Braves are going to consider stretching Fuentes into a starter over the final couple of months, because he’s been so damn good out of the bullpen. But at the very least, I expect them to use him as a hybrid arm who can go multiple innings in the biggest situations. Over the course of a series, he’s going to be relied on just as much as Anderson was — and probably in higher-pressure moments. If Fuentes proves just as cold-blooded, the Braves will be in good shape.

A Break In The Injury Department

This is the most important of them all, and the Braves really need it to break in two ways. Most importantly, Anthopoulos’ lack of action at the deadline left the club with a razor-thin margin for error. One injury to a major piece of this pitching staff, and their World Series chances plummet toward zero.

On the other side of things, it would be real nice if a couple of injured arms returned and made a significant impact. Robert Suarez has been out with elbow inflammation since mid-June — can he still be the dominant setup man he was over the first few months? Can AJ Smith-Shawver, who will probably rejoin the team in the next couple of weeks, make an impact? And, of course, is there any chance Spencer Schwellenbach returns and looks anything like the guy who took the league by storm as a rookie?

If two of those three become significant contributors come October and the Braves avoid any other major injuries, they can challenge anyone.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

That hasn’t really been the case in Atlanta, for a variety of reasons. Neither of the Falcons’ potential starting quarterbacks entered camp healthy. Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with a minor back injury, while Michael Penix Jr. is still weeks away from being fully cleared following the ACL injury he suffered last season.

And to really add insult to injury, Jalon Walker went down in practice earlier this week. Immediately, it felt as if the energy had been sucked out of Flowery Branch. Practice was called early. Walker buried his face in a towel as teammates embraced him, and he was carted off the field. Within hours, the ACL tear was confirmed and he was ruled out for the season.

Not only will the Falcons be without Walker, but James Pearce Jr. is also expected to receive a hefty suspension from the league following his domestic violence incident during the offseason. Atlanta now has a dire need to add to its EDGE room — but that’s not the blockbuster trade ESPN has in mind heading into the season. They believe the Falcons are better off selling, accumulating draft picks as the new regime focuses on the future.

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49ers receive: S Jessie Bates III, 2028 sixth-round pick
Falcons receive: 2027 third-round pick

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This might be the fourth different outlet I’ve seen suggest the 49ers trade with the Falcons for safety Jessie Bates III, and it’s not without reason.

Bates has been a star in Atlanta, named All-Pro in two of his three seasons with the team. This is a piece the Falcons can’t afford to lose if they’re trying to win now — but how much is this team really thinking Super Bowl?

The Falcons don’t know who their quarterback is going to be in Week 1. The defense just lost arguably its most promising young piece. They have $38 million in cap space going unspent, a number that’s expected to skyrocket next year, when they might have a better idea of the future at quarterback. And perhaps most notably, this is a new regime that doesn’t really have any pressure to win right away, even if Atlanta would desperately like to break a postseason drought dating back to 2017.

The Falcons aren’t Super Bowl contenders. They’re fringe playoff contenders in a weak division at best. Given that Bates is entering the final year of his contract and probably doesn’t have many seasons left in the league, acquiring a valuable top-100 draft pick and moving him to a contender does make sense — whether that’s now or closer to the midseason trade deadline.

The connection between Bates and former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris also adds another layer to the conversations. He’s now the defensive coordinator in San Francisco, so this is a hypothetical trade that could definitely pick up some steam at some point.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

They were after the very few true ace-type pitchers on the market, targeting Tarik Skubal, Jacob deGrom, and Logan Webb. If they weren’t able to land someone they viewed as a game-changer, they were perfectly fine standing pat — which is essentially what happened, with the only addition being Tyler Mahle, who’s nothing more than a mid-rotation starter.

When it came to Skubal, the most high-profile option on the market, it really came down to the Dodgers and the Brewers. According to Ken Rosenthal, the rest of the offers didn’t come close, even if Atlanta was willing to part with just about every young player in its system.

“The Braves never got close to a deal for Skubal, even though they made virtually all of their young players available, including right-handers AJ Smith-Shawver and JR Ritchie,” Rosenthal reports. “The same was true for the Chicago Cubs. Infielder Jefferson Rojas, the prospect they sent to the New York Mets for right-hander Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor, is not at the level of Hope.”

The Dodgers deal did feel a little light, and while perhaps there were ulterior motives that had nothing to do with landing the best possible package, there’s one thing worth remembering: beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

On paper, the Braves might have been able to match the Dodgers’ offer by including AJ Smith-Shawver and Eric Hartman. But if Detroit’s scouts were blown away by Zyhir Hope, that’s what matters. Prospect rankings are a useful evaluation tool, but not every organization views things the same way.

As far as deGrom is concerned, the Braves had all but a done deal in place to bring him to Atlanta — until he refused to waive his no-trade clause. Rosenthal reported that earlier this week and has since had multiple executives confirm a deal was essentially finished. The last hurdle was deGrom’s approval.

“After that story appeared, two executives said a trade almost certainly was in place,” Rosenthal continues. “The execs, granted anonymity for their candor, pointed out that teams do not approach players about waiving no-trade clauses so close to the deadline unless something is done.”

That’s going to sting for a long time if the Braves fall just short of the World Series this year. The club has been in pursuit of a frontline starter to pair with Chris Sale for years, and they finally had one on the way before it was nixed at the last minute. That’s another thing outside their control — but it doesn’t mean the Braves shouldn’t have pivoted elsewhere to find someone who could help support such a top-heavy rotation.

According to Rosenthal, they considered those options — like José Soriano, who was eventually dealt to the Blue Jays — but felt the prospect cost didn’t line up for someone they didn’t view as a difference-maker.

“The Braves also were involved in discussions for right-hander José Soriano and other starters, according to a person briefed on their talks. But other than Skubal and deGrom, they did not view those pitchers as difference-makers, or even better than what they had.”

Ultimately, whether the Braves were right or wrong will be made clear to the entire world when October baseball comes around. The starting pitching staff has been more than adequate during the regular season and is pitching some of its best baseball right now amid an eight-game win streak. But the playoffs are an entirely different beast.

Will Atlanta’s rotation hold up enough to get them over the top? We’ll find out in two months.

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Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire

Rookie Jim Jarvis did enough to win the starting job while Ronald Acuña Jr. was out. Acuña’s absence forced Mauricio Dubon into the outfield every day, which opened the door for Jarvis. Now Acuña is back, Dubon has shifted into his normal super-utility role, and while the Braves recently said Jarvis is the team’s primary shortstop, it might be time to reconsider.

Jarvis is fantastic defensively. That’s been his calling card since the minors and it’s carried over nicely to the top level. Offensively, there have been signs, particularly in Triple-A this season, where he hit .313 with 29 extra-base hits in just 76 games before being promoted. That success carried over to Atlanta for a brief stretch, but it’s slowed considerably over his last 12 games, in which he’s hitting just .143 with a .382 OPS.

It’s pretty evident the Braves’ best lineup right now has Mauricio Dubon manning shortstop. But then there’s Ha-Seong Kim, who the club refuses to move on from despite him offering nothing all season. He has played in only 27 games because of various injuries, and has somehow managed to hit .068 with an OPS+ of -30, which I didn’t even know was possible over a sample size that large.

If Kim is going to be on the roster, though, the Braves are best off giving him at least a few opportunities at shortstop for a couple of reasons. First, he could be a quality addition to the lineup if he reverts to the player he’s been his entire career. And if he doesn’t, the Braves will know it’s time to cut bait, because he offers next to nothing on the bench.

He can’t change a game with one swing. He’s not better defensively than Jarvis or Dubon. He’s not a guy you call on to swipe a bag. That roster spot could be put to much better use if Kim isn’t starting — who cares whether the Braves paid him $20 million in the offseason.

The next couple of months will be an interesting watch at the position. If the playoffs started today, it’s hard to imagine anybody other than Dubon starting at shortstop. Both Jarvis and Kim are running out of opportunities to prove otherwise.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The 19-year-old — he turns 20 tomorrow — recently received the call to Double-A after what was quite possibly the best start of his professional career, one in which he struck out 14 batters and allowed just one run over 6.2 innings.

Caminiti’s debut for Columbus wasn’t quite as dominant. In fact, it took just one batter for him to be welcomed to the Southern League, as Josh Adamczewski homered to begin the game.

Left-on-left against a top 50 prospect in the game, Josh Adamczewski cranks the first pitch of the game 100 mph off the roof of a building in right.

He is good. pic.twitter.com/fRLJdhJAsX

— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) August 6, 2026

Caminiti settled down from there, though. He allowed just one more run over the next 5.1 innings and struck out three — two of which came against Adamczewski, so there was a nice little battle between the two top prospects.

At this very moment, Caminiti is the one pitcher in the Braves system who’s shown true frontline starter potential if everything goes right. The organization has worked on a ton of things mechanically with him this season, which is why the surface-level numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping, but that’s what this entire process is about — taking a prospect with immense upside and molding him into the player you believe he can be.

Caminiti has done a very nice job handling this season, and when he’s at his best, flashing a legit six-pitch mix, it’s easy to see why the entire baseball world is high on his potential.

The next calendar year is going to be big for him. He’s inching closer to the majors, and the Braves have never been hesitant to call up their prospects. If he starts flashing his best stuff with more consistency, we could see him in Atlanta as early as next season.

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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

Ronald Acuña Jr. led the way with a couple of home runs. They weren’t exactly his typical screamers — one of them actually the result of Marlins players running into each other on the warning track — but they all count the same in the box score.

Matt Olson added a double to go along with his 32nd home run of the season. The two extra-base hits now have him leading all of baseball in extra-base knocks, just ahead of Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, who’s likely to go on and win the MVP in the American League. That’s the kind of season the Braves first baseman is having as he closes in on 40 home runs with a lot of baseball still left to play.

Michael Harris II and Mauricio Dubon also did something pretty unique, recording hits in three straight innings.

But just because the pitching staff didn’t need its A-game doesn’t mean it took the night off. Martin Perez looked great over three innings, allowing just one walk with three strikeouts before he was unfortunately removed due to a lengthy rain delay. The bullpen then covered the next six on the way to an 11-3 win — the club’s eighth straight victory.

And it’s not as if the Braves are winning by the skin of their teeth. The Nationals and Marlins barely put up a fight, with Miami never leading at any point in the series. This might be the best baseball we’ve seen in Atlanta all season, and we’re talking about a team that’s won 70 games in early August and sits 25 games over .500.

A much stiffer task awaits this weekend, however, as the Braves travel to New York for an interleague battle with the Yankees — which is where we’ll get our first look at Tyler Mahle. The trade deadline addition is set to make his Braves debut on Friday night, followed by Chris Sale on Saturday and Grant Holmes in the series finale.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Both Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are less than 100%. The back injury for Tua is minor, and he’s participating in practice. Penix, on the other hand, hasn’t even begun 11-on-11 work, and it could be a few more weeks before that happens as he recovers from the torn ACL he suffered last season.

Additionally, Jessie Bates III and Zach Harrison are also dealing with injuries. Bates has missed the last few practices, but Kevin Stefanski did provide some positive news — it’s a minor back issue, so it shouldn’t be long before we see the All-Pro safety back on the field.

Harrison has been dealing with a knee injury dating back to last year, which landed him on Injured Reserve for the final two months of the season. His absence was a big one for the Falcons, as he was amid a breakout campaign in his third season, recording 22 tackles and 4.5 sacks. With Walker out for the year, having as many disruptive bodies as possible across the defensive line is paramount. Hopefully Harrison will be ready to roll when the Falcons take the field in Week 1 against the Steelers.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

We have made the following roster moves:

– Released Troy Andersen
– Signed Kristian Wilkersonhttps://t.co/qPic7TsZA5 pic.twitter.com/bBDhmd8BSK

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 7, 2026

Andersen was the 58th overall pick, and his story is a frustrating one. The Falcons bet on his athleticism — a guy who came out of a small town in Montana and went to Montana State, but had ridiculous speed for his size. It was a project pick, one where Atlanta believed they could mold him into one of the premier linebackers in the league.

Over his four years with the team, there were flashes — most notably a 2024 game against the Saints in which he had 16 tackles and a pick-six, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. But he could never stay healthy, and that was ultimately his downfall. Over the last three seasons, he played in just nine games, with a lingering knee injury forcing him to miss the entire 2025 campaign.

Given his rookie contract was up, it was a bit surprising the new regime didn’t cut ties immediately, but they apparently wanted to see what he could provide if he showed up to training camp healthy. He couldn’t, beginning camp on the PUP list, which led to this move.

It really is a disappointing story. Andersen had the talent to carve out a long career, but his body hasn’t been able to hold up, and this very well could be the end of the line for him.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Holmes on the hill pic.twitter.com/jtjTjbGMNL

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 30, 2026

Once again, Drake Baldwin will hit leadoff, one of the few players who’s had success with the stick in recent days. Ronald Acuña Jr. is back in the second spot, which could be something we see the rest of the way as Walt Weiss tries to break up the left-handed hitters at the top of the order.

But the big story is obviously Riley’s absence. He gets the night off after a miserable series in New York in which he went 0-for-10 with eight strikeouts. It’s been one step forward and three steps back for Riley all season. He seemed to finally be finding a groove, and then he turns in a five-game stretch where it doesn’t look like he’s ever seen major-league pitching before.

For what it’s worth, this is unlikely to be something that lasts more than a couple of games. The Braves aren’t going to give up on the highest-paid player in franchise history this early — no matter how atrocious he’s been. However, giving Austin Riley a day or two off to clear his head can’t hurt at this point.

(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Is it enough to earn him a spot back on the roster? I’m not sure, but it’s a decision that has to be made over the next 24 hours. His 20-day rehab stint expires today, meaning the Braves either have to bring him back to Atlanta, designate him for assignment, or move him in a trade.

If the Braves eat almost all of the remaining money he’s owed, it’s conceivable there would be some interested parties across the league, but it would be foolish to act like the market is going to be robust. The most likely scenario is they decide who could be more valuable for the rest of the season: Kim or Jorge Mateo.

Mateo offers tremendous speed on the bases and is better defensively, but the offense has really fallen off a cliff since the start of June. He’s hitting just .120 with a .330 OPS over his last 53 plate appearances. Those are still better numbers than Ha-Seong Kim produced, of course, but there’s no question the monetary aspect will hold some weight in these conversations. The Braves are going to want to see if they can get anything out of the $20 million investment they made in the offseason.

What absolutely should not be on the table is optioning Jim Jarvis. I know losing Kim or Mateo means thinning the overall depth at the position, but Jarvis has provided the first spark at shortstop we’ve seen since Orlando Arcia‘s first half in 2023. His playstyle is infectious, he’s been tremendous defensively, and he’s sporting a 104 OPS+ — 4% above league average — over his first 24 games. The Braves should be riding that wave as long as they can, because it looks like they may have found an incredible diamond in the rough.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Those could come at the trade deadline or internally, with AJ Smith-Shawver and Spencer Schwellenbach really being the last beacons of hope inside the organization. The former made his season debut earlier this week, allowing a couple of runs over 4.1 innings. It was a positive step for Smith-Shawver, one the Braves are hoping he can build on over the next two months. He certainly has the repertoire to start a playoff game down the road if everything clicks.

Schwellenbach isn’t as far along, but it looks like he could begin a rehab assignment in the very near future. He threw several bullpens down in Florida and is now throwing more in front of the Braves in Atlanta. Provided there are no setbacks, a return in early September feels like a realistic timeline for one of the most talented arms in the organization.

Schwellenbach said his velocity is returning after being unable to top 90 mph in throwing sessions before undergoing surgery in Feb.

He said facing hitters and game situations will be another uptick – and another test – as will adding all his pitches. A stress test if you will. https://t.co/SkJwi1GF9X

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) July 31, 2026

The update on Hurston Waldrep isn’t as encouraging, however. He’s been shut down after feeling discomfort in his elbow during his last start for the Gwinnett Stripers. Walt Weiss didn’t want to confirm anything, but anytime a pitcher is getting multiple opinions — especially when it comes to elbow injuries — it’s never a good sign.

Weiss said Hurston Waldrep is still being evaluated and getting multiple opinions. The assumption over the past couple weeks has been he’s done for the season. So, the update will likely just provide a sense of when he could pitch again in the future.

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 31, 2026

Waldrep isn’t going to pitch again this season. The only question is whether the injury keeps him out for all of next year as well — a massive blow for someone who really enjoyed a breakthrough in 2025.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

I’ve covered this year’s trade deadline from just about every angle, but one I’m not sure I’ve discussed enough is which prospects they should actually consider moving. It’s something I feel very strongly about, because the answer is easy: the Braves should be willing to trade every single pitching prospect in their organization.

From Cam Caminiti all the way down, they should have no hesitation about moving them if they’re getting an impact player back, and the reasoning is quite simple.

The Braves have been hoarding pitching prospects for over a decade. The entire rebuild was built on drafting and developing pitching, yet the number of those pitchers who’ve actually contributed to the team’s success has been minimal.

Seriously, think about the last decade of Braves baseball. How many homegrown pitchers have had a significant impact for multiple years?

The answer is one: Max Fried. And it’s not because the Braves can’t develop pitching. They’ve produced numerous frontline starters like Michael Soroka, Spencer Strider, Kyle Wright, and Spencer Schwellenbach. Unfortunately, drafting and developing is only half the battle when it comes to pitchers. Keeping them healthy has been an entirely different story.

This isn’t unique to the Braves, either, even if they’ve probably had worse luck than most organizations. Keeping pitchers healthy these days is nearly an impossible task. Almost every single arm is headed for a 12-month absence at some point early in their career.

So why treat any of them like they’re sure things?

If I’m the Braves, I’m aggressively shopping every single prospect arm in the organization in return for a proven frontline starter who can make an impact now. They’re much better used as trade chips than as guys you’re counting on to deliver in the future.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

The mumblings surrounding the Braves — as per usual — are extremely minimal. They always operate quietly, and they’re extremely difficult to get a read on. However, Ken Rosenthal did have an exciting nugget for Braves fans in his latest piece for The Athletic, saying Atlanta is among a handful of teams showing “strong interest” in Freddy Peralta.

“The Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are among the clubs showing strong interest in Peralta, according to people briefed on the situation. Rotation-needy teams are, however, casting wide nets in their respective searches,” Rosenthal writes.

I’ve said it probably fifty times over the last month, so why not one more: I have a hard time believing the Mets are going to do business with the Braves unless Atlanta is willing to pay a significant tax. They’re two of the biggest rivals in the sport.

That said, Peralta is an obvious fit for a Braves club desperate for starting pitching. He’s having a career-worst campaign after finishing fifth in the Cy Young race a season ago, boasting a 4.99 ERA over 22 starts — but most believe a lot of that has to do with the Mets. And as someone who’s watched that organization fall over itself continuously for the last 25 years, I’m not going to argue against that stance. The stuff is still there for Peralta to be a frontline starting pitcher at 30 years old.

Given Peralta is in the final year of his contract, he’s almost certain to be moved before Monday night. The asking price shouldn’t be astronomical, but again, the Braves are likely going to have to pay more than any other club.

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(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

Falcons signed guard Matthew Bergeron to a contract extension. pic.twitter.com/MnhcAfogBJ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 1, 2026

The exact figures of the deal haven’t been released, but according to the team’s official website, the extension will keep Bergeron in Atlanta through the 2030 season.

Bergeron has undoubtedly been one of the better draft picks of the previous regime, especially among guys taken outside of the first round. He’s been a starter from day one at left guard and has played in all but two games over his first three seasons in the league.

“Matthew is the type of player you build around,” general manager Ian Cunningham said, via the Falcons team website. “He’s establishing himself as one of the top young guards in the NFL, and his toughness, consistency and leadership have made him a cornerstone of our offensive line and the culture we’re building in Atlanta.

“Extending players like Matthew reflects our commitment to investing in the trenches and building a strong foundation for the future. We’re very excited he will be a Falcon for years to come. We also appreciate Chase Callahan for his professionalism, communication and partnership throughout this process.”

Despite the team’s overall lack of success from a wins and losses standpoint, the offensive line has been a strength over the past several seasons, particularly on the interior. This extension ensures the Falcons’ menacing guard duo of Bergeron and All-Pro Chris Lindstrom will both remain in Atlanta for at least the next three seasons.

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UPDATE: Mike Garafolo is reporting that is a $96 million extension for Bergeron over four years — a massive deal for the 26 year old from Canada.

The #Falcons and G Matthew Bergeron have agreed to terms on a four-year, $96 million contract extension, sources tell me and @JFowlerESPN.

The 38th overall pick in 2023 gets $60 million guaranteed in a deal done by @Chase_Callahan of @excelfootball. pic.twitter.com/HwbDfp3sVJ

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 1, 2026

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(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for the Braves to keep him on the roster. The club announced today that Hernández has been designated for assignment, recalling James Karinchak from Gwinnett.

The #Braves today recalled RHP James Karinchak to Atlanta and designated RHP Elieser Hernández for assignment.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 1, 2026

I say “again” in the title because this is now the second time Hernández has been designated for assignment after a brilliant performance, simply so the Braves could have a fresh arm in the bullpen. He’s now thrown six innings this season, picking up a win and a save in his two appearances. Those kinds of performances should be rewarded, not punished because the rules essentially give the Braves no other choice.

Hopefully Hernández clears waivers for a second time and makes his way back onto the major-league roster. He’s played a key role in the Braves’ second-half surge, which now has them leading the Phillies by eight games in the NL East.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Because of that, the Falcons pivoted to veteran Jawaan Taylor, who inked a one-year, $5 million contract to protect the blind side of whoever Atlanta starts under center. Taylor’s been a reliable starting right tackle for the last seven seasons, spending time with the Jaguars and the Chiefs, and what stands out most about him is his durability. He’s never played fewer than 12 games, and has appeared in 16 or more in six of his seven years in the league.

However, Taylor did enter training camp with an undisclosed injury. Thankfully, Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski eased some concerns on Friday by calling it minor and saying Taylor could be back practicing within a week.

#Falcons Kevin Stefanski says OT Jawaan Taylor is working hard to return. He's hoping to have him back soon, possibly within a week.

— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) July 31, 2026

Taylor might not be an All-Pro at the position, but he’s certainly a much better option than what the Falcons trotted out last year in the wake of injuries to both McGary and backup swing tackle Storm Norton. Atlanta was down to its third-string right tackle before the first snap of Week 1, forcing Elijah Wilkinson into the starting role, where he appeared in all 17 games.

For most offenses, right tackle is a spot where teams can get by with below-average play and still be alright. That’s not the case for the Falcons, who will be featuring a left-handed quarterback under center for the second year in a row — whether it’s Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa.

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Photo: Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire

It’s been reported by several MLB insiders that the Braves would like to add a right-handed bat to their outfield mix, which makes sense given the production they’ve gotten out of left field — a position that was supposed to be occupied by Jurickson Profar. His suspension has really hurt the club, forcing Mike Yastrzemski into more of an everyday role, which was never the plan when they signed him in the offseason.

Acquiring someone to at least platoon with Yastrzemski should be the goal, but it’s a position group that appears extraordinarily thin at this year’s trade deadline, and nearly half the league is looking for the same thing. It could end up being very costly.

Now, I’m not saying the Braves should be seriously considering Andrew McCutchen for that role. He hit just .192 in 37 games for the Rangers before his release. But Atlanta didn’t sign him to sell some extra tickets in Gwinnett. He’s in the organization for a reason, and if he keeps raking, there’s a chance we see the veteran at some point over the final two months.

At the very least, it’s a cool story anytime a 39-year-old who’s accomplished just about everything imaginable is willing to gut it out on the farm in hopes of one last opportunity. He’s certainly doing all he can at the moment to keep that dream alive, whether it’s with the Braves or another club.

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(Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

Braves updates:

Spencer Schwellenbach had four bullpen sessions in Florida and is back in Atlanta to throw in front more bullpens of the Braves.

Robert Suarez is still just playing catch.

Weiss said there will be conversations about what shortstop looks like when HSK returns

— Jesús Cano (@Jesus_Cano88) July 31, 2026

Suarez has been out since mid-June with what the Braves are calling elbow and forearm inflammation. Further tests revealed no structural damage, but the fact that it’s been six weeks and he’s still nowhere close to returning is raising some red flags. Even when he does come back, there’s no telling whether the Braves will be getting the guy who was downright unhittable over the season’s first couple of months — pitching to a 0.56 ERA over 31 appearances.

That certainly has to factor into the equation heading into the deadline. The Braves’ bullpen is seemingly taxed every single night, forcing them to turn to fringe roster guys in high-leverage situations every other game. It feels like they have to operate as if whatever they get out of Suarez the rest of the way is icing on the cake.

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(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

The game should have been signed, sealed, and delivered in the ninth, but Ozzie Albies let a groundball go right through his legs, allowing the tying run to score and sending the game to extras. The Orioles then had a golden opportunity to steal one in the tenth, loading the bases with nobody out. However, a double play followed by a pop out meant there was going to be an eleventh inning.

Austin Riley gave the Braves the lead with a single, and then the struggling Tyler Kinley — of all people — got the job done for the save, even if it didn’t come without stress. Walt Weiss opted to load the bases with two outs, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position, so the Braves could get the matchup with backup catcher Sam Huff, who’s sporting a .329 OPS on the season. It couldn’t have worked out better, as he grounded out to third for the final out of the game.

The gutsy wins are starting to pile up, but the man who deserves a tip of the cap in what was otherwise an ugly affair is Dylan Dodd. He was once again magnificent in relief, needing just 11 pitches to cover 1.1 innings, which lowered his season ERA to 1.99 over 31.2 innings.

Dodd was an afterthought coming into the 2026 campaign. He converted to the bullpen last year and had some decent success in limited opportunities, but nobody was expecting this. He’s blossomed into somebody Walt Weiss can trust in just about every situation, and this emergence gives Alex Anthopoulos some options going into the trade deadline.

The Braves definitely need at least one reliever, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Robert Suarez, who’s been out for the last six weeks with elbow inflammation. But with Dodd stepping up as a more than reliable arm from the left side, Anthopoulos doesn’t have to solely focus on adding a southpaw. It’s probably still preferred, but there’s certainly more flexibility than existed before.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

But after the rotation, there’s some debate about where most of their attention should be focused. For the longest time, a right-handed hitting outfielder — preferably one with some pop — would have been second on the list. It still might be, but the bullpen all of a sudden looks like it needs some pretty considerable TLC.

Robert Suarez hasn’t made an appearance in close to six weeks after being placed on the IL with elbow inflammation, and Walt Weiss said earlier in the week he’s still not close to returning. Even if the expectation is he’ll be back well before the postseason, there’s concern over whether he’ll be the same guy who posted a 0.56 ERA this season.

Suarez’s absence, combined with the rotation’s inability to go deep into games, also seems to be taking a toll on Didier Fuentes, Dylan Lee, and Raisel Iglesias. They’re pitching a ton of stressful innings and appear to be running on fumes — not a great sign with still more than two months left in the season.

The reality of the situation is the Braves aren’t likely to land two starters before the August 3rd deadline. It’s a seller’s market, prices are going to be high, and Alex Anthopoulos has never been one to overpay. Getting one is probably the best we can hope for, which would still leave a ton of questions in the rotation.

Those questions can be overcome in October, but only with an elite bullpen. The Braves don’t have that right now — not even close — and the addition of a healthy Robert Suarez alone won’t be enough. They need to add at least one reliever capable of pitching in high-leverage situations, and could probably really use two. It’s quickly become an area that can’t be overlooked at the trade deadline.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

The Braves are promoting Tate Southisene to Double-A per sources.

— Geoff Pontes (@GeoffPontesBA) July 26, 2026

Even I’m a bit surprised by this one. Not because Southisene isn’t deserving — he’s been unbelievable — but for a prospect this young to take this big a step in his first professional season just isn’t something you see very often.

Southisene began the campaign with the Low-A Augusta Green Jackets, but it didn’t take long for the organization to realize he needed to face better competition. Over 51 games, he hit a hair under .300 with eight homers, a league-leading 36 steals, and a .929 OPS.

The promotion to High-A Rome didn’t go smoothly right off the bat. He did record four hits in his first four games, but overall, it took a couple of weeks for him to get his feet under him. That changed once July arrived. He’s now hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, with five multi-hit performances over that stretch.

The combination of power and speed is extremely intriguing. Southisene is a terrific athlete, a natural in the batter’s box, and now he’s just a couple of steps away from the majors.

In a recent interview, Alex Anthopoulos referred to one prospect who was close to untouchable. Many assumed that was Eric Hartman, who just posted a 20/30 first half in Rome. But maybe we’ve underrated just how high the organization is on Southisene. He’s a year younger, and he’s the one getting the first call to Columbus — even though it likely won’t be long before he’s joined by Hartman and others.

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Now, keep in mind there’s a lot more that goes into trade value than just who’s the best player in baseball. The contract tied to a player is often even more important, and age and projectability are two significant factors as well. Surprisingly, only three Braves made the list — Ronald Acuña Jr. at #43, Michael Harris II at #41, and the Brave with the highest trade value according to FanGraphs, Drake Baldwin, coming in at #31.

“Baldwin is the second of the three catchers in this group, which means you’ll have to wait for tomorrow to see who I like most out of the trio (or just guess, I don’t think it’s a huge mystery),” Ben Clemens writes. “The latest in a long line of Atlanta prospects who have comfortably outperformed their draft pedigree and exploded onto the big league scene, he became the team’s primary catcher when former Trade Value stalwart Sean Murphy started last year on the IL and he hasn’t looked back.”

Dillon Dingler was the catcher ranked just ahead of Baldwin that Clemens was referring to, and that’s not unfair given how Dingler has performed this season. That said, I think we might be having a different conversation had Baldwin not suffered an oblique injury in the middle of the season. Not only did it keep him out of the lineup for more than a month, but he really struggled to find his footing once he returned. That’s not the case any longer. Over his last 18 games, Baldwin is hitting close to .400 with an OPS approaching 1.200.

Ronald Acuña Jr. coming in at #43 is definitely going to turn some heads. Clemens even noted the lowest he’s ever had him on this list before is 11th, and had him first back in 2020. But at this very moment, Acuña’s trade value is nearly impossible to judge. A lot of teams wouldn’t even seriously consider engaging in conversations with the Braves because of the asking price and his injury history. On the flip side, it only takes one team willing to gamble on the talent, and there would certainly be a handful of clubs willing to take that risk.

If the Braves ever were to entertain offers, I’m pretty confident they’d still get whatever the hell they wanted — more than they would for Michael Harris II or Drake Baldwin.

Speaking of Harris, what a difference a year makes. He couldn’t hit water in the ocean a season ago, but one minor adjustment to his stance in the second half led to much better results that have carried into 2026. He looks like one of the best center fielders in baseball again, and the Braves have him under team control through 2032. He’ll be much higher on this list next year if the success continues.

The only somewhat surprising omission from the Braves’ perspective is Matt Olson. That’s obviously due to his age — he’s 32. But this is arguably the best first baseman in baseball, and he’s under team control through 2030 at a more than palatable $22 million per season. He’d command an absurd haul if the Braves were to make him available right now.

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(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

The reality is guys like Martin Perez, Bryce Elder, Reynaldo Lopez, and Grant Holmes were never supposed to make this many starts. The Braves entered Spring Training expecting a lot from Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, and Spencer Strider — a trio that’s provided absolutely no value thanks to injuries and inconsistencies.

The fact that the Braves are six games ahead of the Phillies for first place in the NL East, with several pitchers having unexpected career years, is a testament to the impact Hefner’s had on the club — something Phillies star Bryce Harper apparently saw coming when it was announced Atlanta had stolen him right from under the fingertips of the New York Mets.

In a recent podcast appearance alongside Mookie Betts, Harper gave Hefner the ultimate compliment while throwing some shade at the team in Queens — always a fun activity, even coming from one of the Braves’ biggest rivals.

“Once Jeremy Hefner left (the Mets) and went to the Braves… I was like oh no….crap”

-Bryce Harper on the Braves hiring Jeremy Hefner. pic.twitter.com/T2IVrbiVOe

— MattOlsonsBurner (@ChoppinBravos) July 25, 2026

As a whole, the Braves pitching staff ranks third in the National League in ERA at 3.67, an incredible turnaround from last year, when the team ranked 11th and was giving up nearly a run more per game.

Jeremy Hefner came to Atlanta with a reputation as one of the brightest young pitching minds in the game — a title that’s proving to be well deserved. Now it’s time for Alex Anthopoulos to do his job at the trade deadline and get this guy some real firepower to work with.

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(Photo by David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The Braves’ needs are obvious. They should be in the market for every frontline starting pitcher available, they need another middle-of-the-order bat, and with concerns surrounding the future of Robert Suarez, another high-leverage reliever has climbed toward the top of the priority list as well.

Given Atlanta has the sort of prospect capital at the trade deadline that they haven’t had in the past, there’s little reason for them not to address each of these in some form or fashion. With that in mind, here’s my trade deadline wish list, featuring a dream trade target for the Braves at every position of need — and I’ve included a backup option, because the reality is they likely aren’t going to go the blockbuster route on three separate occasions.

Starting Pitcher

Dream: Tarik Skubal

Backup: Kevin Gausman

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The Tigers just dropped two out of three over the weekend to the Royals, and the rumblings continue to grow that they’re leaning toward trading Skubal. The Braves have been named a favorite by some MLB insiders, and they’ll certainly be involved in conversations, but most believe a move to Los Angeles is inevitable as the Dodgers aim to become the first National League team to repeat as champions three years in a row.

I’m all aboard the Skubal train, and I haven’t been afraid to shout it from the rooftops for months. If the Braves pair Chris Sale with Skubal at the top of their rotation, they shouldn’t be scared of anybody come October — not even the Dodgers. The rumored prospect capital it would take to acquire him — since he’s a rental — also isn’t that daunting.

Of course, there’s risk. The Braves could trade a solid piece of their future rotation for Skubal and still fall short of winning a championship. But this team needs a true frontline starter, and I’m tired of them wasting opportunities with this core because they’ve been unwilling to acquire one. Plus, by acquiring Skubal, the Braves also deny the Dodgers another generational arm to throw at them in the postseason.

If Skubal isn’t available or goes elsewhere, Gausman isn’t a terrible backup plan. Since he’s on an expiring contract and having a bit of a down year, the prospect cost should be minimal, but he’s still a guy who can be trusted in a playoff setting. There’s familiarity between him and Atlanta, and he was really good for the Blue Jays last year on their run to the World Series.

Outfield

Dream: George Springer

Backup: Heliot Ramos

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I’m very intrigued by the idea of taking a flier on George Springer. He’s another veteran on an expiring contract from Toronto who shouldn’t cost a haul to acquire, and the potential upside is immense.

Springer is hitting just .231 with 11 home runs and a .711 OPS on the season. Perhaps age is finally catching up to him, but he’s only a year removed from posting a .959 OPS, and the results have been much better of late. Over his past 26 games, he’s hitting .286 with an .815 OPS. At the very least, Springer could serve as a platoon piece against left-handed pitching, and he’s been a demon in the postseason, with an .880 OPS for his career.

Heliot Ramos being the backup option is a sign of just how weak the outfield class is at this year’s deadline. Still, he has an .850 OPS for his career against left-handed pitching, and he’s under team control for pennies through 2030.

Bullpen

Dream: Adrian Morejon

Backup: A.J. Minter

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Of course, the ideal dream candidate to address the bullpen would be Mason Miller. But I don’t think the Padres are going to trade him, and if they did, it’s highly unlikely the Braves would give up multiple top-100 prospects for a relief pitcher. That just isn’t Alex Anthopoulos’ M.O.

That said, the Braves could look to San Diego for another one of their relievers — left-handed Adrian Morejón. He’s an elite setup man in the final year of his contract, which makes him much more likely to be traded. Over the past three seasons, Morejón owns a 2.65 ERA over 184 appearances.

As a backup plan, I wouldn’t be opposed to a reunion with A.J. Minter. The injuries have been worrisome, and he’s struggled as of late, but he still owns a 2.18 ERA over 35 appearances since the start of the 2025 campaign. Given he’s also a rental, the prospect cost should be minimal.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

“Scouts have flocked to Braves minor league affiliates,” Cano writes. “High-A Rome, which has the best crop of talent to offer, had scouts from the Padres, Detroit Tigers and Athletics in attendance this weekend.”

Rome features most of the Braves’ top prospects in the organization — headlined by Eric Hartman, Cam Caminiti, and Tate Southisene (though Southisene has just been promoted to Double-A Columbus). Those are the top three prospects in the Braves system. It would take a blockbuster deal for any of them to be included, but the Emperors’ lineup also includes John Gil and Isaiah Drake — two extremely talented and athletic prospects oozing with upside.

Playing a little game of connect the dots, the Padres, Tigers, and Athletics all have something they can offer when it comes to the Braves’ biggest needs.

Tarik Skubal could be the frontline starter the Braves have been missing if they wanted to swing big, but Casey Mize wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. The Padres could potentially be looking to move Mason Miller or other core pieces, but even someone like Adrian Morejón — a dominant left-handed setup man on an expiring contract — could really boost the Braves bullpen.

Oakland doesn’t have nearly as many high-profile pieces to trade, but Tyler Soderstrom could be high up on Atlanta’s radar. Left field has been a weak spot for the team over the last several seasons, in large part because of the two suspensions to Jurickson Profar. The addition of Soderstrom could put an end to that now and in the future. He recently signed a seven-year, $86 million extension with the Athletics, which keeps him under team control through 2033 at a very palatable rate for someone who’s become a 3-4 WAR player.

A lot still needs to be sorted out over the next several days. Teams like the Padres and Tigers aren’t quite sure whether they’re buying or selling — or both. But come the weekend, we should start seeing some significant trades come to fruition.

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(Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today returned OF Ronald Acuña Jr. from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list, and optioned OF Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 27, 2026

A couple of new developments have really helped the offense turn back on since the All-Star break. For about six weeks, the Braves got absolutely nothing offensively behind the plate. Drake Baldwin missed a month with an oblique injury, and when he returned, it took some time for him to find his footing.

That’s changed in July. Baldwin has hit safely in all but five games this month, sporting a .341 average with six home runs and a 1.017 OPS.

We’ve also seen a second-half surge from Austin Riley. He has four multi-hit performances over his last ten games and has reached base in eight of them, to go along with three homers, a .308 batting average, and a .921 OPS. This comes after a dreadful first half in which he struggled to hit over the Mendoza Line and sported a .618 OPS.

Those are massive developments, but nothing compares to the addition of a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr. He’s still the best player on the team. His mere presence makes things infinitely more difficult for opposing pitchers — and easier for his teammates hitting around him. Acuña’s return also gives Walt Weiss more flexibility with his lineup card, allowing Mauricio Dubon to fill in at shortstop or in the outfield as needed rather than using him strictly as an everyday outfielder.

But the excitement doesn’t stop at the major-league level. It was reported yesterday that Tate Southisene is headed to Double-A Columbus. It’s the second promotion for the 19-year-old first-round selection from a year ago, as he continues to make a case for the title of the organization’s #1 prospect.

That move opened up a spot for Alex Lodise — the Braves’ second-round selection from the 2025 draft — in High-A Rome, where he’ll look to keep tearing the cover off the baseball. Following a slow start, the former Florida State Seminole now has 21 home runs with an .826 OPS on the season.

As I tweeted yesterday, it is expected that Alex Lodise is promoted to High-A Rome this week.

— Gaurav (@gvedak) July 27, 2026

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(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

By matching Jones' sheet, the Nuggets face a $32 million increase in current luxury taxes ($36M to $68M) and enter the second apron. They are deep in tax bills but could shed money via trades in season.

Next Denver order of business: Navigate retaining RFA Peyton Watson while… https://t.co/N5arhPRTjM

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 27, 2026

A first-round selection four years ago, taken 30th overall, Watson has slowly worked his way into a really respectable starting-caliber player. He’s coming off a breakout campaign in which he averaged 14.6 points per game on 49% shooting from the field and 41% from three-point range, to go along with 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

The Hawks currently sit at around $196 million in payroll. That’s $4 million under the luxury tax threshold and $13 million below the first apron. In the past, we’ve never seen ownership willing to go into the luxury tax, despite constant promises that they would be willing to for the right pieces. Perhaps they’re starting to see the light with the direction this club is headed, but Atlanta also has to make some subtractions from their current roster to shed salary.

The Hawks already have 17 players on their roster. Adding Watson would make it 18, meaning they’d need to get rid of three players. Some obvious candidates to be dumped are Corey Kispert, Buddy Hield, Devin Carter, and Ryan Nembhard — with some of those contracts being much easier to move than others.

Atlanta is much deeper on the wing with the additions of Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort this offseason, but Watson’s length, perimeter shooting, and overall upside make him a very intriguing fit. The Hawks have a lot of bullies who are going to make things tough on opposing offenses as they grind through an 82-game schedule, but they need more guys who can knock down shots from behind the arc, or there are going to be a lot of ugly affairs at State Farm Arena.

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(Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)

There’s a lot of work to be done in Atlanta if this team wants to challenge the Dodgers come October, with starting pitching the top priority. The Braves desperately need a true frontline arm to pair with Chris Sale at the top of the rotation. Without one, it’s hard to imagine a deep postseason run.

Tarik Skubal

Braves receive: Tarik Skubal
Tigers receive: AJ Smith-Shawver, John Gil, and Lucas Braun

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I could have easily swapped in JR Ritchie for AJ Smith-Shawver — that’s probably what most Braves fans would prefer to give up — but if Skubal is available, the competition for his services is going to be immense.

AJ Smith-Shawver is the kind of piece that should really pique Detroit’s interest. He’s super young with a ton of upside, and he’s major-league ready — something the Tigers, who aren’t out of the playoff race, will covet.

John Gil is thrown in as a sweetener, and a pretty good one at that. He’s had a bit of an underwhelming season so far, but the tools are still really exciting. He has incredible range defensively, elite speed on the basepaths, and has really grown into some power. This is a package that should interest Detroit.

Casey Mize

Braves receive: Casey Mize
Tigers receive: JR Ritchie and Alex Lodise

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Casey Mize is another Tigers frontline starter on an expiring deal. He’s not Tarik Skubal, but he shouldn’t be viewed as a consolation prize — he’s amid a breakout campaign in which he owns a 2.70 ERA and 2.59 FIP over 16 starts.

The asking price for Mize will be lower than Skubal’s, but Ritchie and Lodise is still a really intriguing package. The former is another major-league-ready starter who’s already gotten a cup of coffee in the majors, and the latter is a second-round pick from last year who just earned a promotion to High-A Rome after slugging his 21st home run of the season. Not a bad haul for a rental starting arm.

Mize is also the type of pitcher the Braves would have a decent chance of retaining, while Skubal would almost certainly walk at the end of the season.

José Soriano

Braves receive: José Soriano
Angels receive: Eric Hartman, JR Ritchie, and Owen Murphy

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I’ve had my eye on José Soriano since the start of the season, knowing the Angels would likely be sellers and could blow up their entire roster at the deadline. They don’t have to force anything, given he still has two more years of affordable team control remaining, but for the right offer they should be open for business.

Soriano is having a really good season for the Halos — a 3.29 ERA over 22 starts. But I don’t even think that does his stuff justice. Under the wing of Braves pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, he could be a superstar in Atlanta for years to come.

Because Soriano has several more years remaining on his contract, it’s going to take something that blows the Angels away to consider moving him at this deadline. This would be that kind of deal.

Hartman is the top prospect in the Braves organization and ranked inside the top 50 overall. JR Ritchie and Owen Murphy are two major-league-ready starting pitchers who could occupy spots in the Angels’ rotation for years to come. It’s a lot, but that’s the cost of doing business when discussing frontline starters with multiple years of control.

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(Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire)

As always, he’s never going to give too much away or talk explicitly about any specific deals, but Anthopoulos is typically a relatively straight shooter, and he didn’t hesitate to acknowledge that this Braves roster can improve in all areas leading up to the deadline.

“We can add in all areas, right,” Anthopoulos said to Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio. “We’re definitely not a complete team. I think we’ve got the upside to be a complete team, but we can add rotation, bullpen, bats. And as much as we all like to say, ‘I need to get this, I need to get that,’ as you know very well Jim (Bowden) from all the trade deadlines you’ve been involved in, sometimes you have to take what ends up being available.”

The Braves’ top priority entering the deadline will be the rotation. It’s become an abject disaster, and the potential solutions internally are dwindling. They’ll be involved in every conversation for frontline starting arms, but the number available will be minimal, and the price tags are going to be sky high.

That’s why waiting this long to make a move is always a dangerous game, especially with the expanded playoffs creating fewer opportunities for buyers. But it’s the bed Anthopoulos made when he didn’t go after a starting pitcher during the offseason — despite saying on several occasions it was the club’s top priority. Nobody should be shocked if the Braves exit the deadline without acquiring a starter, and Anthopoulos essentially acknowledged as much.

“You might want a starter, if that doesn’t show up, maybe you need to make the offense better, maybe you need to make the bullpen better,” Anthopoulos continued. “I think it’s been pretty obvious that if there is a playoff caliber starter out there that we would jump at that. If there’s a reliever, we would jump at that. We see it all the time in the playoffs with all of the off days, not that many guys are going deep in terms of starts, and having a deep bullpen is pretty important. We’ve seen teams play bullpen games in the postseason as well because of the off-days.”

I’ve long believed the Braves don’t really have much of a choice but to be ultra-aggressive in pursuing any frontline starting pitcher who becomes available — which could even mean overpaying for the right arm. But in light of these recent comments, it’s fairly evident that doing so is far from a foregone conclusion.

I’m a big believer that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a damn duck. Anthopoulos has never been shy about showing the world who he is when it comes to adding starting pitching. He doesn’t believe in the current market value for frontline arms, which is why the Braves have always avoided those kinds of deals. And if he wasn’t willing to pay the price during the offseason, it’s hard to believe he’s going to do so now when the market is even more inflated.

Anthopoulos’ philosophy on modern-day bullpens being far more impactful in the playoffs is spot on, and the Braves already have a very good bullpen as currently constructed. There’s a world where he sees that as the more viable source of innings come October, and adding even more firepower to the group could let them piece things together in a unique way behind Chris Sale. It puts a lot of pressure on Sale, and Walt Weiss to pull all the right strings, but it does sound like his preferred course of action — which history backs up as well. The last time the Braves acquired of starting pitcher of significance at the trade deadline was Kevin Gausman all the way back in 2018.

The offense also can’t be forgotten. The lineup has shown some very positive developments over the last couple of weeks, hinting at a return to the juggernaut it was in the first two months of the season. Austin Riley seems to be finding his footing. Drake Baldwin appears to have put the oblique injury in the rearview. Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected back within a week or so, and even Jim Jarvis has sparked some real life into the back of the lineup as the club’s starting shortstop.

Still, there’s a clear and obvious need for another middle-of-the-order bat to limit how often Walt Weiss has to turn to Mike Yastrzemski and Dominic Smith. Both are fine players in limited stints, but neither should be tasked with playing every day. Just a little more juice could put the Braves offense over the top — enough to carry this team to the NL East crown on its own.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

According to Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman, Perez will be back this week, set to start Wednesday against the Padres.

Braves probables vs. Padres
Monday: Elder
Tuesday: Lopez
Wednesday: TBA (The Bionic Arm, aka Martin Perez)
Thursday: Sale

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 19, 2026

Perez hit the Injured List with a forearm contusion after being struck by a screaming line drive off the bat of Juan Soto. He’s eligible to return Tuesday, and the Braves are hoping he comes back as the guy who really helped carry the rotation during the first two months, not the version that struggled over his last three starts.

The reality is Perez is probably closer to the pitcher we saw right before he hit the IL than the alternative, but he’s still a professional-type veteran who should be able to give the Braves some competitive innings while they continue to sort things out.

Smith-Shawver offers a lot more upside. He tossed 4.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts in his last start over the weekend with the Gwinnett Stripers. His pitch count is up to 72, and the repertoire looks just as good as it did before Tommy John surgery, touching 100 MPH on the radar gun on several occasions.

Expectations always have to be tempered when discussing pitchers coming off significant arm injuries, but Smith-Shawver is making that difficult with the way he’s performing throughout this rehab assignment. Alex Anthopoulos said the plan is for him to push his pitch count north of 80 his next time out, and after that, they’ll decide whether he’s ready to rejoin the major-league club.

Because Smith-Shawver still has options, the Braves don’t have to rush him back. But with the way he’s looked, another strong start next time out might force their hand.

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Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

He threw just 36 pitches, and the velocity was down across all of his offerings.

Hurston Waldrep’s velo was down and he was removed after 36 pitches while pitching for Gwinnett yesterday. He’ll be further evaluated. Weiss said it’s concerning any time a pitcher has to be removed. Waldrep had arthroscopic elbow surgery in February

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 20, 2026

After undergoing surgery during Spring Training, Waldrep worked his way back to the majors and made three appearances for the Braves, recording an 8.44 ERA over 10.2 innings. It’s unclear whether the discomfort began while he was in Atlanta or if it’s something that popped up more recently.

Waldrep made some adjustments to his repertoire last year, and it led to him becoming one of the Braves’ breakout stars during the second half of the season. In 56.1 innings, he posted a 2.88 ERA and averaged nearly a strikeout per inning. He entered the 2026 campaign expected to be a staple in Atlanta’s rotation. That, of course, hasn’t happened, and now there are real concerns about whether he’ll be available for the remainder of this season — or next year, for that matter.

Hopefully, it’s nothing more than inflammation and some extra rest is all that’s needed. We’ll have more when further updates come in.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The Atlanta #Braves today announced the club has signed each of its 21 picks from the 2026 First-Year Player Draft: pic.twitter.com/a0on94wgrP

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 20, 2026

AJ Gracia and Carter Beck were both taken in the first round. The Braves received the extra pick as compensation from the Prospect Promotion Incentive, earned when Drake Baldwin took home the NL Rookie of the Year award last year.

Atlanta’s draft strategy closely mirrored the one they used in 2025, focusing on athletic prospects willing to take signing bonuses under slot value early. They then turned around and used the money they saved on high school arms who needed some convincing to forgo college baseball.

Kaiden McCarthy and Jensen Hirschkorn — the Braves’ second- and third-round selections — each received signing bonuses above slot value, with Hirschkorn’s near-$4 million bonus standing as the highest ever for a player selected outside the first round. That was enough to convince the 6-foot-7 hurler to choose professional baseball over his commitment to LSU.

The Tigers probably aren’t too happy with the Braves right now. That’s now the second consecutive year Atlanta has swooped in with a massive signing bonus to steal one of LSU’s highest-rated commits, with Briggs McKenzie being the other example.

Atlanta has done a fantastic job under Alex Anthopoulos drafting, signing, and developing young talent. The signing part is an often forgotten piece of the puzzle, but it’s the sign of a front office that doesn’t overlook any details.

Of the members of the 2026 draft class, three were featured among the Braves’ top 10 prospects — AJ Gracia (#5), Kaiden McCarthy (#7), and Jensen Hirschkorn (#8) — according to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

MLB Trade Deadline note: The A’s have received inquiries on their MLB outfielders. (They have 5 on the active roster and Clarke on the IL.) The scenarios would involve the A’s trading an outfielder in exchange for young pitching. @MLBNetwork pic.twitter.com/BBgOdiDCjy

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 19, 2026

It’s been well documented that the Braves have a dire need for rotation help, but they also have a logjam of young, talented arms they’re eventually going to have to make decisions on.

AJ Smith-Shawver, Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, JR Ritchie, Didier Fuentes, Owen Murphy, Spencer Strider, and Bryce Elder are all starting pitchers with MLB experience, 27 or younger, and under team control for multiple seasons. That’s eight guys, and it doesn’t even include older options like Reynaldo Lopez, Chris Sale, and Grant Holmes — or any of the up-and-coming prospects moving through the system. The reality is there aren’t enough spots for all of them, and some trades will eventually have to be made.

Several of these arms should draw interest from a small-market team like the Athletics, who operate with a limited payroll — and Oakland has a few outfield/DH options that could substantially improve the Braves lineup in return.

Lawrence Butler

Lawrence Butler looked like he was on his way to becoming a star for the Athletics after hitting 22 home runs and stealing 18 bags over 125 games in 2024. But his production has dipped tremendously since, hitting just .193 this season and accumulating -1.4 WAR in 91 games. He’s probably not the type of trade candidate the Braves should be banking on to help put them over the top this season, but taking a flier on his talent could be worth the gamble. Butler is an Atlanta native and a childhood friend of Michael Harris II — perhaps a move back home could unlock his potential.

Tyler Soderstrom

Tyler Soderstrom had a breakout campaign for the Athletics a season ago, hitting 25 home runs with an .820 OPS on his way to a 3.8-WAR season, and he’s been even better this year. Over 87 games, he’s already recorded 2.5 WAR and is on pace for around 30 home runs.

There are some split concerns, however. At home, Soderstrom has a near-1.000 OPS, while on the road that number drops to .673. Still, he’d be an upgrade over what the Braves currently have in Dominic Smith and Mike Yastrzemski — even if the Braves would probably prefer to add a right-handed bat rather than another lefty.

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(Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire)

I asked the question last week, though — is there any prospect the Braves should view as untradable? Alex Anthopoulos answered that yesterday in an interview with 680 The Fan, saying nobody is completely untouchable, but there is one guy the Braves would have a tough time letting go.

“Off Limits? No,” Anthopoulos said. “We actually had a meeting today talking about that exact scenario. It depends, right? Most times at the deadline the rentals are the guys that are available in trades, meaning guys on expiring contracts… But look, there might be some surprising controllable guys, meaning guys with more than one year of club control that we kind of went around the room and said is there anybody — because we know we’re going to get asked this — there’s probably one guy that we’d have a hard time with.

“But do we have a slam dunk, like somebody we think is a Hall of Famer right now, no. We have some guys we think are really good. I think the tricky part for us is we always want to win in the current year, but we’re trying to keep this sustainable. We have a core, we have a very good core, but that core is aging… If you want to not have a rebuild, you need some young guys to replenish.”

So, who is the mystery man Alex Anthopoulos is talking about?

If he’s talking strictly about current prospects, the best guess has to be Eric Hartman. The 20-year-old is amid a historic campaign for High-A Rome — one in which he recorded 20 homers and 30 steals in the first half. Baseball America already has him up to the 25th-ranked prospect in all of baseball after entering the season unranked.

However, Tate Southisene is another one the Braves would have a really tough time parting with, and I wouldn’t overlook Cam Caminiti either. He entered the season as Atlanta’s #1 prospect, and while most outlets have him relinquishing that title, the Braves might not feel the same way.

Perhaps Anthopoulos isn’t talking about a current prospect at all, though. The Braves have multiple prospects who’ve graduated recently, and if he’s including them in this conversation, my best guess would be Didier Fuentes. He’s a young arm who’s already become an integral piece of the Braves bullpen — not a bad floor for a guy who just turned 21. But his ceiling is so much higher as a potential frontline starter.

Inquiring teams will be trying to pry Didier Fuentes away as part of potential blockbuster deals. He’s probably the player the Braves will get asked about most at this year’s deadline, and I’d assume the club has very little interest in moving him.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

It’s a move that really solidifies the Hawks’ defensive outlook, which should carry the team through the regular season, but Onsi Saleh isn’t done quite yet. At the very least, there have to be a couple of subtractions to get the club down to 15 players before the end of the offseason.

Updated Atlanta Hawks Roster

PG: CJ McCollum, Kingston Flemings, Ryan Nembhard, Devin Carter
SG: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Aaron Wiggins, Buddy Hield
SF: Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort, Corey Kispert
PF: Jalen Johnson, Asa Newell, Zuby Ejiofor, Mo Gueye
C: Onyeka Okongwu, Jock Landale, Henri Veesaar

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There’s still a lot to work out in terms of who starts where, but it’s evident the Hawks have severely improved their depth to the point where they now have too many guys. My guess is Buddy Hield isn’t on the roster by the time the season starts, and one of Ryan Nembhard or Devin Carter could be out the door as well.

CJ McCollum and Dyson Daniels will probably handle a lot of the early work at point guard. Even if it’s not their natural position, they both offer enough playmaking to make it work, and having Jalen Johnson as a point forward gives the starting five another primary ball-handler.

However, the ultimate goal is for Kingston Flemings to start sooner rather than later. He was the 8th overall pick in a loaded draft class, and the expectations for him are much higher than they ever were for Zaccharie Risacher coming into the league, despite the fact that Risacher was drafted first overall. It’ll be intriguing to see how the Hawks bring him along. He’s mature beyond his years and should have an instant impact on the defensive end and as a floor general.

The one area that still looks concerning, however, is the center position. The Hawks are essentially running it back there, and while Onyeka Okongwu is a very valuable piece, there are certain centers he just can’t hold up against defensively because of his size. A healthy Jock Landale will help, and Zuby Ejiofor could surprise some people, but the Hawks will likely have to add more size if they want to compete with the bigger teams across the Association.

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(Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)

Apparently, back in 2021, the Braves had a deal in place at the trade deadline that would have brought Kyle Schwarber to Atlanta as they desperately searched for lineup help following the injury to Ronald Acuña Jr. Anthopoulos thought it was done, but it ultimately fell through — something he believes was likely tied to the division rivalry between the Nationals and the Braves.

“We thought we were getting Schwarber from the Washington Nationals at the time,” Anthopoulos said. “Mike Rizzo was the GM, good guy, very successful GM, World Series winner, very accomplished. I thought we were done, I thought we had a price, we agreed, but it’s not done until it’s done. And it didn’t get done. I think being in the division was a challenge.”

When that happened, Atlanta quickly pivoted to Jorge Soler, and I guess you could say everything worked out about how it should have.

The Braves added four outfielders at the 2021 trade deadline — Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, and Adam Duvall — and it’s really amazing just how significant an impact each of them had on the club’s World Series run.

Joc Pederson brought the vibes. He changed the energy of not just the clubhouse but the entire city, and it really seemed to turn the tide as the club struggled to find momentum. He also delivered some memorable Joctober moments, with critical home runs against the Brewers and Dodgers that helped get the Braves back to the World Series.

Eddie Rosario went on to win NLCS MVP, recording 14 hits in just six games, including three home runs. Adam Duvall hit 16 home runs in just 55 games after being acquired, then added three more in the postseason, including two in the World Series. And, of course, Jorge Soler went on to win World Series MVP.

There’s not a single Braves fan on the planet who’d change anything about how things worked out, but I don’t think the team would have been much worse off with Schwarber, who was eventually traded to the Red Sox, where he also tore the cover off the ball. It would have been interesting to see how things played out from there. Perhaps the Braves would have re-signed Schwarber, which could have led to some very different results between Atlanta and Philadelphia in the years that followed.

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(Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

Elder was making just his second start of July. He’d been rested to work through some mid-season fatigue, which may have contributed to some less-than-stellar results. He entered the night with an 8.47 ERA over his previous seven starts, having allowed ten home runs over that stretch. But Monday looked a lot more like the guy who was pitching like a legitimate Cy Young candidate over the first two months of the year, allowing just two earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts over six innings.

It was enough to give the Braves the lead, thanks to home runs from Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II — two guys in the middle of outstanding bounce-back campaigns after forgettable 2025 seasons, fresh off representing Atlanta in the All-Star Game.

Well, at least Albies did. It’s still a complete and utter shame that Michael Harris II wasn’t given an All-Star nod. He had better numbers than at least one of the National League’s starters, and plenty of the reserves. The All-Star Game has very little credibility these days, and you’d think, since the game means absolutely nothing, Major League Baseball would make things right and ensure snubs like this don’t happen. Who cares if there are a few extra guys on each roster?

Robbing Harris of that experience is criminal, but he seems to be taking it the right way — on a war path to begin the second half. He’s hit safely in all four games, with three multi-hit games and a couple of home runs. Ever since he made adjustments to his swing around this time last year, he’s become one of the best all-around outfielders in the game, and eventually he’s going to get recognized properly for it.

But as good as Elder, Albies, and Harris were, the performance of the night might have come from Victor Mederos. In a one-run game with a severely depleted bullpen, Walt Weiss turned to him for the final 2.1 innings, and he delivered with a near-flawless outing. It capped off a pretty damn good week for the 25-year-old, who’s had only a few cups of coffee in the majors over his career — one in which he became the first pitcher to record a hit since 2021 and picked up his first save.

On Tuesday, the Braves will look to make it back-to-back series wins as Reynaldo Lopez faces off against Walker Buehler.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

Acuña’s role is defined. Alex Anthopoulos didn’t mince words about the idea of him becoming the primary DH — that’s not happening. He’ll continue as the club’s everyday right fielder, which gives the Braves lineup so much more flexibility. Drake Baldwin can DH on his off-days, and it also allows Mauricio Dubon to play shortstop more regularly if needed.

That alone gives the position a much more positive outlook, but Jim Jarvis‘ play since his call-up has sparked some optimism as well, and even Ha-Seong Kim is showing signs of life during his rehab assignment. He’s hit safely in four of six games, has three extra-base hits, and more than anything, is hitting the ball hard again.

More encouraging is that 4 of the 7 balls Kim has put in play for Gwinnett have had an exit velo of 98.7 mph or higher. Just 6 of the 49 balls he put in play for Atlanta were hit that hard. It’s AAA pitching, but that’s what we have to evaluate for now. As for defense, Dubón and… https://t.co/meuPArXmR0

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 20, 2026

Everybody should still have their reservations about Ha-Seong Kim. He spent the first six weeks on the IL and came back looking like the worst player in baseball, hitting .068 over 73 at-bats. A few decent games on the farm against far lesser pitching isn’t going to make anybody forget that, but on the off chance he does find his footing over the last couple of months, it could be a massive addition to the Braves lineup.

Still, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Kim to earn playing time at all. Jim Jarvis has been a breath of fresh air in his absence, and even if he begins to falter, Mauricio Dubon should get most of the starts at shortstop. Kim is going to have to do a lot to prove he deserves play, and there might not even be enough time left for him to earn that chance.

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Photo: Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire

The level of excitement surrounding the two couldn’t be on more opposite ends of the spectrum. The Braves are a completely different team without Ronald Acuña Jr., and not in a good way. Since he went down on June 9th, Atlanta has lost 19 of 29 games. He’s desperately needed back in the lineup, but don’t expect the Braves to push anything. They must do everything in their power to ensure he’s healthy for the home stretch, and he’s now injured the same hamstring twice.

On the other hand, Braves fans could probably do without Ha-Seong Kim playing another game for the team — and they may get their wish. He’s straight up robbed the Braves of $20 million after signing a one-year deal in the offseason, hitting just .068 over 73 at-bats this season without a single extra-base hit.

Given that Jim Jarvis has looked pretty damn good in a small sample size, this rehab assignment is Kim’s last chance to prove he deserves a roster spot at all. Perform or a DFA is in his near future, but yesterday was an encouraging start, as he homered and added a single in three at-bats.

Also of note, veteran Andrew McCutchen — who signed a minor-league contract with the Braves — was part of the game as well, going 0-for-2 with a walk.

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(Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire)

A lot has changed since then, with those options are dwindling fast. Spencer Strider is on the IL following yet another elbow injury. It feels highly unlikely he returns this season, and even when he was on the mound, he wasn’t effective. There’s no reason for the Braves to rush him back.

Martin Perez showed signs of severe regression before the All-Star break, then joined Strider on the IL with a forearm contusion. He should be able to return this season, but he’s really nothing more than an innings eater at this point in his career. The same can be said about Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes — fine at the back of the rotation, but not arms that are going to carry the Braves to a division title, let alone a World Series.

The real hope lied with the young arms and the guys coming back from injury. So far, it’s just been a reminder that relying on those types of options is a recipe for disaster.

JR Ritchie doesn’t quite look ready — at least not to be a featured piece at the top of a rotation. Hurston Waldrep returned, got smacked around while flashing zero control of his repertoire, and is now back in Gwinnett. AJ Smith-Shawver is next in line, likely to rejoin the club sometime this month. He’s flashed some really impressive stuff during his rehab assignment, but this is a 23-year-old with 15 MLB starts under his belt coming off Tommy John surgery. He shouldn’t be expected to be the club’s saving grace.

Every single option outside of Chris Sale is a hope and a prayer as the second half approaches. It’s left the Braves with no choice but to aggressively pursue starting pitching at the trade deadline — which is always extraordinarily expensive, and they might need more than just one arm.

There is one internal option they haven’t given a fair look, however: Didier Fuentes, who Jeff Francoeur believes should make his way back to the rotation in the second half.

Jeff Francoeur believes the Braves should begin stretching out Didier Fuentes as a starter.

"The need right now outweighs the role that he's had."

Frenchy says he'd like to see Atlanta build Fuentes' innings now with an eye toward making him a full-time starter. pic.twitter.com/GrAhBygXn7

— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) July 13, 2026

This is a topic I’ve discussed at length before, and as the season has progressed, it’s only become more evident the Braves could use an arm like Fuentes in their rotation. He has legitimate frontline starter potential and should be oozing with confidence given the way he’s performed out of the bullpen.

That said, there’s a compelling argument on the other side — the one against messing up a good thing. Didier Fuentes has been an absolute weapon in relief, a guy who can get big outs no matter the situation. Losing him in that role would be a blow to the bullpen, and there’s no guarantee he’d immediately adjust to starting.

It’s also not easy to stretch out a starter mid-season. The Braves would likely have to begin that process over the All-Star break, then give Fuentes some starts in the minors before recalling him to join the rotation. Dreaming about his repertoire in the rotation without acknowledging everything it takes to get there is just that — a dream. It’s something the Braves will undoubtedly consider, but they might wait to see how things shake out at the trade deadline before making such a drastic decision with one of their brightest young arms.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

San Francisco Giants

Best Fits: Robbie Ray, Jung Hoo Lee

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At 41-55 in the much more competitive National League, there’s no debate about whether the Giants are selling, and they have a couple of pieces that could really interest the Braves.

Robbie Ray is a rental, and Alex Anthopoulos typically isn’t keen on giving up worthwhile prospects for a few months of production, but beggars can’t be choosers. Ray will be one of the best pitchers moved at this year’s trade deadline, boasting a 3.38 ERA — a number that’s continued to improve in recent weeks. Over his last eight starts, he’s 5-0 with a 1.88 ERA.

Lee could offer an upgrade in the outfield. He’s a tremendous contact bat that’s hitting over .300, but he doesn’t offer much pop, and the fact that he’s left-handed won’t be as attractive to the Braves. It’s an option, but Lee certainly won’t be at the top of the list.

New York Mets

Best Fits: Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta, A.J. Minter

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I have a hard time believing the Mets would be willing to play ball with the Braves at the deadline, but Alex Anthopoulos is at least going to make some calls.

Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta would both be massive upgrades to the rotation, though each comes with concerns. Holmes is recovering from a fractured fibula and isn’t expected back until August. Peralta, on the other hand, is amid a career-worst season and is a rental. I don’t see the Mets getting a ton in return for either, but the upside alone will attract a number of suitors in this market.

The familiarity between the Braves and Minter makes him an obvious fit, especially given Atlanta’s need for another high leverage left-handed reliever. He’s amid a tremendous bounce-back campaign, recording a 1.42 ERA over 19 appearances after suffering a season-ending injury a year ago. It’s unfortunate he’s playing for the Mets, because a reunion makes way too much sense.

Cincinnati Reds

Best Fits: Spencer Steer, Eugenio Suarez

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The Reds don’t have a ton to offer, but Steer is the kind of right-handed outfield bat teams will be targeting at this year’s deadline because of the scarcity. He’s not an All-Star by any means, but he’s posted a respectable .755 OPS since the start of the 2023 season, including a .749 mark this year. It wouldn’t be the worst idea for the Braves to pair someone like him with Mike Yastrzemski.

Suarez is the definition of a lottery ticket. He’s amid a miserable year, hitting just .208 with 11 home runs and a .672 OPS. However, he had 49 home runs in 2025 and 30 the year before that. The Braves need another right-handed power bat that can serve as a designated hitter, and it doesn’t hurt that Suarez can play third base in case Riley continues to struggle. Given the likely cost in prospect capital, he might be worth taking a flier on.

Colorado Rockies

Best Fits: Mickey Moniak

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Moniak is having a solid year for the Rockies, hitting .278 with 15 homers and a .900 OPS, and he comes with another year of team control. However, it’s hard to gauge how much of it is real improvement and how much is a product of playing half his games at Coors Field. The splits would suggest it’s mostly the ballpark, as he owns just a .667 OPS on the road this season.

Kansas City Royals

Best Fits: Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Lane Thomas

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The Royals, one of the league’s most disappointing teams this season, might want to hang on to starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, both of whom are under team control through 2027. But in this kind of seller’s market, it may make more sense to cash in once they start hearing offers.

Wacha might not be an ace, but he’s a workhorse more than capable of starting a playoff game. He leads the American League in innings pitched, recording a 3.77 ERA over 119.2 innings. Lugo hasn’t been nearly as effective — a 4.56 ERA over 104.2 innings — but he’s a decent mid-rotation starter who will eat innings. He’s also pitched as both a starter and reliever, which could give the Braves options come the postseason.

Lane Thomas is a name Braves fans should be familiar with from his time with the Nationals. He’s cut from a similar cloth as Spencer Steer — nothing sexy, but a right-handed bat that owns a career .727 OPS and shouldn’t cost much to acquire.

Los Angeles Angels

Best Fits: Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers, Jo Adell

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Of all the for-sure sellers, the Angels offer the most intriguing group. Jose Soriano would fit wonderfully behind Chris Sale in the rotation, and he’s not a free agent until 2029. The same can be said for Reid Detmers, only he reaches free agency after next season.

In the outfield, Jo Adell will attract a lot of suitors because of his extra year of team control and his upside. He’s a former 10th overall pick who hit 37 homers in a breakout year last season but has never quite been able to put it all together. Perhaps a change of scenery could do him wonders — I’d expect the Braves to call on him.

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(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

The hard-throwing right-hander began his rehab assignment at the beginning of the month. In his first two outings, he was unhittable — touching 100 MPH on the radar gun and showing off impeccable control as he worked his way up to 46 pitches.

That was in Low-A Augusta, though. In his first rehab start for the Gwinnett Stripers, against stiffer competition, the results weren’t nearly as encouraging. He made it through just 2.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out only two.

The good news is Smith-Shawver ramped his pitch count all the way up to 58 — which, at this stage, is what really matters. Taking some lumps along the way after returning from Tommy John surgery is expected. How he responds his next time out, when he should throw around 70-75 pitches, will give the Braves a much better idea of when he might be ready to contribute in Atlanta.

Because Smith-Shawver still has options, the Braves don’t need to rush him to the majors the way they recently did with Hurston Waldrep. They can let him iron things out in Gwinnett for as long as they’d like until they feel he’s ready. On the flip side, they’re running out of internal fixes for the rotation — and of all the options, Smith-Shawver might have the most upside. He probably won’t have to show much for the Braves to give him a shot.

Smith-Shawver will likely make at least two more starts over the next week or so as he continues to build up his pitch count. At that point, the Braves will consider bringing him up. It might feel a bit rushed, but that’s the position Alex Anthopoulos put this club in when he opted not to spend a dime on starting pitching during the offseason — despite claiming it was the team’s top priority.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Can Austin Riley provide anything offensively?

Austin Riley’s decline has been brutal to watch. He’s gone from a perennial MVP candidate to a replacement-level player over the span of three seasons, and while the injuries he’s dealt with the last two years explain some of it, the excuses are starting to run thin the deeper we get into this season.

The Braves aren’t going to bench Riley, no matter how loudly a certain portion of the fan base wants them to. He’s owed far too much money over far too many years for that to even be on the table — but more than that, this team needs the best version of Riley to compete with the National League’s elite. There’s no better third baseman walking through the door at the deadline. The Braves just have to pray he finds some semblance of his old self in the second half. If he does, nobody’s going to remember what happened from late March through July.

Who is going to save the rotation?

The Braves rotation needs a savior — several, really — and the situation only looks bleaker as the season wears on. Alex Anthopoulos pushed all his chips in on rookies and arms returning from serious injuries, and it’s backfired. He’s the only one who can save face at the trade deadline. The Braves have to add at least one frontline starter, but that’s a tall order in its own right, especially in a severe seller’s market.

And if you’re expecting Atlanta to add two impact starters over the next few weeks, I’d suggest waking up from that dream and easing back into reality. Anthopoulos hasn’t acquired a notable starting pitcher at the trade deadline since 2018 — and it’s not as if the Braves haven’t needed rotation help before. I do expect one addition given everything that’s transpired the last few seasons, but the reality is someone internally needs to step up and establish himself as a playoff-caliber starter.

Reynaldo Lopez flashed some encouraging signs heading into the break. Hurston Waldrep did not, though he was probably rushed to the majors in the first place. AJ Smith-Shawver is set to return this month, and Spencer Schwellenbach could be back at some point too. There’s also the option of shifting Didier Fuentes into the rotation for the second half. None of them are proven, and it’s entirely possible they all flop — but the only way the Braves are viewed as legitimate championship contenders is if at least one of them pitches to his full potential.

How will the Braves fix the outfield?

The Braves were dealt a raw hand when Jurickson Profar was suspended for PEDs again right before the start of the season. It forced them to lean on Mike Yastrzemski and Dominic Smith far more than they ever intended, and while each has had his moments, neither is good enough to be starting every day. Atlanta has to upgrade — and aggressively pursuing multiple bats at the deadline should very much be on the table.

It’s best to have options. That’s how the Braves operated in 2021, when they acquired four outfielders following the devastating season-ending injury to Ronald Acuña Jr. Anthopoulos doesn’t need to be chasing All-Stars, even if that would be nice. Two undervalued players with some upside who deepen the roster would do just fine.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The three teams I’ve been watching closely as the trade deadline approaches are the Red Sox, Twins, and Tigers. The Braves have already been linked to a couple of players on those clubs — namely Tarik Skubal and Sonny Gray. But unless they struggle over the next few weeks, I’m not sure any of them are going to be eager to sell.

The Tigers may have dropped their last two games heading into the break, but they’ve still won 9 of their last 12. That leaves them 6.5 games back in the AL Central and just 3.5 games out of the final wild card spot.

There’s still a chance Detroit trades Tarik Skubal to the highest bidder, especially in a seller’s market, because they know their odds of winning the World Series are slim and he’s almost certainly leaving in free agency. However, there’s now a very real scenario where he goes nowhere — which would only make things more competitive for teams trying to buy starting pitching at the deadline.

The Red Sox have a slew of really intriguing trade candidates at just about every position of need for the Braves, highlighted by Jarren Duran, Sonny Gray, and Aroldis Chapman. The problem is they no longer look like a team that’s even going to consider selling. They’re winners of nine straight heading into the All-Star break and sit just 0.5 games back of the final AL Wild Card spot.

The same can be said about the Twins. Everybody has their eyes on Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan, but Minnesota held onto them at last year’s trade deadline. If they were willing to take that chance then, they’ll almost certainly do so again. They’re only three games back in the division, and even though they’re a game under .500, they’re currently tied with the Mariners for the final playoff spot.

It’s really a nightmare scenario for the Braves, who need to add significant pieces in several areas. Almost the entire AL may not be open for business, creating a scarcity of options for what could be 20 teams looking to buy. Prices will be sky high — and we know how Alex Anthopoulos feels about overpaying for anything, even when it’s in the organization’s best interest for competing this season.

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(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

Acuña is still playing in the Florida Complex League. Once the second half gets underway, we’ll likely see him move up to Gwinnett pretty quickly, but it’s evident the Braves aren’t going to rush anything. He’s served as the DH in each of his three games so far. We’ll hopefully see him in the field soon, but it’s looking like he’ll miss at least the first week of the second half, and it could even be a couple of weeks before we see him back in Atlanta.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Kevin Gausman

Even sitting six games under .500 and in last place in the AL East, I’m not convinced the Toronto Blue Jays are going to sell. They came just one game shy of winning the World Series a year ago, still feature a talented roster, and have a very aggressive ownership group. It also doesn’t hurt that the rest of the American League is a dumpster fire, keeping them within striking distance of the final Wild Card spot.

But if they do sell, Kevin Gausman would surely be on his way out the door. He’s in the final year of his contract, and even if he isn’t the Cy Young candidate he once was, he’d instantly become the second-best starting pitcher on the Braves roster and someone they could feel confident handing the ball to in a playoff game. Gausman owns a 4.33 ERA over 112.1 innings this season, but his 3.65 FIP suggests some positive regression could be on the way in the second half.

Interestingly enough, the last time Anthopoulos actually pulled off a mid-season trade for a starting pitcher, it was for Kevin Gausman — all the way back in 2018.

A.J. Minter

The Braves and Mets making trades isn’t something that’s happened often, and it’s not likely to happen many more times going forward. But maybe there’s a world where the two sides could find common ground on a smaller deal for a reliever who has plenty of fond memories of his time in Atlanta.

Minter joined the Mets in free agency a couple of offseasons ago and has been plagued by lat injuries ever since — one of which forced him to miss 13 months. But when he’s been on the mound, he’s been the same dominant reliever he was for most of his career, posting a 1.50 ERA over 32 appearances since joining New York, including a 1.42 mark this season.

The Braves bullpen has been the one area of the team that hasn’t faltered very often, and it’s only going to get stronger when Robert Suarez returns from the Injured List. Still, the need for another high leverage left-handed reliever to pair with Dylan Lee is legitimate. You’d have to imagine Anthopoulos will at least make the call on Minter, even if those conversations don’t get very far.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Braves Updated Top 10 Prospects

1. Tate Southisene
2. Eric Hartman
3. Cam Caminiti
4. Owen Murphy
5. AJ Garcia
6. Briggs McKenzie
7. Kaiden McCarthy
8. Jensen Hirschkorn
9. John Gil
10. Alex Lodise

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For the first time in a while, the Braves’ top 10 features more position players than pitchers. Most prospect outlets have Eric Hartman as the #1 prospect in the organization after his remarkable 20/30 first half in High-A Rome. He’s an unbelievable athlete with real power who’s also outstanding in the outfield — a true five-tool talent who should really get tested in the second half with a move to Double-A.

Nobody should have much of an issue with Southisene taking the top spot, though. In his first full season of professional baseball after being drafted in the first round, he posted a .929 OPS with 30 steals in Low-A Augusta, earning him a promotion to Rome. Things proved a little tougher there initially, but he’s begun to pick it up significantly, recording a hit in five of his last six games, including three multi-hit efforts.

Caminiti entered the season as the Braves’ #1 prospect and hasn’t really done anything to lose the top spot. Hartman and Southisene have just been that good. Owen Murphy is now with the major-league club, and we’ll get a real good look at him this weekend as he makes his first MLB start against the Rangers.

The fifth spot is where we see the first member of this year’s draft class, AJ Garcia. The outfielder is coming off a monster season for the University of Virginia, hitting .354 with 14 home runs and an OPS north of 1.100. The Braves went underslot with both of their first-round picks, with the clear intention of targeting high school arms in the second and third rounds — which turned into Kaiden McCarthy and Jensen Hirschkorn.

Hirschkorn was particularly pricey, which is what it took to convince him to sign instead of heading to Baton Rouge. The nearly $4 million signing bonus he received is the largest ever for a player taken outside of the first two rounds.

“There’s not a whole lot [Hirschkorn] can’t do,” Braves vice president of amateur scouting Ronit Shah said, via Mark Bowman of MLB.com. “He’s athletic. He’s a big-time basketball guy. We’re really excited to see what he can do. He throws a ton of strikes. We saw him in the summer at a big-time event, the Area Code Games. He struck out nine guys in three innings. It’s hard to do better than that.”

The top 10 is rounded out by a couple of shortstops. John Gil looks the part of someone who could be starting in Atlanta for a long time, but his 2026 has been somewhat underwhelming to this point compared to his teammates. In 82 games, he’s hitting .247 with 11 home runs and a .733 OPS.

Alex Lodise, the Braves’ second-round selection last year, was another player who looked sluggish earlier in the year. That’s changed considerably over the last month, though. He has 10 homers in his past 22 games and is now sporting an .805 OPS on the season.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Braves vs. Rangers

Friday: Chris Sale
Saturday: Owen Murphy
Sunday: Grant Holmes

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 15, 2026

Given the issues in the rotation, this is something I expected the Braves to do — and that was before Murphy threw three perfect innings against the Cardinals over the weekend with three strikeouts.

He’s looked very encouraging over his first two appearances out of the bullpen, and now we’ll see if he can carry that success into his more natural role as a starter.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Hartman is making history just a couple of years after being drafted in the 20th round. He secured a 20/30 first half, vaulting himself from unranked all the way to the 25th-best prospect in all of baseball, according to Baseball America.

Southisene — a first-round pick out of high school last year — has also cracked the Top 100 after a stellar start to his first full professional season. He hit .297 with eight home runs, 36 stolen bases, and a .929 OPS before earning a well-deserved promotion to High-A Rome.

But neither of them is the Braves’ hottest prospect right now. That honor belongs to a member of Southisene’s draft class: second-round selection Alex Lodise.

Lodise is an older shortstop prospect coming off a magnificent career at Florida State, so it was a bit surprising to see him start the season so slowly in Augusta. However, any concerns have been put to rest in a hurry. Over the last month, he’s hitting a hair under .300 with 10 home runs and nine multi-hit games — good for an OPS well over 1.000. He’s now up to 18 home runs in just 81 games to go along with an .822 OPS, and at 22 years old, you’d expect a promotion could be in his near future as well.

I’ve said it all season, but this isn’t the Braves farm system of old, when it sat near the bottom of the league. Atlanta is now oozing with high-upside talent at just about every level, and a draft class headlined by two first-round selections is on the way.

That’s not a spot they’ve been in heading into a trade deadline in quite some time. The Braves can finally deal some of their young talent without feeling like they’re mortgaging the future. It should free them up to be aggressive over the next several weeks, patching up some of the glaring holes on the major-league roster.

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(Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire)

Jones came in having made just eight starts on the season after returning from injury, and across those eight he’d never eclipsed the five-inning mark while carrying a not-so-great 5.28 ERA. That was nowhere to be found on Wednesday. He was quite literally perfect over six innings, striking out eight while facing the minimum on just 77 pitches.

In truth, the Braves are lucky he’s still on a strict pitch limit, because it forced the Pirates to pull him. Had they let him keep going, we might be talking about the wrong kind of history this morning instead of a Braves win.

Holmes and the rest of the staff, though, matched Jones every step of the way. Holmes needed 90 pitches for five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk, and the bullpen covered the next four frames without surrendering a run — a welcome bounce-back for a group coming off a rough week.

Offensively, everything changed the moment Jones exited. The Braves picked up their first hit in the seventh, and in the eighth, Joey Bart delivered the dagger: a game-winning two-run homer that went 422 feet over the left-center field wall against his former team. Atlanta tacked on another run in the ninth for good measure before Raisel Iglesias slammed the door for his 18th save.

It was exactly the kind of night Atlanta needed from its struggling pitching staff — and it begs the question: is Grant Holmes the Braves’ second-best starter right now?

Sure, he’s not the type to go deep into games. He allows a lot of traffic on the basepaths and struggles the second and third time through the order, which is why he hasn’t completed six innings since early June. But if the Braves needed one guy not named Chris Sale to keep them in a must-win game over four or five innings, I’m not sure they could turn to anyone else.

His ERA is now down to a respectable 3.61 for the season. He hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start since May 1st, and he’s riding a 0.96 ERA over his last four outings.

It’s more a testament to the dismal state of the Braves’ rotation than anything, but credit belongs where it’s due. For all the flak Grant Holmes has taken from the fan base, he’s given the club a chance to win every time he’s stepped on the mound for two straight months.

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Photo: Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire

But the NL East isn’t just a two-man race between the Braves and Phillies anymore. The Marlins and Nationals have entered the chat as well with some surprisingly good play.

NL East Standings

1. Braves 52-38
2. Phillies 51-41 (2.0 GB)
3. Marlins 50-42 (3.0 GB)
4. Nationals 47-46 (6.5 GB)
5. LOL Mets (15.0 GB)

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The Phillies and Braves have essentially flipped scripts. Philadelphia sat 10 games under .500 early in the season and has since been the hottest team in baseball — becoming the first club in MLB history to be 10 games under .500 in April and reach 10 games over .500 before the end of June.

The #Phillies are the first team in #MLB history to be 10 games under .500 in April and be 10 games over .500 at any point prior to the end of June.

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrPHL) June 27, 2026

ESPN recently polled a group of executives, scouts, and coaches, asking them to rank the top running backs in the league. Coming in at #1 was Atlanta’s own Bijan Robinson.

“Robinson edged Gibbs despite a tight vote; the Detroit runner registered nearly as many first-place votes, but Robinson won with an average rating of 1.78 in the composite voting,” Jeremy Fowler wrote.

“His overall body of work is undeniable. He led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage in 2025, breaking William Andrews’ franchise record from 1983 (2,176). He joins Andrews and Julio Jones as the only Falcons to lead the NFL in scrimmage yards.”

Robinson came into the league viewed by most as a finished product — an elite runner who paired incredible agility with strength and speed in a 215-pound frame. The league had trouble bringing him down from the very first week of his rookie season, but the great ones are never satisfied.

Robinson has somehow found a way to get better every year since, culminating in a third season that saw him lead the entire league in scrimmage yards on his way to first-team All-Pro honors and a fourth-place finish in the Offensive Player of the Year race.

The biggest difference was his development as a receiver. Robinson had always been capable in that area, but he doubled his receiving output from his first two seasons, emerging as arguably the Falcons’ second most dangerous receiving weapon — hauling in 79 balls for 820 yards and four touchdowns.

The other thing we saw a lot more of in year three was his breakaway speed. He was never viewed as a back who lacked explosiveness, but the home runs didn’t really come over his first two seasons. It’s something he talked about improving heading into the 2025 campaign.

“We’re done with 30-yard runs and all that stuff,” Robinson said. “Now it’s time to get those 60 yards, 50 yards. So, I’ve been doing a lot more explosive drills. I’ve been doing a lot more running — 100 yards, like sprinting — so we can be prepared for, God willing, when those moments come in all the games.”

That extra work paid off. Robinson ripped off the longest run of the entire NFL season, a 93-yard touchdown on Monday Night Football against the Rams, and added an 81-yard score against the Bills earlier in the year.

From the outside, there isn’t a single aspect of his game that isn’t damn close to perfect. He’s even one of the best pass blockers at the position — a nightmare for blitzing linebackers who think they’ve found a lane to the quarterback. Robinson is what comes out when a kid builds the ideal running back in Madden: a blessing on and off the field, and someone the Falcons should be looking to keep in Atlanta for a very long time.

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(Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

That’s no longer the case.

Eric Hartman has taken the entire prospect world by storm. A relatively unknown commodity coming into the season, he’s now the 25th-ranked prospect in the sport according to Baseball America after hitting 20 homers and stealing 31 bases over the first half.

Tate Southisene has joined him in the Top 100, and Alex Lodise could be next after a breakout month that’s seen him club 10 homers with nine multi-hit games. Soon, the Braves will also welcome an entirely new draft class — one that includes two first-round selections.

Things have improved so much that Baseball America now ranks the Braves farm system inside the top 15.

“Eric Hartman. Turning a last-round draft pick into one of the best prospects in baseball is the kind of win that organizations dream of having,” the Baseball America staff wrote. “Hartman still has some questions about how his swing will play in the upper-levels of the minors, but there are few higher-ceiling prospects out there. He could serve as the cornerstone of a major trade, if the Braves were willing to move him. The rest of the Braves’ Top 10 is solid, as well, which is a big improvement from a year or two ago. The Braves have also been able to rely on their Triple-A pitching depth to plug multiple injury issues.”

Even when things looked bleak for the farm system, the Braves have always been able to produce high-level starting pitching. Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep, and Didier Fuentes are just some of the names who’ve debuted over the last several years and found success — even if keeping them healthy has been an entirely different issue.

The position player side has been a different story, with Drake Baldwin the lone outlier. There hasn’t been much to get excited about there, and while the arrow is pointing up, they’re still a ways from the elite farm systems when it comes to offensive upside.

“Position Prospects. Yes, the development of Hartman and the improvements of Tate Southisene, John Gil and Conor Essenburg have significantly improved the Braves’ position player prospect depth, but it still needs reinforcements after years of drafts that focused almost entirely on pitchers.”

We’ll see how the Braves approach this year’s draft, which begins on Saturday. In 2025, they flipped the script on their traditional strategy, selecting three athletic shortstops with their first three picks. So far the return has been encouraging — which might convince them to run it back with a similar approach.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Jarvis smacked his first major-league home run in the fourth inning, a screamer over the right field wall that gave the Braves a 5-2 lead.

First career home run for Jim Jarvis! #LocalFordDealer | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/EpRhazLBk9

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 9, 2026

He added two more hits and a couple of stellar defensive plays, coming up big with the Pirates threatening to tie in the seventh and eighth. He was the difference in the game — until Mike Yastrzemski piled on some much-needed insurance with a grand slam in the ninth.

With Ha-Seong Kim on the IL, the Braves have to this point split shortstop duties between Jarvis and Jorge Mateo. It’s an odd approach, considering you’d think the club would want to get its young shortstop into a rhythm — especially given the way Mateo has performed.

Mateo’s hot start was a nice early boost at a position of need, but he has just one hit this month and five since the beginning of June. Over his last 23 games, he’s hitting .111 with one extra-base hit, good for a .300 OPS. So for everyone complaining about Ha-Seong Kim — as they should be — Mateo has been every bit as unproductive.

Jarvis, on the other hand, has been a breath of fresh air in limited action. He’s hitting .278 with a homer and a .778 OPS while playing splendid defense at short. And there appears to be some real upside here based on his Triple-A numbers this season, where he hit .313 with 29 extra-base hits over 76 games.

The odds of Jarvis being the Braves’ shortstop of the future might not be high, but right now, he’s far and away the best option in Atlanta. He should be playing every day — at least until Ronald Acuña Jr. returns and Mauricio Dubon can slide back to shortstop.

And who knows? Maybe Jim Jarvis turns out to be the answer the Braves have been searching for at the position since Dansby Swanson signed with the Cubs in free agency.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Eli White has been activated from the paternity list, and in a corresponding move, José Azócar has been designated for assignment.

The #Braves today reinstated OF Eli White from the paternity list and designated OF José Azócar for assignment.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 9, 2026

The bigger one: AJ Smith-Shawver’s rehab assignment has been transferred to Triple-A Gwinnett, a significant step as he works his way back to Atlanta.

Guess who's back-back-back. Back again-gain-gain. AJ's back-back-back. Tell a friend-friend-friend.#Braves RHP AJ Smith-Shawver is scheduled to make a rehab start with the Stripers THIS SATURDAY, July 11th, presented by @NorthsideHosp!

: https://t.co/mGeGm575sd
:… pic.twitter.com/dNzb9m4qBL

— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) July 9, 2026

Smith-Shawver has 15 major-league starts under his belt and is coming off Tommy John surgery, so there’s no world where he should be expected to return immediately and star for the Braves. Still, it’s hard not to dream after the way he looked in his last outing with the Augusta Green Jackets — touching 100 MPH on the radar gun and tossing four scoreless innings while striking out five.

Gwinnett should give us a much better read on what to expect against stiffer competition. The goal Saturday will likely be around 60 pitches before ramping up to roughly 75 next week. If everything goes the way the Braves hope, Smith-Shawver could be back in Atlanta in about three weeks.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

“The Atlanta Braves are one of several rotation-needy teams expressing interest in Boston Red Sox starter Sonny Gray, according to people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to speak freely on the topic,” Rosenthal wrote on Thursday for The Athletic.

Whether it’s free agency or trade rumors, Sonny Gray has seemingly been linked to the Braves every year for the last half-decade. For whatever reason, a deal has never come to fruition — but perhaps the desperation in Atlanta finally changes that this time around.

“They (Braves) lead their division even with essentially a full rotation on the injured list,” Rosenthal continued. “They are fit to cover both the prospect and financial cost (the St. Louis Cardinals are paying about half of Gray’s remaining commitment, and either the Red Sox or a new team would owe him slightly more than $6 million after the trade deadline). And while Gray, 36, holds a full no-trade clause, he lives in Nashville and presumably would embrace playing in Atlanta, about a four-hour drive away.”

After a couple of decent seasons with the Cardinals, Gray has turned back the clock in his age-36 campaign, posting a 2.61 ERA and 155 ERA+ (55% above league average). He’s owed just $11 million this season and comes with a $30 million mutual option for next year that carries a $10 million buyout. Given a potential lockout and the uncertainty around the future of the sport, that could complicate things a bit for teams looking to trade for him — but the Braves aren’t exactly in a position to nitpick.

Gray has been a legitimate 2-3 option his entire career, far better than anything Atlanta has rostered outside of Chris Sale. He immediately gives the Braves a respectable one-two punch in a potential playoff series, and the prospect capital required to land him shouldn’t be too absurd.

There is, however, one potentially significant complication: after playing absolutely horrendous baseball for months, the Red Sox have begun to turn it around and are right in the thick of the American League Wild Card race.

“Boston wants to see if it could fight its way back into the playoff picture, though people briefed on the club’s thinking suggested the Red Sox will be realistic about their position as the deadline gets closer,” Rosenthal wrote.

“Despite being as many as 14 games below .500 on June 24, the Red Sox, like so many other teams, are hanging around just well enough to complicate the trade market. Since that low-water mark, Boston has won 10 of its last 12 games. They are just three games behind the third American League wild card, with FanGraphs giving them a 27.5 percent shot at making the postseason.”

This is the problem with evaluating trade targets for the Braves this year. There aren’t many obvious sellers, especially in an American League with so few quality teams. Even clubs 10 games under .500 don’t feel anywhere close to out of the race for a playoff spot.

The Red Sox match up really well with the Braves, though. They have players they could move at several positions of need in Atlanta, making them a team fans should be keeping a very close eye on over the next several weeks.

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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today reinstated RHP Tyler Kinley from the paternity list and optioned RHP Hurston Waldrep to Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 10, 2026

Waldrep hasn’t looked good since returning from the elbow injury he suffered right before the start of the season. The stuff has been fine, but he’s had absolutely no control of his offerings — giving up 12 free passes over just 10.2 innings. No pitcher is going to have success at the major-league level doing that, and even when Waldrep is in the zone, he’s catching too much of the plate.

The Braves rushed him back, most likely because they felt they had no choice. The rotation has been a mess for well over a month now. Multiple key pieces are on the IL, and Bryce Elder has reverted to the Bryce Elder of old. It’s left them desperately searching for answers leading up to the trade deadline, but it’s overwhelmingly evident Waldrep isn’t one of them right now. Giving him some time in Gwinnett to iron things out is absolutely the correct course of action.

Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman adds that JR Ritchie will start in Waldrep’s place on Sunday in St. Louis.

Ritchie will now start in place of Waldrep on Sunday. It’s been obvious Waldrep wasn’t ready to compete at the big league level. Might be able to shake the rust after a start or two at Triple-A https://t.co/BLDSONA7iN

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 10, 2026

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Best Match For The Braves — Freddy Peralta

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the Mets have underachieved this season. Despite limitless funds thanks to the backing of Steve Cohen, David Stearns hasn’t been able to find the right formula to build a sustainable winner, and they will almost certainly be selling at this year’s trade deadline — with a Freddy Peralta trade being among the most likely moves, given he’ll be a free agent at season’s end.

This was Peralta’s first season in Queens after starring in Milwaukee, and it hasn’t exactly gone to plan. His numbers are down across the board: a 4.68 ERA, 4.29 FIP, and 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings. That comes after a season in which he led baseball in wins, posted a 2.70 ERA with 10.4 strikeouts per nine, and finished fifth in the NL Cy Young race.

That kind of upside will attract plenty of suitors, especially desperate ones like the Braves, who should have interest in just about every starting pitcher available at the trade deadline.

“And even if certainty isn’t exactly what Freddy Peralta has provided for the Mets this season, there’s enough history there for Atlanta to treat him as the upgrade he would be,” Passan wrote. “Maybe it’s Peralta, and maybe it’s Michael Wacha, and maybe it’s one of a dozen other starting pitchers available. Whatever the Braves choose, their needs happen to align with the market’s clear strength, and there are fewer sure bets at this deadline than Atlanta getting a starting pitcher.”

There’s one small issue that can’t be overlooked, however: Freddy Peralta plays for the New York Mets. I know we live in a softer society these days, but rivalries do still exist — and the Mets and Braves are near the top of the list. If I were the general manager in New York, there’s not a prayer’s chance in hell I’d do anything to help the Braves. That would be a PR nightmare, and I can’t imagine Steve Cohen and company feel much differently.

Dream Match For The Braves — CJ Abrams

Shortstop has been a need in Atlanta for a half-decade, and this season has somehow magnified it even more — even after the club invested $20 million into the position by signing Ha-Seong Kim.

A Georgia product, Abrams has developed into one of the premier shortstops in the game, on pace for nearly 40 home runs and 120 RBIs this season. If the Nationals made him available, you’d imagine the Braves would be among the teams calling. There are three things, though, that make this trade hypothetical nothing more than fantasy.

The Nationals are an exciting young team that probably isn’t going to have much interest in moving their star shortstop, especially not to a division rival. And the asking price the Braves would have to meet would be absurd.

But let’s ignore that for a second and pretend the Nationals would be willing to deal Abrams. He’s still not the type of shortstop I see the Braves breaking the bank for. As outstanding as he is offensively, he’s atrocious defensively and would probably benefit from a position change down the line, especially as he ages. It’s a fun thought, but there’s no scenario where CJ Abrams is wearing a Braves uniform come August.

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(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

Atlanta recently decided to decline their $24.3 million option on Kuminga, making him a free agent. It was a decision that came down to the wire as the Hawks searched the landscape for potential trade options, but they ultimately got the vibe that the market for a near $25 million bench piece wasn’t exactly scorching hot. However, they appear open to bringing him back at a lesser figure.

“The Hawks remain open to re-signing Kuminga, sources say, and there’s been interest from Milwaukee and Cleveland along with the Lakers,” Marc Stein and Jake Fischer report for The Stein Line.

“A sign-and-trade would need to be worked out to get Kuminga to Cleveland and reunite him with former Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson. The Bucks are expected to have various trade exception routes to take in Kuminga via sign-and-trade after officially completing the Antetokounmpo blockbuster.”

Kuminga was acquired by the Hawks at the trade deadline in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. He played a pivotal role in the team’s second half turnaround, averaging 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 16 games off the bench during the regular season — and he was by far the team’s most reliable option in the second unit in the Hawks’ first round matchup with the Knicks.

Bringing him back at the right price makes a lot of sense, but Atlanta also has their eyes on a much bigger trade target.

“Teams that are in the mix for Murphy to varying degrees now are the Celtics, Pistons, Warriors, Clippers, and Hawks, league sources told HoopsHype,” Michael Scotto reports.

“Atlanta has always monitored the trade market on Murphy and other available players,” he continues. “The Hawks have several future first-round picks and tradeable contracts to dangle.”

“After Brown and Leonard fetched two first-round picks in trades, some NBA executives believe that should be the ceiling for a Murphy trade. Others argue his valuable contract with three years and $87 million remaining of team control could help New Orleans net a third first-round pick.”

Murphy might not have the pedigree of an NBA Finals MVP like Jaylen Brown, but he’s still an All-Star caliber player that is four years younger and comes with a much more palatable contract — owed just $87 million over the next three seasons. That’s given the Pelicans reason to believe they might be able to fetch even more for Murphy than the Celtics got for Brown.

The Hawks certainly have the allotment of draft picks and contracts to make a trade work, but the decision will ultimately come down to whether they believe Murphy is the kind of talent that could help put them over the top in the Eastern Conference.

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(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

The only player they traded was Rafael Montero, which really wasn’t much of a trade at all. Had he been retained, he almost certainly was heading towards a DFA. The fact the Braves were able to acquire anything for him was a shock, and the player they got in return was none other than shortstop Jim Jarvis.

At the time, nobody really batted an eye. Jarvis was far from a highly touted prospect — a 24-year-old that was struggling to hit at the Double-A level. However, he began to show signs of improvement after joining the Braves organization, and things really took a turn for the better this season, as he’s hit .313 with an on-base percentage over .400 and an .868 OPS over 76 games for the Gwinnett Stripers.

All of that has led to Jarvis’ most recent promotion. We saw him earlier in the year when he made his MLB debut, but that always felt like a means to an end until the team got to full strength. This time, the promotion feels a lot different. The Braves are relying on him to be their starting shortstop, at the very least, until Ronald Acuña Jr. returns from injury and Mauricio Dubon can slide back to the infield.

That’s not something anybody — inside or outside of the organization — expected to be saying just 11 months after acquiring him for a reliever that posted a 5.50 ERA over 36 appearances for the Braves last season.

Will it work? We’re about to find out, but it’s not as if Jim Jarvis has very big shoes to fill. The Braves shortstop situation has been a complete and total nightmare. Ha-Seong Kim is currently robbing the organization of $20 million, recording just five hits in 73 at-bats. With a hit last night, Jarvis now has as many hits at the major-league level as Kim since May 22nd, and it’s not as if Jorge Mateo has been much better, hitting just .121 with a .323 OPS since the start of June.

Jarvis essentially has to show up to the park alive and breathing to provide as much as the duo of Mateo and Kim, but the Braves are hoping for much more, at least until reinforcements arrive in the coming weeks.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Jordan Walker put Atlanta in an early hole with a three-run homer before Hurston Waldrep could even record an out in the first inning. It looked like another nightmare for a Braves starting pitcher — this time from one of the guys the club was banking on to help turn things around.

The offense, however, would respond in a big way, sending 10 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the inning on their way to five runs, a very encouraging sign from a group that has been dead last offensively since June began. Unfortunately, that first inning wasn’t exactly indicative of what was to come.

The Braves failed to muster another run the rest of the game. They didn’t even really threaten much, recording just three hits over the final eight frames.

Waldrep, on the other hand, really settled in and put together a more than respectable first start of his season, finishing 5.1 innings with just the three runs and five strikeouts. He would leave the game with the Braves on top, but this time, it was Atlanta’s ultra-reliable relief corps that faltered in a horrific seventh inning that saw the Cardinals score seven times, essentially putting the game to bed over the span of 30 minutes.

It leaves the Braves with another bad taste in their mouth as they continue to leak oil in the summer months and lose their grasp on their lead in the NL East. However, if we are looking for any positives from this series, there are at least a couple of glimmers of hope for the rotation.

Reynaldo Lopez got the start on Saturday and turned in the best start we’ve seen from him since 2024, going five innings on 69 pitches with six strikeouts and allowing just one run. His fastball was sitting consistently in the mid-90s and even touched 97 at times. That’s the version that made him an All-Star a couple of years ago with a sub-2.00 ERA, and it’s certainly better than what the Braves have been getting out of the likes of Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes, and JR Ritchie.

Waldrep’s performance was also a breath of fresh air following a rocky start. It would have been very easy for things to get away from him, but going 5.1 innings in an efficient manner while flashing numerous plus-offerings should only be looked at as a positive. Like always, it’s always about control with Waldrep, and the fact that he only walked one batter last night is a very encouraging sign.

The current Braves roster is littered with flaws. The offense desperately needs to add another bat or two, and the same could be said about the rotation. Hell, even their stellar bullpen could use some touching up at the trade deadline. However, while the Braves are expected to be aggressive over the next month in their search for help, a lot of the improvement must happen internally.

Starting pitching is incredibly expensive to acquire mid-season. That’s why the Braves haven’t traded for one since they swung a deal for Kevin Gausman back in 2018. Expecting them to acquire one impact arm this time around is reasonable, but multiple is probably wishful thinking. Guys like Lopez and Waldrep need to step up, and these performances suggest that they could potentially play a significant factor in the second half of the season.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Braves sign Andrew McCutchen to minors deal

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 3, 2026

McCutchen is far from the player he was when he won the MVP a staggering 13 years ago. He hit just .192 with a .537 OPS in 37 games this season for the Texas Rangers, but he did post a respectable .700 OPS over 135 games with the Pirates last season and owns a .733 OPS since the start of the 2020 season.

The odds of him making a significant impact in Atlanta this season might not be very high, but there’s no denying the Braves are getting a little desperate for some offensive firepower with the trade deadline still a month away. The team has boasted an OPS below .600 since June began, and there really haven’t been many encouraging signs that point to this rut ending anytime soon.

Left field and the DH spots have been especially discouraging. Eli White has no business starting games, Mike Yastrzemski has a .644 OPS on the season, and Dominic Smith has come back to earth in a big way since he began the season on a tear.

There’s no guarantee McCutchen ever sees the light of day in Atlanta, but taking a flier on him to see if he has anything left in the tank comes with absolutely no risk. At the very least, perhaps his presence alone could help bring some much-needed positive vibes to the clubhouse.

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Photo: Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire

Braves All-Stars

• Chris Sale
• Raisel Iglesias
• Matt Olson (Reserve)
• Drake Baldwin (Starter)
• Ozzie Albies (Starter)

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For Chris Sale this will be his tenth All-Star appearance and third in a row with the Braves. His revival in Atlanta has been nothing short of remarkable, pitching arguably the best baseball of his career as he approaches 40. He’ll once again be in the NL Cy Young conversation at season’s end, although it won’t be an easy award to take home with all the ridiculous arms in the National League.

Raisel Iglesias and Drake Baldwin are the club’s two first-time All-Stars. That makes sense for Baldwin, who is in his first season as the Braves’ full-time starting catcher, but it’s a bit surprising for Iglesias. He’s been among the league’s top closers for a decade now, boasting a 2.85 career ERA with 270 saves. A testament to how difficult it is for relievers to get the nod, but Iglesias is beyond deserving this season, recording a 1.53 ERA over 28 appearances with 17 saves.

Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies are two more All-Star veterans at this point. It will be the fourth All-Star appearance for each of them, with Albies starting at second base and Olson a reserve at first base. Those should probably be switched, but the fan vote isn’t always a glowing representation of on-field performance.

That said, what a resurgent season it has been for Ozzie Albies. A couple of significant injuries really made it difficult for him to find a rhythm over the last couple of seasons. Some were even questioning whether the Braves would pick up his extremely team-friendly $7 million club option during the offseason, and while the organization never felt that way, there were legitimate concerns. Concerns that have all but been put to bed after a first half that saw him hit .272 with 14 home runs and a .770 OPS.

Braves All-Star Snubs

Five All-Stars is a damn good result for any team, but there are three very clear snubs that hopefully find their way onto the roster due to injuries and guys opting out.

Michael Harris II is an All-Star. Period. There should be no debating it; they have to find a way to get him on the roster. He’s one of the few players in the league hitting .300, is on pace for 30 home runs, and plays elite defense in centerfield. There’s a lot of competition in the outfield, but Major League Baseball needs to do the right thing and make room for another guy who’s amid a resurgent 2026 campaign.

The other two snubs are a little more understandable given only a few relievers make the All-Star Game each season, but Dylan Lee and Robert Suarez have been two of the best bullpen arms in all of baseball. Lee has made a remarkable 41 appearances already, posting a 1.60 ERA with a 1.33 FIP, 0.661 WHIP and 11.2 K/9 — absolutely absurd numbers for a reliever that’s been asked to pitch in just about every situation imaginable.

Suarez is currently on the IL, so it’s not like he would have actually participated in the game, but it would still be nice for him to get the recognition he deserves. There’s an argument he’s been the single most valuable reliever in all of baseball this season, boasting an eye-popping 0.56 ERA over 31 appearances.

I really don’t know why in the year of 2026 that Major League Baseball has not adjusted the roster limit to include more relief pitchers. It’s not a real game guys; it’s okay to share the love. I would like it on record that I am protesting the injustice against relievers in the All-Star Game. We must make this right!

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(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

Before the game, however, they announced several critical roster moves. JR Ritchie was scratched from his start in Gwinnett and rejoined the major-league club. He’ll pitch out of the bullpen for the time being and even made an appearance yesterday, tossing three scoreless innings to end the game which actually resulted in his first career save.

The Braves also placed Ha-Seong Kim on the 10-day IL with right middle finger inflammation. In a corresponding move, Kyle Farmer was reinstated from the Injured List.

The #Braves today recalled RHP JR Ritchie to Atlanta and placed INF Ha-Seong Kim on the 10-day injured list, backdated to July 1, with right middle finger inflammation. Atlanta also returned INF Kyle Farmer from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured…

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 4, 2026

This is what we like to call the ole’ phantom IL stint. Because Ha-Seong Kim is out of options, the Braves can’t just send him to Gwinnett to work on things and then bring him back to Atlanta whenever they feel he’s ready. For that to happen, there has to be an injury.

Now, I’m not saying there isn’t some discomfort with Kim’s middle finger. It would actually make a lot more sense if there was given his play. But with this move, he gets a couple of weeks to reset and then can go on a rehab assignment to try and work things out at the Triple-A level.

For all the issues the Braves have, shortstop is the one that has been around the longest. They haven’t been able to find consistent production at the position in a half-decade since Dansby Swanson was around. The $20 million the Braves handed Ha-Seong Kim in the offseason was a strong vote of confidence that he would break that spell, but his performance has been the worst of the bunch.

In 27 games, Kim has just five hits — good for a .068 batting average and .239 OPS. He’s on a 162-game pace for a -6.0 WAR season, a number that shouldn’t even be possible.

Hopefully, this move will do him some good. Because if it doesn’t, there’s no guarantee he ever rejoins the major-league club. He either shows some improvement in Gwinnett or the Braves will designate him for assignment.

Until then, Jim Jarvis and Jorge Mateo will hold down the fort, with Mauricio Dubon likely to take over when Ronald Acuña Jr. returns after the All-Star break.

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Photo: Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire

Grant Holmes turned in a solid outing last night, tossing five innings of one run ball — a reminder that while he may never be a frontline guy, he’s actually been fairly reliable at the back of the rotation. But the more notable outcomes were the performances of Reynaldo Lopez and Hurston Waldrep.

Lopez had his best start since 2024, also going five innings and allowing just one run with six strikeouts. The life on his heater improved and he was getting some whiffs, much more like the guy who was an All-Star and posted a sub-2.00 ERA not long ago.

Waldrep was equally impressive in his first start since returning from elbow surgery. He did allow three runs, but they all came before he even recorded an out. After that, he settled in and threw an efficient 5.1 scoreless innings on fewer than 80 pitches.

It’s only one start for each of them, so referring to either as back feels quite premature, but hope exists, especially as we continue to receive positive updates on AJ Smith-Shawver and Spencer Schwellenbach. Smith-Shawver began his rehab assignment this week, and Schwellenbach doesn’t appear to be far behind, potentially set to return around late August.

Not all of these guys need to be part of an imaginary dream rotation following the trade deadline, but the Braves need at least a couple of them to step up. It’s hard enough to acquire one high quality starting pitcher mid-season; getting two is nearly impossible without completely depleting the farm system — something I do not see the Braves doing.

Braves Dream Rotation Post-Trade Deadline

1. Chris Sale
2. Tarik Skubal
3. Spencer Schwellenbach
4. Hurston Waldrep
5. AJ Smith-Shawver/Reynaldo Lopez

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We’re talking dreams here, so I’m not going to aim low. There are a plethora of reports floating around that the Braves are legitimate contenders in the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes, and there isn’t a better option to fill in next to Chris Sale atop the rotation. Having those two guys pitching multiple times in a potential playoff series would make any team nearly impossible to beat, and it’s not as if this is an unattainable vision. The Braves have more than enough prospect capital to pull off a trade for Skubal and still be in good shape regarding the future.

Behind them is Spencer Schwellenbach, which might be the most unrealistic aspect of this dream rotation. There are still concerns about him even returning this season — one setback and the Braves will shut him down until 2027. And even if he does return, who knows what the stuff is going to look like coming off not one but two major elbow injuries. However, the thought of a healthy Spencer Schwellenbach filling in behind Sale and Skubal is what dreams are all about.

Waldrep and then some combination of Smith-Shawver and Reynaldo Lopez round out the rotation. It’s too early to tell what each of them can provide, but Waldrep’s the one I have the most confidence in. Smith-Shawver and Lopez also have the type of stuff that can succeed out of the bullpen — and come October, there’s no need for five starters, assuming the Braves can make it that far.

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I wanted to highlight this conversation for one primary purpose — Atlanta doesn’t need to be in the market for multiple starting pitchers at the trade deadline. I didn’t even mention the likes of Martin Perez, Grant Holmes, or Bryce Elder — all of whom are capable of rounding out the rotation. They should be in the market for one true frontline guy to pair with Chris Sale; that alone will make life a living hell for opponents come the postseason. What happens behind those two will sort itself out.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The good news? ESPN’s Buster Olney is confident that — even with fewer teams looking to sell — starting pitching is the one area where we could see a lot of movement over the next month.

“They’ll both get starting pitchers, I’m pretty convinced of that,” Olney said of the Braves and Phillies, who currently sit atop the narrowly contested NL East.

“This is good news for the Braves and for the Phillies,” he continued. “I think among all the positions in baseball, the one that is going to have the highest volume of available talent is going to be starting pitcher. Right now, teams are starved for right-handed hitters. But with starting pitching — besides Skubal — there actually could be a number of names. Joe Ryan, Robbie Ray is going to be out there, there could be 8-12 guys who are out there.”

Tarik Skubal is undoubtedly the crowned jewel of this year’s trade deadline if the Tigers decide to trade him, and the Braves have already been linked to him by several insiders. This could be the time we finally see Alex Anthopoulos take that big swing, even if history suggests he’s more likely to pivot in another direction.

Like most general managers, Alex Anthopoulos places a high value on his prospects. He’s not going to be eager to part ways with multiple of the organization’s best young players for a rental, but it will be very intriguing to see what the price tags on some of these starting pitchers will be with so many more quality options available than we’ve seen in recent years.

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(Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire)

JR Ritchie is heading back to Gwinnett after tossing three scoreless innings in Saturday night’s win, with Carlos Carrasco taking his place on the active roster.

The #Braves today selected RHP Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster after optioning RHP JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night's game.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 5, 2026

Carrasco has been designated for assignment about 50 times at this point, but nobody ever claims him and he keeps making his way back. In seven appearances for the Braves this season, he’s recorded a respectable 3.68 ERA.

The move gives the club another fresh arm as they are in the middle of a stretch of 12 games in 12 days heading into the All-Star break. It also allows JR Ritchie to continue working as a starting pitcher down in Gwinnett, which is what’s best for his long-term development. The Braves will likely need him again in the second half of the season.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Most notably, Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to rejoin the team once the second half begins. He’s been out with a hamstring injury for about a month — the same hamstring he injured earlier in the season, which is why the Braves are taking no chances by rushing him back. However, it does look like he could return today if they really needed him, as he was seen taking batting practice ahead of Saturday night’s game at Truist Park.

Ronald Acuna Jr. preparing to begin a rehab assignment. He should back in the Braves’ lineup after the All-Star break pic.twitter.com/AysvSszVvN

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 4, 2026

Acuña has not had his typical all-world campaign, recording a .793 OPS with just seven home runs over 53 games. But the impact he has on this team, whether he’s playing at his absolute peak or not, cannot be overstated. Since the beginning of his career, the Braves are 521-349 with him in the lineup. Without him, they’re barely an above .500 club over a more than 400 game sample size.

The mere presence Acuña brings forces pitchers to pitch differently. It creates more chaos for his teammates, the energy he brings to the clubhouse is contagious, and it also allows Mauricio Dubon to slide back to shortstop. Not to mention, Acuña is more than capable of playing like the best offensive player on the planet. That version of him still exists.

Braves beat reporter Grant McAuley also provided an update on a name some Braves fans might have forgotten, reliever Joe Jimenez, who hasn’t pitched since 2024 after undergoing multiple knee surgeries. He’s been working out at the club’s complex in Florida, but manager Walt Weiss said that he’s still a long way from a potential return.

#Braves MGR Walt Weiss said the most recent knee surgery gave Joe Jiménez hope that he'll be able to pitch again. He's made some good progress in Florida and is back with the team in Atlanta, but still quite a ways away from discussing a return or any timetable for that. https://t.co/OGYZcUTmrJ

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) July 4, 2026

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Elbow injuries and pitchers are an uneasy combination, but Walt Weiss did say that there is no structural damage. The Braves just felt it was best to give him a couple of weeks off in the middle of the season to keep him fresh — a no-brainer considering how valuable Suarez has been in his first season with the club.

On the field, the Braves squeaked out a much-needed win over the Giants in a game that Reynaldo Lopez started for the first time since late April. Lopez isn’t fully stretched out, so he only went three innings, allowing one run on four hits with a lone strikeout.

It’s better than what the Braves have been getting out of most of their rotation lately, but to say Lopez’s performance was very inspiring would be a lie. The stuff just isn’t popping off the screen like it used to, with his fastball sitting around 93-94 and inducing very few whiffs.

A similar thing can be said about Hurston Waldrep — although, for a very different reason. Waldrep did hold the Giants scoreless, and the stuff is there for him to be a legitimate frontline starter if everything clicks, but his control is a major issue, something that was apparent throughout his rehab assignment. You aren’t going to walk four guys and get away with it very many times at this level, and he needed 55 pitches to complete two innings.

Following the game, Weiss made it clear the intention is to keep using Hurston Waldrep as a starter, whether that’s at the major-league level or in Gwinnett moving forward remains to be seen. He could probably use a little more time on the farm to fine-tune things.

The Braves will send Bryce Elder to the mound Saturday night, who is looking to weather the storm after his last five starts in which he’s posted an 8.31 ERA.

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(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

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“The Hawks are in active trade pursuit of a big man, The Stein Line has learned.

It was not immediately known how broad Atlanta’s list of potential targets is …but they certainly are looking.

For past perspective: New Orleans’ Yves Missi, Orlando’s Goga Bitadze and Dallas’ Daniel Gaffordare all centers that the Hawks have pursued previously and who are generally regarded as available.

Sources said that the Hawks, coming out of the draft, had some designs on trying to test Oklahoma City’s resolve when it came to Isaiah Hartenstein’s availability as part of their push to upgrade the center rotation. They always understood that it would be an extreme longshot, but there was initially some hope that the combination of the Thunder’s decision to draft Michigan’s Aday Mara with the 12th overall pick and second apron concerns might make Hartenstein unexpectedly available. Atlanta, remember, selected Houston guard Kingston Flemings with the eighth overall pick in Tuesday night’s draft, contributing to Mara’s availability at No. 12.”

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Jake Fischer has now added that Monday could be the day that trade comes to fruition.

Two trades that we’re monitoring today…

The Clippers and Raptors’continuing conversations on Kawhi Leonard, plus the Hawks working on a big addition.

We know Atlanta isn’t going after Goga Bitadze, Hawks fans, as the Magic aren’t talking trade for their reserve center,… https://t.co/W0ftlWsezz

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 29, 2026

The center position is really the final piece the Hawks must address before the end of the offseason. Onyeka Okongwu has developed into a real nice stretch big for Atlanta, but his lack of size on the interior was on full display as the Knicks punished the Hawks during their first round meeting in the playoffs. It’s not something Onsi Saleh can overlook if he plans on this team being seriously competitive in the Eastern Conference next season.

Additionally, Buddy Hield’s nearly $10 million salary for next season became guaranteed last night, but Fischer adds the Hawks are actively in the trade market looking to move that contract.

Definitely hearing the Hawks are involved in several trade scenarios that could end up utilizing Buddy Hield’s salary for 2026-27. https://t.co/MZFpVub1vi

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 29, 2026

Hield was acquired by the Hawks at last year’s trade deadline but rarely saw the floor. Given Atlanta’s only gotten deeper in the backcourt with the additions of first-round pick Kingston Flemings and Aaron Wiggins, it’s hard to imagine there’s a role for him in Atlanta, but his expiring contract and veteran leadership could make him an attractive piece for a rebuilding organization.

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(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Among those injured players hopefully rejoining the club is the hard-throwing right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver. The 23-year-old looked as if he was going to be in NL Rookie of the Year conversations last year before Tommy John surgery abruptly ended his season, but he’s back on the mound and has begun his rehab assignment, with his first start scheduled for this week in Augusta.

“Smith-Shawver was throwing the ball unbelievably last year before he got hurt,” Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos said ahead of Sunday’s game with the Giants. “His first rehab start is scheduled for Augusta on Tuesday, so that’s certainly exciting. He was throwing the ball really well in Florida. He looked good… Obviously, it’s a max 30-day rehab assignment. We don’t necessarily normally go all that way, but we’ll see how he looks.”

Assuming there are no setbacks, Smith-Shawver could rejoin the Braves at some point in July. That’s another positive development with some upside for the rotation, though banking on both him and Hurston Waldrep to return from major injuries and immediately perform is fairly wishful thinking. Even without the injury aspect, they are relatively unproven commodities at the major-league level.

But they are options, and when it comes to the options the Braves currently have at their disposal, they offer a level of upside the others cannot match.

“It’s one of those things where we are going to take the five best guys, the guys that are hot,” Anthopoulos continued on the Braves’ plan for their rotation.

Atlanta has never been an organization that’s shy about placing trust in their young arms. Whoever performs is going to get the opportunities, and right now, just about anything is better than what the Braves are trotting out whenever Chris Sale is off. This team needs an influx of talent when it comes to starting pitching, and while some of that can come at the trade deadline, most of the answers will have to come internally.

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(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)

That’s probably the most shocking aspect of Atlanta’s recent rough patch. The starting pitching was always expected to experience some level of regression, even if it’s probably been worse than many would have expected. The lineup experiencing this level of dropoff, however, is not something anybody could have predicted.

For the first two months, the Braves were at or near the top of every significant offensive statistic, and they did it while almost never being at full strength. The absence of Ronald Acuña Jr. and the oblique injury to Drake Baldwin — an issue that still appears to be lingering even if he has returned — have certainly played a factor, but it’s really difficult to pinpoint why this team has become by far the worst offensive performers in June.

As a whole, the Braves have posted an absurdly horrendous 65 wRC+. That’s 35% below league average and good for last place by an astounding 18 points. It’s a large enough sample size at such a low level that some uncomfortable conversations must be had about where this group is heading, even if first-year manager Walt Weiss isn’t concerned about the club’s rapidly shrinking lead in the NL East over the currently scorching hot Phillies.

“Yeah, I don’t care what (the division) lead is. I could care less,” Weiss said, via Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. “It’s early. We knew we had a big lead early and there was several months to go. I’m not worried about anybody else but ourselves right now.”

Weiss’ comments are those of someone who knows how quickly things can change over the course of a 162-game season. Just like his predecessor, he’s understanding of how important it is to never overreact when things are going well and to do the same when things are going poorly as well.

That said, nobody can be feeling too confident about where things stand as the All-Star break approaches. The Braves’ rotation is in shambles, featuring not a single reliable arm outside of Chris Sale. And the offense — which is supposed to be the backbone of the team — is looking awfully similar to the version we saw throughout the 2025 campaign.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel in the form of potential additions at the trade deadline and the eventual return of Ronald Acuña Jr. — but neither of those is coming to save the Braves anytime soon.

Acuña likely isn’t going to return until after the All-Star break. The Braves are rightfully taking things extremely cautiously with him given it’s his second injury to the same hamstring, and legitimate trade conversations haven’t really even started yet. It’ll be at least a few more weeks before Alex Anthopoulos gets to work in that area.

But even with those additions, the NL East no longer feels like it’s the Braves to lose, and a spot in the playoffs no longer seems a foregone conclusion. Quite the falloff for a team where it seemed nothing could go wrong just 30 days ago.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Atlanta then re-signed one of their own free agents in CJ McCollum — who was a huge piece of their second half turnaround after the Hawks acquired him in the Trae Young trade with the Wizards — and they also traded for Aaron Wiggins to add to what was a thin bench last season.

The draft then saw the Hawks bring in three new faces — Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Henri Veesaar.

Flemings has the type of potential to come in and start from day one at point guard, which was one of their glaring holes a season ago. Although, the Hawks might choose to ease him into things as he gets mentored by a seasoned veteran like CJ McCollum.

Ejofor also has the makeup of an immediate contributor, offering relentless energy on the defensive end with a unique skill set offensively for a big man.

Atlanta’s roster is already in a much better spot than it was when they lined up against the New York Knicks a couple of months ago, but there remains one massive hole left to fill. The Hawks have to add some more size at the center position, and according to Jack Fischer, they are attempting to do that via trade.

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“The Hawks are in active trade pursuit of a big man, The Stein Line has learned.

It was not immediately known how broad Atlanta’s list of potential targets is …but they certainly are looking.

For past perspective: New Orleans’ Yves Missi, Orlando’s Goga Bitadze and Dallas’ Daniel Gafford are all centers that the Hawks have pursued previously and who are generally regarded as available.

Sources said that the Hawks, coming out of the draft, had some designs on trying to test Oklahoma City’s resolve when it came to Isaiah Hartenstein’s availability as part of their push to upgrade the center rotation. They always understood that it would be an extreme longshot, but there was initially some hope that the combination of the Thunder’s decision to draft Michigan’s Aday Mara with the 12th overall pick and second apron concerns might make Hartenstein unexpectedly available. Atlanta, remember, selected Houston guard Kingston Flemings with the eighth overall pick in Tuesday night’s draft, contributing to Mara’s availability at No. 12.”

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Hartenstein is no longer an option after inking a contract extension with the Thunder, but it does reveal the Hawks intentions. They know they have a serious issue on the interior, and they aren’t simply looking to fill it with a backup caliber player that is going to have minimal impact.

This is a rumor with some legs. It would be shocking if Atlanta comes out of the offseason without pouring a significant amount of resources into the center position.

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(Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)

The Sacramento Kings are trading guard Devin Carter and a future second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2026

Carter was the 13th overall pick in the draft just a couple of years ago and is still just 24 years old. The fact that the Kings are willing to attach a future pick to get rid of him just to dump his salary isn’t a promising sign, but the Hawks needed depth at the point guard position and there’s at least some hope a change of scenery could do him a great deal of good.

The Kings have been a dumpster fire for decades at this point, and this past season was a perfect example, pulling starters on a nightly basis just to tank in the standings. No young player is going to have a lot of success in that type of situation, and Atlanta has been among the best organizations when it comes to player development — with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker being two of the best examples, the last two winners of the league’s Most Improved Player award.

Carter appeared in 38 games this past season, averaging 8.9 points and 2.7 assists in 18.4 minutes per game. We’ll see if he can carve out a role for himself in Atlanta, but the Hawks have done a wonderful job improving their depth in the backcourt this offseason, which was a problem area for the team a season ago.

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(Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)

The Atlanta Hawks are declining Jonathan Kuminga's $24.3 million team option, making him a free agent, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Zu57MTTp3g

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2026

This doesn’t necessarily mean the Hawks are totally out on Kuminga. They are still free to sign him as a free agent if his market turns out to be much cooler than expected, but it’s evident there wasn’t much of a market for him at all at a $24.3 million price point, even if it was only a one-year deal.

Atlanta acquired Kuminga at this year’s trade deadline, sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Golden State Warriors. He played a pivotal role down the stretch and was easily their best option off the bench in the playoffs, even if his play was a little erratic at times. In 16 games for the Hawks, Kuminga averaged 12.3 points on 47.6% shooting from the field and 34.6% from beyond the arc to go along with 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

The decision gives the Hawks a bit more financial flexibility to work with as free agency begins, but it also leaves them with another gaping hole on the wing that must be filled. That now becomes a top priority, along with adding some more size in the frontcourt, which they reportedly are attempting to accomplish via trade.

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The decision, however, has quickly turned into a disasterclass. Kim missed the first six weeks of the season after a freak incident in his home country of Korea, where he slipped on ice and it resulted in a torn tendon in his finger.

Even more discouraging, Kim’s return to the lineup has actually been worse than when he wasn’t playing at all. He’s appeared in 26 games for the Braves this season and has just five hits in 73 at-bats. That’s a .068 batting average and .239 OPS. It’ll be July in a couple of days, and Kim has not contributed a single extra-base hit.

It’s not as if things are getting better, either. Kim is hitless in his last 27 at-bats, and his WAR for the season is down to -0.9. Considering how little he’s really played, that’s a remarkable figure, putting him on pace for a -6.0 WAR campaign over 162 games.

With each passing day, it’s becoming more and more likely Kim doesn’t even make it through the entire season. When Acuña returns, Dubon will slide back into the role of everyday shortstop. At that point, a decision will likely be made between Kim and Jorge Mateo — which, judging by what we’ve seen, shouldn’t be much of a decision at all.

When talking about one-year deals, it’s hard to make an argument that any of them could possibly be the worst contract handed out in franchise history, but Kim’s performance is certainly making a strong case against that line of thinking. He has straight up robbed the Atlanta Braves, and when combined with the Jurickson Profar ordeal, Alex Anthopoulos should probably reconsider any future deals with former members of the San Diego Padres.

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The rotation must be upgraded. It’s non-negotiable if Atlanta is serious about winning the division and competing for the World Series. However, the offense can no longer be overlooked as well. The Braves finished with the worst wRC+ in baseball during June — 35% below league average and a full 18 points behind second-to-last place.

Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s eventual return will help, but there are also a couple of spots in the lineup that must be addressed — namely DH and left field.

With the expanded playoffs, the number of clubs selling at the trade deadline has shrunk considerably, but a picture of the teams that should be willing to engage in trade conversations with the Braves in a few weeks is becoming much more clear.

Braves Most Likely Trade Partners

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies may not have the sexiest pieces to sell, but sitting in last place in the NL West, they’ll be open for business at this year’s trade deadline. Over the past several seasons, the Braves have swung a couple of net positive trades with Colorado, acquiring relievers Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley.

San Francisco Giants

The Giants may have just handed the Braves another series loss, but they are surely heading towards selling at the trade deadline. Unlike the Rockies, they have a lot of really intriguing pieces they could make available — highlighted by starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Logan Webb.

Cincinnati Reds

After a nice start to the season, the Reds have fallen to 39-43 and are 11 games out of first place in the NL Central. They shouldn’t be considered for-sure sellers at this point, but a major turnaround is needed over the next month to avoid waving the white flag.

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels have always been an unpredictable organization, and the recent firing of their GM only adds to the unknown. They should absolutely be looking to sell at the trade deadline, but somehow they are only 6.5 games out of first place in the AL West despite sporting a 36-49 record.

Detroit Tigers

The Tigers are a team everyone will be watching over the next month because of Tarik Skubal. The two-time AL Cy Young award winner is in the final year of his contract and most expect him to be moved; however, Detroit is still hanging around in the AL Central, currently trailing the White Sox and Guardians by 9.0 games. With a strong performance in July, the league’s most prominent trade target could end up staying with the Tigers through the end of the season.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals are in a similar spot as the Tigers. They’ve massively underachieved with a 35-50 record, which should result in a fire sale of sorts. Yet they are only one winning streak away from believing they have a chance at the postseason.

Boston Red Sox

Aside from the Tigers, the Red Sox are a team all Braves fans should have a close eye on leading up to the trade deadline because of what they have to offer. Jarren Duran could fix Atlanta’s problems in left field. Sonny Gray is an intriguing rotation option, and Boston also has several relievers that will interest the entire league. If they end up selling, they’d be a perfect match with the Braves.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles star-studded group of prospects hasn’t panned out the way anybody imagined, as they’ve quickly become bottom feeders in the AL East again. This could be the type of trade deadline where they send out a ton of names who were originally expected to become pillars of the franchise.

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Hurston Waldrep made his season debut last week after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow at the beginning of Spring Training. AJ Smith-Shawver has begun his rehab assignment and will make his first rehab start on Tuesday for the Augusta Green Jackets, and behind them is Spencer Schwellenbach.

There was at least some level of concern that Schwellenbach would not return this season, but he’s continued to check boxes — and according to Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman, could head to Florida in the next couple of weeks to start ramping up activities and get ready for his rehab assignment.

Schwellenbach will likely head to Florida within the next week or two. If you look at that like it’s the start of Spring Training, he could become a candidate to start in late August or early September https://t.co/s0JaVp4fXg

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 29, 2026

Schwellenbach returning this season still remains up in the air. With even the slightest setback, he’ll be shut down until 2027. However, things are looking much more optimistic with each passing week. He could rejoin the club and do so with enough time to prove he can be an asset for a potential postseason push.

When healthy, Spencer Schwellenbach is the best arm in the organization not named Chris Sale. He’s a legitimate frontline starter that was even viewed as a dark horse candidate for the Cy Young award before undergoing surgery on his elbow at the start of Spring Training.

That said, expectations for all these young arms returning from significant elbow injuries must be tempered. Schwellenbach has been sidelined for exactly one year, experiencing two different injuries to his throwing elbow over that time. The Braves shouldn’t be counting on him to be the guy he was in May of 2025, but it would be a scary late-season addition if he looked anything like that version.

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The draft fell the way most predicted months ago. The big four of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson went with the top four picks — and then the four star freshman point guards followed. The Hawks simply took the one that fell to them, but they got a guy who should be able to step in from day one and start at a position that plagued them following the mid-season trade of Trae Young.

Flemings might not be an elite level passer like Young was coming out of college, but he is a true floor general that stays within himself and limits his turnovers.

Where fans will notice a significant improvement is on the other side of the ball. You don’t start for Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars without being a willing defender. Flemings’ defense is his biggest strength coming out of college. His measurements were a little shorter than expected at the NBA Combine — standing a hair under 6-foot-3 with a similar wingspan — but his college tape doesn’t show that. Flemings was a menace on that end of the floor, helped by his strong frame and athleticism.

When discussing weaknesses, one will immediately notice his shooting stroke. It’s not as smooth as some of the other point guards that will be selected in the lottery, but it didn’t seem to matter in college, as he shot nearly 39% from three and 85% from the free throw line.

That shooting stroke and his ability to continue to develop his overall game offensively will ultimately determine Flemings’ ceiling. He doesn’t necessarily look like he’s going to translate into an All-Star caliber guard at the next level, but some of that also can be attributed to the system Sampson likes to run at Houston.

But of all the point guards selected after the fourth pick, Flemings might have the highest floor. He’s the definition of a coachable and winning player — the type of selfless point guard that Hawks fans will become fond of very quickly.

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The #Falcons and star TE Kyle Pitts have agreed to terms on a 3-year, $54M contract.

Pitts will not play on the $15M franchise tag and instead receives $36M fully guaranteed over the next two seasons. The deal was negotiated by David Mulugheta of @AthletesFirst and Andre Odom. pic.twitter.com/s6Yf7siLX4

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 23, 2026

The deal comes with $36 million guaranteed, which essentially makes this more like a two-year deal with a reasonable out if Pitts doesn’t live up to expectations, something that was a common occurrence throughout his rookie contract.

However, Pitts is coming off by far his best campaign since his first year, setting career-highs in catches with 88 and touchdowns with five, finishing just shy of the 1,000 yard mark while appearing in all 17 games.

By AAV, this makes Kyle Pitts the third-highest paid tight end in the league, behind only George Kittle and Trey McBride — a resounding signal of confidence from the organization that they do not believe last season was a fluke. Moreover, the Falcons are essentially saying his struggles from 2022-2024 were more the result of poor quarterback play and a lingering knee injury that he finally looked to have recovered from this past season.

In three straight offseasons, the Falcons had top 10 picks that they spent on three straight skill position players — Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson. They have not yet returned to the playoffs since, but while it may have been a different regime that picked them, the new regime seems to have plenty of confidence in the trio.

Drake London already received a massive contract extension earlier this offseason. Kyle Pitts now joins him as one of the highest paid players at his position, and next up is undoubtedly Bijan Robinson, who will eventually reset the market at running back.

That’s a lot of money to spend on skill players. Much like it was a lot of draft capital a few years ago. We’ll see if it pans out better this time around.

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So, it should come as no surprise that when former GM Jim Bowden asked all 30 front offices their club’s biggest need leading up to the deadline, the Braves responded with another starting pitcher and bat.

“The recent Spencer Strider injury news has pushed the Braves’ need for starting pitching to the front of the line, with another hitter being a secondary need,” Bowden wrote for The Athletic. “In terms of a bat, left field or shortstop are likely their two target areas.”

I would argue the biggest problem area for the Braves is by far the rotation. Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes have really fallen off as the season has waned, Spencer Strider is likely done for the year after suffering yet another elbow injury, and JR Ritchie is a rookie that hasn’t quite proven he’s ready to be a permanent member of the rotation. The Braves’ rotation is essentially Chris Sale and pray. Although, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful resurgent campaign Martin Perez is putting together.

There is some hope for improvement with Hurston Waldrep and potentially others returning, but that’s still not enough. Adding another legitimate frontline arm feels non-negotiable at this point.

Another bat is certainly a need, but it’s not nearly as pressing as the rotation. Ronald Acuña Jr. returning will essentially kill two birds with one stone. He’ll massively improve the offensive production the Braves are currently getting in right field, and Mauricio Dubon kicking back to shortstop will do the same there.

That said, it still leaves two positions where Atlanta can upgrade — left field and DH. Mike Yastrzemski has just not been consistent enough. He’s fine as a depth piece, but he cannot be an everyday starter. The DH spot has also become a black hole with Dominic Smith, who’s really struggled since his magnificent start to the season. A strong case could be made he should be removed from the lineup completely if the Braves are serious about winning the World Series.

The good news is finding a slugging DH/outfielder generally isn’t that difficult. The Braves found four of them during the 2021 deadline, and they didn’t have to give up a single worthwhile prospect to do so.

Alex Anthopoulos should prepare to dole out top prospects for a frontline starting pitcher. The other issue can likely be fixed with a couple of under the radar additions that come with high upside.

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JR Ritchie is heading back to Gwinnett after another rough start, allowing five runs over five innings. In his place, reliever Tyler Kinley has been activated from the IL. Additionally, Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment for about the millionth time, with Ian Hamilton joining the active roster.

The #Braves today reinstated RHP Tyler Kinley from the injured list after optioning RHP JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett. The club also selected RHP Ian Hamilton to the major league roster and designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 24, 2026

Ritchie is eventually going to be a staple of the Braves rotation, but that day is not today. He’s really struggled with walks this season, not just in Atlanta but with Gwinnett as well. No pitcher, especially one without premier strikeout stuff, is going to have much success at the major-league level when giving up that many free passes.

Getting Tyler Kinley back is certainly a breath of fresh air for a bullpen that seems to be running out of gas. Walt Weiss said yesterday that more than half of the club’s relief arms were unavailable, including Robert Suarez, who is dealing with forearm soreness.

As far as Carrasco, you know the drill. He pitches, gets designated for assignment, clears waivers, then rejoins the active roster until he has to make his next appearance. Rinse and repeat. I don’t expect anything different this time around.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

“The Braves’ right-handed pitcher is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment Thursday at the team’s spring training facility,” Bishop wrote. “Smith-Shawver will pitch two innings of a simulated game and throw between 35 to 40 pitches.”

This news really could not come at a better time. The Braves rotation, while they wholly overachieved over the first two months, has completely unraveled in June. Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes have severely regressed. Spencer Strider is likely out for the season after suffering yet another elbow injury, and JR Ritchie doesn’t look quite ready for the majors yet. This team desperately needs an influx of talent when it comes to their starting pitchers, and the hope is that Hurston Waldrep along with Smith-Shawver can alleviate at least some of the concerns.

Waldrep is already up to 71 pitches. His next time out he’ll likely aim for 80-85 pitches. At that point, the Braves might decide to call him up. Hell, they could do it right now if they think Waldrep could effectively get guys out with the way the rest of the rotation has performed.

Smith-Shawver is a few weeks behind Waldrep, and I would expect him to take a similar route as he works his way back. He’ll throw around 40 pitches this week, then work his way up to around 50 next week, followed by 60-70 and so on. Within the next month, it’s possible the Braves rotation features both Waldrep and Smith-Shawver.

That’s exciting given their upside, but it’s important to temper expectations. These are still young, relatively unproven arms that are working their way back from major injuries. Anything they can provide the club should be viewed as a bonus, even if the Braves desperately need at least one of them to step up and become an impact starter.

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But like most chatter leading up to the draft, it was all smoke. The Hawks stood pat and took Houston PG Kingston Flemings with the 8th pick and then selected St. Johns PF/C Zuby Ejiofor in the back half of the first round — both guys that could find themselves contributing immediately on a team with aspirations of seriously competing in the Eastern Conference.

Barring another significant acquisition, Flemings will almost certainly step in and become the Hawks’ starting point guard. Atlanta really doesn’t have another option on the roster, and even if they did, it’s unlikely he’d come with as much talent and upside as the former Houston Cougar.

Flemings’ calling cards are his defense and quickness. He compares himself to the likes of De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Maxey, while others believe he’s reminiscent of former NBA MVP Derrick Rose. His first step to the rim is almost impossible to guard one-on-one and his strength and athleticism give him the ability to finish in a multitude of ways around the rim.

However, what might be most impressive about his offensive game is his patience. Flemings was a freshman playing in the ultra-competitive Big 12 Conference, but you’d be hard-pressed to find many moments where he was out of control. He’s a true floor general that lets the game come to him, turning the ball over less than two times per game.

Defensively, Flemings and Dyson Daniels have the opportunity to become one of the most menacing duos in the NBA. You don’t start under Kelvin Sampson as a freshman unless you’re prepared to give max effort on the defensive end for the full 40 minutes. Flemings has the will, quickness, and strength to immediately become a nightmare for opposing guards from the moment he steps on an NBA floor.

Ejiofor — though in a different body type, standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 240 pounds — is cut from the same cloth. There might not be a player across college basketball that played harder than he did when he was on the floor, featuring active hands on the defensive end that paired with a terrific ability to defend the rim.

It’s hard for me to avoid Draymond Green comparisons when watching Ejiofor — both undersized from a height perspective but can defend much bigger because of their weight, strength, and overall relentless pressure. But the comparisons don’t stop on the defensive end. Ejiofor is an unbelievable passer for a player his size, averaging 3.5 assists per game this past season in just 30 minutes, and like Green, he doesn’t quite have a reliable jump shot… yet.

That’s something I’m sure the Hawks will get straight to work with him on once he enters the building. Ejiofor shot just over 30% from beyond the arc as a senior on 1.6 attempts per game. He doesn’t ever have to be a sniper from deep, but if he can at least keep defenses honest, it will take his game to the next level. I don’t think it’s a secret why the Hawks might have been higher on him than most, given Onsi Saleh spent a lot of time with Golden State watching the impact Draymond Green had on the Warriors.

The Hawks’ first-round picks share some similar traits, but the one that pops off the page is their effort — a willingness to do whatever it takes to win. These are culture-building selections that also have the talent to immediately contribute to what the Hawks are building.

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Suarez will play catch today to see how he’s feeling, but the alarm bells are understandably ringing loudly for a fan base that has watched star player after star player land on the Injured List.

Robert Suarez is dealing with right forearm soreness. He was unavailable tonight. He will play catch tomorrow to get a feel for when he might be available again

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 24, 2026

An argument could be made that Robert Suarez has been among the top five most valuable Braves this season — pretty rare for a reliever that is not the primary closer. In 31 appearances, he’s surrendered just two runs — good for a 0.56 ERA. Nearly every time he’s toed the rubber, the Braves have gone on to win the game.

Losing him for any amount of time would be detrimental for a club that’s already in a massive downswing. The Braves have lost three in a row and nine of their last twelve. Their once double-digit lead in the NL East is down to just 5.5 games with more than three months to play, and even more concerning, holes on the roster are beginning to show everywhere.

The one place that’s been consistently fantastic has been the bullpen, but that might not be the case for too much longer. It’s very apparent that first-year manager Walt Weiss overworked these guys early in the season. Seemingly on a nightly basis, several guys are unavailable. That’s not how it’s supposed to be in June, and it’s another significant concern moving forward.

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Rowdy Tellez got the club on the board with a two-run single in the second inning. Michael Harris II added on with a double — one of his three hits on the night — and Matt Olson brought in a fourth run with a walk before the Padres finally found their way to the dugout.

But it didn’t take long for that lead to evaporate with rookie JR Ritchie on the mound, who continues to prove he might not quite be ready for a permanent role in a major-league rotation. The reasoning for that, like so many young pitchers before him, is control.

Ritchie can’t throw strikes, even with a four-run lead. Two one-out walks got the Padres feeling like they could get back in the game, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves with the lead following four straight hits.

The promising aspect of Ritchie’s outing is that he settled down, making it through five innings without allowing a single run. There’s never been much concern about the mental side of the game for the 22-year-old, but it seems there’s always one inning where everything unravels.

In the process, the Braves retook the lead, courtesy of a home run from Mauricio Dubon. Unfortunately, they couldn’t hold it.

For whatever reason, Walt Weiss turned to Carlos Carrasco for multiple innings in a one-run game. The first frame was fine, as Carrasco set the Padres down in order. But Weiss should have learned not to push his luck the last time he tried this, as Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the seventh inning with a solo home run.

Eventually, the game worked its way to extras, where the dismal bottom of the Braves lineup couldn’t muster anything — a primary storyline of this recent rough stretch. In the bottom half, Manny Machado walked it off with a single to center on the first pitch, sending the Braves home losers for a third consecutive night and the ninth time in their last twelve games.

Atlanta’s NL East lead is now down to 5.5 games, and after a first two months where it seemed nothing could go wrong, the script has completely flipped in June — marked most notably by a rotation that has completely imploded. JR Ritchie is being asked to do something he shouldn’t have to this early in his career. Hopefully, Hurston Waldrep‘s return can allow him to continue working on his craft in the minors.

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Pitts was arguably the second best tight end in the sport in 2025. He stayed healthy, playing in all 17 games, catching a career-high 88 balls with five touchdowns and finishing just shy of 1,000 yards receiving on his way to second-team All-Pro honors. It might have been the best season of his entire career, even above his rookie campaign when he eclipsed 1,000 yards and set the Falcons franchise rookie record for receiving.

But we can’t base things solely off one season. For the most part, Kyle Pitts has been a massive disappointment. He was touted as a unicorn prospect in a loaded draft class that saw a plethora of perennial All-Pros drafted right behind him. Pitts was supposed to be chasing tight end receiving records, not happy about finishing a campaign with 928 yards, most of which came without Drake London on the field.

From 2022-2024, Pitts never caught for more than 667 yards in a season and eclipsed 50 catches just once. He was an average tight end at best, but some context has to be added.

Pitts suffered a knee injury during the 2022 campaign, and it was something that clearly hampered him in the seasons that followed. Last year was the first time he looked fully healthy since his rookie year. Additionally, the quarterback play in Atlanta has been abysmal. It’s hard to have much success as a second option when the organization has been playing musical chairs under center from the moment he was drafted.

With this deal, the Falcons are saying they believe Kyle Pitts can be a true #2 receiving threat, and that the circumstances prior to last season were more responsible for his struggles than his talent itself.

That’s probably a more than fair assessment, but not something the Falcons should be taking a $50+ million gamble on.

But that’s the thing… they aren’t.

NFL contracts are all about how they are structured, and this extension is essentially for one year. Only $36 million of the deal is guaranteed, and the Falcons were already on the hook for about $16 million this season if Pitts played under the franchise tag. Atlanta was going to pay that regardless, and they are now essentially guaranteeing one extra year with an easy out in the third year if Pitts doesn’t live up to expectations.

When put that way, it is a lot more palatable. And it’s important to remember — Kyle Pitts was among the youngest players in his draft class. Despite the fact he’s played five NFL seasons, he’ll only be 26 years old next season. A strong argument could be made that Pitts’ best football is in front of him. That’s what the Falcons are banking on with this vote of confidence.

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Farmer has caught 19 games in his career, most of which came in 2019. Not exactly a savant behind the plate, but an option nonetheless in emergency situations.

Bowman added an update on Sean Murphy. Walt Weiss said that he is still more than a month away from returning from the broken middle finger he suffered a little over a month ago.

Walt Weiss said Sean Murphy is likely more than a month from returning. Getting Kyle Farmer reacquainted with the catching position will provide the luxury of having a third catcher in case there’s a late-inning need to hit for Joey Bart or run for Drake Baldwin.

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 24, 2026

The Braves have tried out a number of catchers in the wake of injuries to Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon provided absolutely nothing offensively, which led to the acquisition of Joey Bart. Bart is at least competent enough to handle the backup duties over the next month or so, but the Braves could really use their catching tandem at full strength coming down the stretch.

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Strider will be evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister later in the week.

Braves manager Walt Weiss says today there is “nothing definitive yet” on Spencer Strider; Strider will next go be evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister this week

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) June 14, 2026

We’re all hoping for the best for Spencer Strider. He’s been through so much when it comes to injuries, but the fact that he’s already undergone several tests and is now set to see another specialist is never an encouraging sign.

At the very least, this is going to keep him out for a while — if not the entire season. The Braves have already indicated JR Ritchie will replace him in the rotation, and the 22-year-old responded with five scoreless innings on Friday after Strider was removed from the game.

As devastating as the injury is, a strong case could be made that it really shouldn’t impact the Braves’ 2026 campaign all that much. Strider simply hasn’t been the same pitcher since undergoing InternalBrace surgery in 2024, posting a 4.66 ERA over his last 31 starts.

That’s a level of production JR Ritchie should have no problem replicating, and there’s a real chance he’s significantly better. The Braves also have Hurston Waldrep stretching out in the minors — up to 53 pitches his last time out with a target of 65-70 this week. That’s not far off from where he needs to be before Atlanta has to make a decision on calling him up.

Rotation depth has never been an issue for the organization this year. Beyond Waldrep, AJ Smith-Shawver is expected back at some point this season, and there’s still some hope Spencer Schwellenbach can return as well.

The problem the Braves have always faced is finding a legitimate number two behind Chris Sale. There was a sliver of hope Strider could figure it out and be that guy later in the year, but to treat that as a realistic possibility based on what he’s shown over the last two seasons was beyond wishful thinking.

His latest injury doesn’t really change the outlook for 2026. The depth is there to more than make up for the production he was providing. What it does is reinforce what has been true all along — the Braves need a frontline starter to pair with Chris Sale, a need that has existed ever since Max Fried signed with the Yankees in free agency.

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According to Mark Bowman, Strider avoided structural damage to the elbow. It does not look like he is going to need surgery, and his visit to Dr. Keith Meister is just focused on coming up with a plan to get him back on the mound.

Strider’s MRI didn’t show any ligament damage, just inflammation. There aren’t any current concerns about him needing surgery. Today’s visit with Dr. Meister (performed surgery in 2024) will just provide an indication of what the next steps will be. Meister will provide a…

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 15, 2026

I’ve said this from the beginning — this news is more about Strider’s career than it is about the Braves’ outlook in 2026. Another elbow surgery would have been his third, following Tommy John surgery in college and InternalBrace surgery just a couple of years ago. This very easily could have been a career-ending ordeal had his MRI shown something different.

As far as the 2026 campaign goes, not much changes. Strider hasn’t been pitching well — he’s been an average starter since returning last season, posting a 4.66 ERA over his last 31 starts. That’s easily replaceable with what the Braves already have in-house, and just because he might be able to return at some point this year doesn’t mean the team should be expecting anything meaningful from him.

Strider has a lot of work left to do before he’s an impact pitcher for the Braves again. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if they try him out of the bullpen when he does return.

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UPDATE: The Braves have said Spencer Strider will be shut down for the next four weeks. At that point, he will take another MRI and if everything checks out he will begin throwing again.

Following a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister today, RHP Spencer Strider will be shut down from throwing for four weeks and then undergo a follow-up MRI. Provided that scan is clear, he will then begin a throwing progression.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 15, 2026

There’s a small possibility everything goes perfectly, and Strider becomes a contributor down the stretch. However, a lot of things must go right, and it will almost certainly be a role out of the bullpen.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The Braves will be calling on every starter that becomes available, including Tarik Skubal, no matter how unlikely that may seem. Anthopoulos has never been a general manager eager to get into bidding wars for marquee players. He’s always looking for value, and one of the more under-the-radar names to monitor is Angels lefty Reid Detmers, who is already generating interest around the league.

“Los Angeles Angels left-handed starter Reid Detmers is starting to pick up plenty of traction among teams seeking a starter at the trade deadline,” Bob Nightengale writes for USA Today Sports. “Detmers is 1-0 with a 1.73 ERA in his past four starts, yielding a 0.54 WHIP and .105 opposing batting average with 37 strikeouts in 26 innings. He also has two more years of control.”

Detmers’ 4.00 ERA across 14 starts this season isn’t exactly eye-popping, especially when discussing a potential number two starter behind Chris Sale for a playoff series. But the underlying metrics tell a more attractive story when you dig a little deeper.

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• 2.87 FIP
• 2.87 xERA (88th percentile)
• .203 xBA (86th percentile)
• 29.3% K-Rate (90th percentile)
• 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings (leads league)

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Detmers has the stuff of an elite starting pitcher, and he wouldn’t be the first guy to fail to live up to his potential while wearing an Angels uniform — an organization notorious for abysmal pitching development. As Nightengale mentions, he’s also peaking at the right time, and the two additional years of team control after this season is something Anthopoulos typically places significant value on this time of year.

When it comes to starting pitching at the trade deadline, there’s rarely such a thing as a bargain. The expanded playoffs have created more buyers than ever, which only drives up the price — the primary reason Anthopoulos hasn’t pulled the trigger in years past.

But at some point he’s going to have to choose between one of two paths. Accept the market for what it is and put this team in the best possible position to chase a championship, or risk watching another season slip away with this talented core because of an unwillingness to pay the going rate for starting pitching.

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(Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire)

The holes on the current roster are beginning to show themselves more than they have all year. But what can be fixed internally, and what may need outside attention as the All-Star break and trade deadline approach?

Behind The Plate

The loss of both Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy has been brutal. Sandy Leon might be the worst everyday player in the major leagues right now, and the team already designated Chadwick Tromp for assignment to make way for Austin Wynns, who has recorded just one hit in six games since joining the club.

The Braves have essentially been playing a man down for about a month. The good news is that Baldwin should rejoin the club this week, having started a mini rehab assignment with the Gwinnett Stripers over the weekend. His return will ease a lot of the concerns — but it’s not something the organization can completely overlook.

Murphy is nowhere close to returning after suffering a fractured finger. Best case, he’s back sometime in August. Worst case, he may not play much more this season at all. If the last month has taught us anything, it’s that the Braves will be in serious trouble if Baldwin goes down again. Acquiring some insurance at the trade deadline — given Murphy’s extensive injury history — would be a wise move.

Third Base

I’ve long said that when the weather heats up, so does Austin Riley. So far, that hasn’t been the case. He’s continued to struggle at the plate and is barely hitting above the Mendoza Line, creating a significant hole in the middle of the Braves offense.

The frustration from the fan base is understandable. This is a player who was once a perennial MVP candidate, and over the last two seasons he hasn’t been much better than a replacement-level player.

Third base, however, is a different situation than everything else on this list. The Braves don’t have a choice but to ride it out and hope for improvement. Not only do they owe him a significant amount of money over the next six years, but this team is at its absolute best when Riley is at the peak of his powers. There is no better alternative.

Pitching

Perhaps the most glaring hole right now is in the rotation. Strider is going to be out for a while — if not the entire season — and some of the guys who started the year on fire are coming back down to earth, most notably Bryce Elder. Atlanta’s starting staff right now is Chris Sale and pray.

There are internal options that at least provide some rays of hope. JR Ritchie looked fantastic his last time out and is oozing with upside. Hurston Waldrep is probably a couple of starts away from rejoining the Braves and is touching 99 MPH during his rehab assignment. AJ Smith-Shawver should begin a rehab assignment in the near future as well. There’s still some hope Spencer Schwellenbach could return, and if the Braves wanted, they could begin stretching Didier Fuentes back out as a starter — a guy who has been virtually unhittable since moving to the bullpen.

Still, it goes without saying the Braves could use a frontline starter at the trade deadline. That’s been true since Max Fried signed with the Yankees in free agency, and Strider’s latest injury only reinforces that notion.

Outfield/DH

Jurickson Profar‘s suspension really hurt the Braves, even if it hasn’t fully shown up in the standings over the first three months. At the very least, Anthopoulos needs to find a power-hitting platoon option to pair with Mike Yastrzemski. And given that Dominic Smith has cooled off significantly since his scorching start, something bigger would be preferred.

The offense still has the potential to be a juggernaut come October. The returns of Baldwin and Acuña shouldn’t be too far away, and a resurgent second half from Riley paired with one meaningful addition at the deadline could make this the best lineup in baseball when it matters.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

James Pearce will reportedly be at #Falcons mandatory minicamp this week, per FOX 5 Atlanta.

— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) June 15, 2026

In late May, it was reported that the charges against James Pearce Jr. would all be dismissed if he completed a 12-month pre-trial diversion program that includes counseling, drug-testing, and no contact with the victim in the case — his ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson.

“Overall, it is the best possible result we could have imagined here,” Pearce’s lawyer Yale Sanford said. “It speaks to the willingness of the state to give him the opportunity. I think that’s an extreme win for us, and especially for James. It allows him to focus on himself and his family and getting back on the football field.”

Legally, Pearce has been given a second chance that most people in his situation would never be afforded. As long as he stays out of trouble over the next 12 months, this should be firmly in the rearview mirror.

The league will still have its say, however. Because the charges were dropped and nobody was physically harmed in the incident, there’s precedent for a significantly lighter suspension than anyone could have anticipated a few months ago. The fact that he’s expected to attend mandatory minicamp suggests the Falcons are counting on him to play.

Pearce is coming off a campaign Falcons fans have been dreaming about for decades — a franchise-record 10.5 sacks as a rookie, making him arguably the most important piece of a pass rush that finished second in the league in sacks. That was something absolutely nobody saw coming given Atlanta’s recent history of getting after the quarterback.

Without Pearce in the fold, the Falcons defensive line leaves a lot to be desired. With him, and it feels like the potential upside of this group is endless. That’s how vital he is to the team’s overall success in 2026.

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(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)

Following a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister today, RHP Spencer Strider will be shut down from throwing for four weeks and then undergo a follow-up MRI. Provided that scan is clear, he will then begin a throwing progression.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 15, 2026

It’s a best case scenario for Strider. Another serious elbow injury might have ended his career, given it would be his third over eight years and second in the last three seasons.

However, this report all but ends his chances of starting another game for the Braves this season. In a perfect world, he resumes throwing in mid-July and begins a rehab assignment sometime in August — but getting him stretched out and ready for October is a near impossibility.

That doesn’t mean Strider can’t contribute in some form, though. Many have speculated it might be best for him to move to the bullpen given all the injuries, and while that may not be a long-term solution, it’s the only realistic path back to the mound for him this season.

How that impacts the rotation is up for interpretation. On one hand, Strider hasn’t been good since returning from InternalBrace surgery, posting a 4.66 ERA over 31 starts — production that can be replaced, especially given the Braves’ pitching depth. On the flip side, he at least offered the kind of upside that, if everything clicked, he could be the number two behind Chris Sale that the Braves have been desperately searching for.

That’s what the Braves have to figure out between now and October. Who can they trust to start a playoff game outside of Chris Sale?

Some internal options exist. Hurston Waldrep, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Spencer Schwellenbach are all working their way back from injury, while Didier Fuentes and JR Ritchie are two intriguing young arms.

But when has banking on guys returning from injuries and rookies to be frontline starters ever been the way to operate? The Braves need another frontline starter — it’s never been more clear — and Ken Rosenthal expects them to be on everyone leading up to the deadline, including Tarik Skubal.

“This is a team that could potentially go really far this postseason if they make it, which they should,” Rosenthal said. “They still have of course Chris Sale and Bryce Elder, and they have some really good things going for them. But yes, I would like to see them get a starter at the deadline.

“They are a team that I’m sure will check in on Skubal. It’s not their kind of play. The farm system is not all that great. I don’t know that they can get Skubal, or have enough to get Skubal if they are indeed going down that route for a rental. But the Braves certainly with the state of their rotation right now — Holmes has been okay, Perez has been a revelation — need more and we’ll see if they go get it.”

I want to nip something in the bud right now. Rosenthal is the best at what he does, but he doesn’t know a single thing about the Braves farm system. It’s a system that has struggled in recent years but has taken a sharp turn for the better — this could be a top 10 farm system in baseball sooner rather than later. They absolutely have more than enough to get Tarik Skubal if that’s what they desire.

Will that be on the radar over the next couple of months? It’s not the Braves’ MO, but neither is going after starting pitchers at the trade deadline in general. The last significant addition they made to their rotation this time of year was Kevin Gausman nearly a decade ago, and that was well before his prime.

The rental aspect of Skubal is likely to turn Anthopoulos off — he knows the Braves have very little chance of re-signing him in free agency. But the Braves don’t need to be penny pinching anymore. Chris Sale isn’t going to be around forever. They need to find a frontline starter for now and the future. It’s well past time for Alex Anthopoulos to take a real gamble.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Southisene recently earned a promotion to High-A Rome — high marks for a 19-year-old with fewer than 70 games of professional baseball under his belt — after hitting .297 with eight home runs and 36 stolen bases in 51 games for the Augusta Green Jackets. If the jump in competition was supposed to slow him down, there are no signs of it yet.

In his first two plate appearances yesterday, Southisene reached base both times — recording a hit and drawing a walk. Through nine plate appearances with his new club, he’s reached base five times and is sporting an OPS over 1.000.

There is so much to appreciate about his game at such a young age. Hitting eight home runs in 50 games at any level as a 19-year-old is enormously encouraging. That raw strength is only going to become more apparent as he physically matures, and he pairs it with elite speed — evidenced by 37 stolen bases in just 53 total games this season.

What’s even more eye-catching, though, is his natural feel for the strike zone. He drew three walks in his first two games in Rome and had 37 walks for Augusta, contributing to a .429 on-base percentage.

There are plenty more hurdles for Tate Southisene to clear before anyone crowns him the shortstop of the future — most importantly, proving he can handle the position defensively, which remains the single most critical aspect of a shortstop’s development. But this is one of the most promising young prospects to come through the organization in a long time, and watching him develop over the next few years is going to be a lot of fun.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today selected RHP James Karinchak to the major league roster and designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment. The club also recalled RHP JR Ritchie to Atlanta and placed RHP Tyler Kinley on the 15-day injured list, backdated to June 8, with right elbow…

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 10, 2026

Karinchak replaces Kinley, and it’s an opportunity for him to earn a permanent role in the bullpen. The stuff is electric — 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings for Gwinnett this season — and he has a solid track record at the major-league level before injuries derailed his career.

The other transaction is potentially a bit more complicated. JR Ritchie replaces Carrasco, who was designated for assignment. There’s a chance this is simply the Braves adding a fresh arm in case of emergency, but that’s not typically how you handle one of your top prospects.

It would be surprising if Ritchie didn’t make at least one start before heading back to Gwinnett — and like Karinchak, he has an opportunity to make this move permanent.

By now, everyone is familiar with the enigma that is Grant Holmes. The first time through the order he’s one of the better pitchers in baseball. The second time? He’s no better than a position player.

Grant Holmes Splits

1st time through the order: .181 batting average allowed, .526 OPS

2nd time through the order: .317 batting average allowed, 1.055 OPS

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Over a larger sample size those numbers would likely converge somewhat, but not enough to ignore the obvious. Holmes is best suited for a relief role, a place where he’s had plenty of success throughout his career.

That move is coming eventually. Hurston Waldrep is working his way through his rehab assignment and should rejoin the club within a month. AJ Smith-Shawver is right behind him, and Spencer Schwellenbach could enter the conversation later in the season.

But before any of that happens, this could be Ritchie’s best opportunity to prove he belongs in Atlanta for good. There were some control issues and trouble putting hitters away earlier in the season, but this is a talented young pitcher — and with talented young pitchers, you never quite know when everything is going to click.

The Braves would love to see that happen this time around. If it does, moving Holmes to the bullpen becomes an easy decision — and this pitching staff gets even deeper in the process.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The fastball was touching 99, and through three innings he was perfect, striking out three. The fourth is where things unraveled — a hit batter and a couple of singles were followed by a three-run home run, and he wouldn’t make it out of the inning. The final line: 3.2 innings, three hits, four earned runs, three strikeouts on 53 pitches.

That pitch count, and getting through the outing healthy, is really all that matters at this stage. The stuff is still jumping off the page — there are no concerns there. Now it’s simply about getting fully stretched out.

Waldrep will make his fourth rehab start next week, and the Braves will decide whether to keep him in Columbus or transfer him to Gwinnett. The goal will likely be somewhere around 65-70 pitches, with the fifth start targeting around 85.

If everything goes smoothly over the next couple of weeks, the Braves will have a decision to make. Waldrep still has options, so there’s no obligation to rush him, and if the current rotation continues to perform, perhaps they let him get fully comfortable before bringing him up.

But he’s too talented to keep down for long. Control has always been the key for Waldrep — as long as he’s throwing strikes, he has the potential to be the number two starter the Braves have been searching for all season. It’s very possible we see him back in Atlanta before the end of the month.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The rotation has held up better than anyone could have imagined, but that doesn’t change the fact that Atlanta really doesn’t have a playoff-caliber starter outside of Chris Sale. Adding a legitimate number two behind him should be a priority — though starting pitching at the trade deadline comes at a steep price.

Another area where the Braves could look to upgrade, which Bradford Doolittle highlights in his latest piece for ESPN, is shortstop.

“Atlanta has been good at just about everything in building a huge lead in the National League East,” Doolittle writes. “Looking ahead to a likely return to October, there are two key areas to monitor and assess: shortstop and the rotation. The Braves figure to be mentioned frequently if and when the Skubal sweepstakes commence, but shortstop might be the bigger need. That really only matters if someone who is a clear upgrade — perhaps someone such as Jeremy Peña, Willy Adames or CJ Abrams — actually becomes available. A rotation addition seems more likely, even if it’s not Skubal.”

Not everyone will agree, but I don’t see shortstop as something the Braves are going to pursue at this year’s trade deadline. Mauricio Dubon has been a well above-average option through the first few months, and nobody should be completely writing off Ha-Seong Kim just yet either.

Could the Braves upgrade at shortstop? Sure. Should it be a primary focus given the price tags attached to legitimate upgrades? I’m not sure many serious conversations will even be had.

Left field is a much more attainable upgrade. The Braves lost Jurickson Profar before the season began to a second PED suspension, which threw a real wrench into things. Luckily it hasn’t hurt them to this point, but that shouldn’t stop them from inquiring on every outfielder that hits the trade block. They’re considerably less expensive than shortstops, and the right one can add significant firepower to the lineup.

That’s the one position I’d guarantee the Braves address before the deadline. They went after Byron Buxton last year, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if those conversations resurface in about a month.

Beyond that, like every team, the Braves could use bullpen depth — though I’d put that at the bottom of the priority list with seven weeks to go before the trade deadline. 

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(Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire)

Ronald Acuña Jr. is heading back to the IL after suffering yet another hamstring injury during yesterday’s game versus the White Sox. In a corresponding move, the club has selected the contract of Rowdy Tellez and added him to the major-league roster.

Additionally, the once highly touted prospect arm Jhancarlos Lara has been designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Atlanta today also placed OF Ronald Acuña Jr. on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and selected INF Rowdy Tellez to the major league roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated RHP Jhancarlos Lara for assignment.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 10, 2026

Weiss said after yesterday’s game that the initial feeling is Acuña’s hamstring injury is not as bad as the one he suffered last month, which kept him out only a couple of weeks. Regardless, placing him on the IL is a no-brainer. Hamstring injuries will continue to flare up until they are fully healed, and no Braves fan should be eager to see him back on the field until he’s 100 percent. We should know more when Weiss speaks to the media later today.

As for Jhancarlos Lara — he possessed the most high-powered arm in the entire system, capable of touching triple digits with ease and pairing it with a nasty wipeout slider. Over 278 minor league innings, he averaged 12 strikeouts per nine.

The problem is he has absolutely no command. He’s averaged over seven walks per nine innings since joining the organization, and that number spiked to an unsightly 17 walks per nine this season. Lara was quite literally walking nearly two batters per inning.

It’s an unfortunate roster casualty given the raw talent involved, but there’s a chance he clears waivers and finds his way back into the organization.

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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

BALDY'S BACK

The 2025 NL Rookie of the Year is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Gwinnett tomorrow in Jacksonville, presented by @NorthsideHosp.

: https://t.co/g1ZpPr2DTQ pic.twitter.com/fHrGN3Htb2

— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) June 12, 2026

Baldwin has faced live batting practice over the last couple of days. Now he’ll get a chance against some real competition over the weekend.

Alex Anthopolous said a little over a week ago that he didn’t think Baldwin would even need a rehab assignment, so it does not seem as if he is going to spend much time in Gwinnett. If all goes well over the weekend, he could rejoin the Braves as early as Tuesday when they begin a series with the San Francisco Giants at Truist Park.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

For that to happen, Jaylen Brown would have to be involved — which is where the Hawks enter the picture. Atlanta has been linked to the five-time All-Star multiple times over the past several months, but it always felt more like offseason fantasy than reality. Until now.

“One of the loudest questions circulating throughout the league at the moment: Miami might still be widely regarded as the most likely destination for Antetokounmpo … but what sort of market is going to form for Jaylen Brown to join the trade construction as a third team if the Bucks and Celtics advance to a serious stage in Giannis-to-Boston talks,” Jake Fischer reports for The Stein Line.

“Portland, Houston and Atlanta are teams routinely mentioned as suitors with Brown interest, but the sheer salary numbers do add a layer of complexity to any talks. Brown, who turns 30 in October, just assembled a career season but also has three years and $183 million left on his current contract.”

Brown’s massive contract adds a layer of complexity to any three-team construction, but the Hawks have always had the draft capital, young assets, and cap flexibility to make a move of this magnitude work.

Atlanta owns two first-round picks in this year’s draft — 8th and 23rd — along with another valuable selection next year in the form of a top-five protected pick, the worse of the Bucks and Pelicans. On the player side, Milwaukee could choose from the likes of Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, and Asa Newell. Jalen Johnson will not be part of any trade conversations.

The cap side is where things get complicated, but the Hawks would have significant space if they decline their option on Jonathan Kuminga and move on from free agent CJ McCollum — both decisions that become considerably easier if Jaylen Brown is added to the roster.

The Hawks aren’t being forced into anything. They proved over the second half of last season that they’re already one of the better teams in the East and are perfectly comfortable continuing to build through their stockpile of draft assets.

That said, opportunities to acquire a top-10 talent in the NBA — a player coming off a career year in which he averaged nearly 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game — don’t come around often, especially for an organization like Atlanta. Nobody can blame them for being seriously interested. And if they can get this done without surrendering the eighth pick in this year’s draft, this roster instantly becomes one of the more formidable in the Eastern Conference.

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(Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)

Hurston Waldrep has returned from his rehab assignment and been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett — really just a procedural move. He threw 53 pitches over 3.2 innings in his third rehab start on Thursday and will need at least a couple more outings before the Braves consider adding him to the active roster. With options remaining, they can keep him in Gwinnett for as long as they’d like.

The Braves also released catcher Maverick Handley. Carlos Carrasco cleared waivers and is back with the Stripers — don’t be surprised to see him in Atlanta again in the near future. And finally, once-touted prospect Jhancarlos Lara was claimed by the Nationals after being designated for assignment earlier in the week.

The #Braves today returned RHP Hurston Waldrep from his rehabilitation assignment, reinstated him from the injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. Atlanta also released C Maverick Handley from the roster and outrighted RHP Carlos Carrasco to the Stripers. RHP…

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 12, 2026

Losing Lara is an unfortunate roster casualty. The arm is incredible — capable of hitting triple digits with ease — but he simply hasn’t been able to find the strike zone, averaging 7.2 walks per nine innings over his minor-league career, including 17 walks per nine this season to go along with an 8.22 ERA.

At some point the Braves had to accept he wasn’t going to contribute at the major-league level anytime soon, and with injuries piling up, they needed the 40-man roster spot.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Not an inspiring sign for any pitcher — but Kinley offered some reassuring clarity on the situation.

“I had an MRI, image came back great,” Kinley said. “I saw the White Sox doctor in Chicago, saw our doctor today in Atlanta. Structurally everything looks good. We are not concerned about it. Basically just had some inflammation that kind of popped up, and we thought it was best rather than short-handing the bullpen for a couple of days and giving me a couple days off, we thought it was best to be a little bit more precise about this and give us a couple more days and knock it out completely and give the bullpen a fresh arm.”

Tyler Kinley says there's no long-term concern with his elbow injury. pic.twitter.com/GZC9q0rPL0

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) June 11, 2026

Tyler Kinley hasn’t been quite as impressive this season as some of his bullpen mates, but not everybody can sport a 1.00 ERA. In 31 appearances, he owns a 3.18, 127 ERA+ (27% above league average), and is striking out over a batter per inning.

As good as the Braves bullpen has been, depth is always a concern. It’s fantastic to hear this doesn’t appear to be an elbow injury that will keep him out for more than a couple of weeks.

Strider gave up seven runs in just three innings, but the real story was the injury he suffered along the way — his fastball dipping into the 80s toward the end of the outing. Weiss said after the game that Strider was experiencing both elbow and shoulder soreness, and he’s already been placed on the 15-day IL with what the Braves are calling right elbow inflammation.

The #Braves today recalled RHP Anthony Molina to Atlanta and placed RHP Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Additionally, C Drake Baldwin begins a rehabilitation assignment tonight with Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 13, 2026

Perhaps that’s exactly what it is — something that may just require a month of rest. But all the signs point to the contrary. This could be another season-ending ordeal for Strider, the second he’s experienced over the last three seasons.

It’s an incredibly unfortunate turn that Braves fans have unfortunately become all too accustomed to. Over a half-decade ago, Michael Soroka looked like he was on the path to a Hall of Fame career before back-to-back Achilles injuries essentially ended his time in Atlanta. After him came Kyle Wright, who led the league in wins before a shoulder injury all but ended his career. Wright was traded less than two years later and still hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2023.

Spencer Strider’s last three years might be the most heartbreaking of all, however. This was an arm on the path to being the most dominant in baseball — a strikeout machine with several Cy Young awards seemingly waiting for him around the corner.

That all changed when he underwent InternalBrace surgery in 2024. There hasn’t been a moment since where he’s looked anything like the pitcher who tormented offenses with 100 MPH heat, and it’s difficult to imagine a third significant arm injury making the road back any easier.

Strider is the ultimate competitor — an extremely hard worker who pours his heart and soul into perfecting his craft. Writing him off may be premature, but the hill is beginning to look impossibly steep. Another potential nightmare ending for one of the Braves’ most gifted arms.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Last year was a down year across the board. Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, and Austin Riley all turned in career-worst campaigns. Ronald Acuña Jr. missed a significant amount of time recovering from a torn ACL. Matt Olson wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t his best stretch as a Brave either. Not much went right for Atlanta’s core — with one notable exception in Drake Baldwin, who took home the Rookie of the Year award.

Baldwin has built on that tremendous debut and established himself as the best catcher in the National League. The bigger difference this season, however, has been the performance of the players around him — particularly Albies and Harris.

In just 62 games, Albies has already matched his WAR total from all of last season at 2.3. He’s on pace for close to 30 home runs while maintaining an .800 OPS. This is who he has been his entire career, but there were legitimate concerns after a string of wrist and hand injuries appeared to leave some lingering effects.

Harris was also a question mark entering the season. Nobody has ever doubted the talent, but there had been a steady offensive decline since his Rookie of the Year campaign, bottoming out with a .678 OPS last year. An adjustment to his stance in the second half of 2025 produced better results, and that momentum has carried over — he’s now hitting .300 with 13 home runs and an .850 OPS while making a strong case for his first All-Star appearance.

The other massive offensive difference has been what I like to call “the other guys.” Over the years, Anthopoulos has been exceptional at finding hidden gems, but the last couple of seasons produced mostly flops in that department — guys like Jarred Kelenic and Alex Verdugo making minimal impact.

That hasn’t been the case in 2026. Dominic Smith has been a menace against right-handed pitching after signing a minor-league deal in the offseason, and Mauricio Dubon has saved the team on more than a handful of occasions.

The pitching staff has also made a remarkable leap despite dealing with a revolving door of injuries. Bryce Elder has completely turned his career around, while Martin Perez, Spencer Strider, and Grant Holmes have all held their own behind Chris Sale.

But the real difference has been the bullpen. A glaring weak spot a year ago has become one of the team’s biggest strengths, led by the three-headed monster of Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias. Rookie Didier Fuentes has also made a major impact, giving Walt Weiss a weapon who can go multiple innings and handle high-leverage situations when needed.

Just about everything is clicking for the Braves in 2026 — a stark contrast from a year ago. And this stat from 680 The Fan’s Barrett Sallee illustrates it perfectly.

Atlanta is now 42-20 through the first two games of June. The Braves didn’t record their 42nd win last season until two days before the All-Star break.

The Braves are 42-20. It's June 3

The Braves didn't get their 42nd win until July 12 last year – two days before the All-Star break.

— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) June 4, 2026

Most expected the Braves to bounce back after just 76 wins a year ago. They have to much talent and pedigree to stay down for multiple seasons; however, nobody had this team on pace to win 110 games, which would be a franchise record.

Everybody deserves a bit of credit, including first-year manager Walt Weiss, who is building a strong case for the Manager of the Year award.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The Braves also have some clear areas where they could stand to upgrade.

Most notably, adding a frontline arm to pair with Chris Sale would be ideal. The rotation hasn’t been a problem so far, but the postseason is an entirely different animal. The Braves need another ace-caliber guy when October arrives.

The bullpen could also use another left-handed arm. Dylan Lee has been outstanding, but he can’t shoulder that load alone. And lastly, the Braves could use a bat capable of DHing and playing left field. Coming into the season, that was supposed to be Jurickson Profar. His 162-game suspension hasn’t hurt the team thus far, but it leaves an obvious hole that needs to be filled.

That’s where Jarren Duran comes in. He may not be a right-handed bat, which would be preferred with Mike Yastrzemski in the fold, but he’s such a clear upgrade in left field that he’s a potential target if the Red Sox make him available. Boston is currently listening to offers — however, the gap between how they value him and what the rest of the league is willing to pay is significant, according to Jeff Passan.

“And while teams will continue to ask about outfielder Jarren Duran, the difference between how Boston and potential suitors value him remains steep,” Passan wrote in his latest piece for ESPN.

Duran began the season in a deep slump but has turned it around considerably over the last month, hitting nine home runs with an .864 OPS over his last 29 games. He’s been among the best all-around outfielders in the sport over the last three seasons and has two years remaining on his contract after this season.

The Red Sox are right to hold him in high regard, and there’s no reason to lower their asking price this far from the deadline. We’ll find out how serious they are about moving him in about six weeks.

If talks heat up, expect the Braves to be among the interested parties. Left field has been a black hole in Atlanta for half a decade. They tried to pull off a blockbuster trade for Byron Buxton a year ago. They should be looking to do something similar this time around.

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Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire

Starting at shortstop yesterday, Dubon homered for the third consecutive game — a two-run shot that tied the game at three. He then added a double that gave the Braves the lead and ultimately sparked a three-run rally that put it out of reach.

He’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it’s worth reminding everyone that the Braves acquired him from the Astros in a straight-up exchange for Nick Allen. It was a peculiar deal at the time from Houston’s perspective and looks like malpractice today — but the Braves certainly aren’t complaining.

After the game, Dubon had a message for everybody: “This is the best baseball team in the world.”

“This is the best baseball team in the world.” – Mauricio Dubon following tonight’s 6-3 win over @Pirates #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/Trga3BLNYC

— @suggswriterATL (@suggswriteATL) June 6, 2026

A bold statement — but through 64 games, it’s hard to argue.

The Braves have lost just two series and we’re well into the third month of the season. Not to mention, they haven’t played a single game anywhere close to full strength. This team is only going to get stronger as the season progresses.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Michael Harris II all stayed hot with multi-hit games of their own on Friday. Martin Perez had some rocky moments on the mound but ultimately turned in another respectable outing, going five innings and allowing three earned runs.

And the bullpen? Lights out once again. The now four-headed monster of Didier Fuentes, Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias each tossed a scoreless frame. That might be the Braves’ biggest advantage at this point in the season — if they have the lead, or even find themselves in a close game around the fifth inning, it almost always ends in their favor.

On Saturday, the Braves look to clinch another series win, sending Spencer Strider to the mound against Braxton Ashcraft.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Almost every notable MLB insider is expecting some form of work stoppage. The two sides appear to be digging in more than ever — owners hellbent on implementing a salary cap, while the players are equally adamant that one will never be an acceptable resolution.

That uncertainty will undoubtedly come up in trade deadline negotiations when discussing players with control beyond this season. Teams will throw out lowball offers citing the possibility of missed games. Eventually one side has to budge, but Ken Rosenthal believes buyers will still ultimately be forced to pay a premium when pursuing players with multiple years of control.

He points specifically to the offseason trades of Brendan Donovan and MacKenzie Gore — both of whom brought back significant hauls despite being under contract through 2027. A pending lockout isn’t a new development. Both sides have been preparing for this for some time, and that didn’t soften the packages the Cardinals and Nationals received.

“Donovan brought the St. Louis Cardinals three prospects in a three-team deal with the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays,” Rosenthal wrote. “One of them was pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, the 15th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. The Cardinals also obtained the Nos. 68 and 72 selections in next month’s draft.

“Gore brought the Washington Nationals five prospects from the Texas Rangers, including infielder Gavin Fien, whom The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked No. 76 in his top 100.

“The prospect of missing games next season arose during the Donovan and Gore discussions, according to executives briefed on the conversations. But ultimately, the uncertainty about 2027 had little impact on the returns.”

The idea that a potential lockout could present better buying opportunities for teams like the Braves is fun to imagine — but two things will likely prevent that from happening.

The first is the market. Ever since MLB expanded the postseason to 12 teams, there have been far more buyers than sellers. All it takes is one club to ignore the possibility of a lockout for a seller to get the package they want, and teams focused on winning are generally more concerned with the present than the future. That’s why they’re buying in the first place.

The second, as Rosenthal points out, is that even with the two sides currently so far apart, the odds of the entire 2027 season being wiped out remain slim. Whether 162 games are played next year or 50, a champion will be crowned. And at the end of the day, that’s what all of this is about — winning championships. The Braves are built to do exactly that, and no labor uncertainty should slow down their pursuit of one.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Fuentes has become an integral piece of the bullpen — a guy Walt Weiss is trusting more and more in high-leverage situations. The fact that he can also go multiple innings gives Atlanta a significant advantage. It would be perfectly reasonable to keep him there for the entire season, but it’s impossible not to wonder what he could offer if thrust back into the rotation — something Chris Sale hinted at following last night’s loss.

“His stuff is a lot of fun to watch. It’s pure electricity coming out of that right arm,” Sale said of Fuentes. “A lot of confidence in him. I think moving forward he’s only doing himself a lot of favors, maybe even getting back into the rotation.”

The Braves rotation has been a strength through the first two-plus months. They’ve gotten more than anyone could have imagined out of Bryce Elder, Martin Perez, and Grant Holmes. But when the conversation turns to contending for championships, this group still lacks a true number two behind Chris Sale.

The encouraging news is that options exist. Could Spencer Strider rediscover the form we saw in 2023 as he continues to get stronger? The Braves also have Hurston Waldrep, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Spencer Schwellenbach all working their way back — any one of them could potentially be that guy. Or maybe the answer has been staring everyone in the face all along — a 20-year-old who has made every hitter to step in against him look completely overmatched.

There’s no denying Fuentes has the stuff to be a frontline pitcher. It’s a lot to ask of someone so young — but with each passing outing, the confidence grows. And confidence paired with his repertoire is a dangerous combination.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Initially, the experiment exceeded all expectations. Lopez earned his first All-Star selection and finished the season with a sub-2.00 ERA. Fatigue caught up to him in the second half, however, rendering him unavailable for the playoffs — and those issues carried into 2025.

Lopez underwent shoulder surgery after just one start last season and never returned. With a couple of years remaining on his contract and the rotation experiment no longer paying dividends, moving him back to the bullpen seemed like the logical path forward.

The Braves didn’t see it that way. They let him stretch out during Spring Training and put him right back in the rotation — a decision that lasted about a month. Following a miserable outing in Washington in which he recorded just three outs and allowed four runs, the club announced he would be moving to the bullpen, though they stopped short of calling it permanent, citing unspecified mechanical issues.

The way the Braves have handled Lopez over the last two years has been puzzling, and it’s only continued. Over the last six weeks, he’s appeared in just nine games, almost exclusively in low-leverage situations — until last night, when he was thrust into a tight 3-2 game in the ninth and surrendered four runs to completely take team out of it.

The reality is that Reynaldo Lopez is not going back to the Braves rotation. His stuff isn’t good enough, the rotation is currently full, and there are far more deserving arms in line when everyone gets healthy.

1. Didier Fuentes
2. JR Ritchie
3. Spencer Schwellenbach
4. AJ Smith-Shawver
5. Hurston Waldrep

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And that doesn’t even account for any potential additions at the trade deadline. The only viable path forward for Lopez is out of the bullpen — yet the Braves don’t appear fully committed to that role either, at least not based on how they’re using him.

At 42-21 and 8.5 games clear of the Phillies, there isn’t much to complain about in Atlanta. But it’s hard to feel like they haven’t botched this entire situation.

Maybe the arm is cooked and there’s nothing to be done about it. He wouldn’t be the first pitcher to have his career derailed by shoulder problems. But he’s a waste of space on the roster right now, and with a wave of arms expected back over the next few months, it’s fair to wonder where exactly he fits when they arrive.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

However, with the American League being a disaster in its own right, Boston finds itself just 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. They’re far from guaranteed sellers — even if they probably should be. But they are already fielding trade calls, according to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffery, and they have plenty that could interest the Braves.

“(We’re) having a lot of conversations, a lot of discussions, and I think it’s been kind of true industry-wide,” Red Sox GM Craig Breslow said. “But there are a lot of teams that probably feel pretty similar to us, which is to say that they have confidence in their rosters, they know they’re not playing as well as they’re capable of, and really, nobody is kind of putting the postseason out of reach. So there are a bunch of teams that are in it right now and are thinking along the same lines as we are.”

If the Red Sox continue to scuffle over the next month, Jarren Duran could be a prime target for the Braves — an All-Star caliber left fielder with multiple years of team control, something Atlanta has been in search of for years. The price tag, however, would be significant.

If the Braves didn’t want to meet that number, Boston has a slew of relievers who will be highly coveted — led by pending free agent Aroldis Chapman. He’s been the best reliever in baseball since the start of last season, and while the Braves bullpen has been elite, every relief corps can use the addition of someone like Chapman.

According to McCaffery, Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock are two other relievers Boston has already begun fielding calls on.

The Red Sox also have a surplus of catchers — and that’s a somewhat underrated need for the Braves. They don’t need to make a splash at the position, but with Sean Murphy expected to miss several more months, adding depth makes sense. The current situation with Drake Baldwin also on the IL is a perfect illustration of why — it’s been a disaster behind the plate in Atlanta, with primary catcher Sandy Leon sporting a .065 batting average.

McCaffery names Connor Wong — who is hitting .264 with a .713 OPS over 26 games this season — as someone the Red Sox would be willing to move.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

Southisene began the year with the Low-A Augusta Green Jackets, hitting just under .300 with eight home runs, a .929 OPS, and a league-leading 36 stolen bases. The power he’s showcasing at just 19 years old combined with his athleticism has been nothing short of remarkable — especially for a player many deemed a reach when the Braves selected him 22nd overall.

His performance has already earned him a spot on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects, clocking in at number 95 and joining JR Ritchie, Cam Caminiti, and Eric Hartman as Braves representatives on the list.

And now he’s getting promoted to High-A Rome.

He’s here.

2025 #Braves first round draft pick @TateSouthisene has been promoted to High-A Rome!#RuleTheLand pic.twitter.com/3YIowSBHsa

— Rome Emperors (@GoEmperors) June 6, 2026

Southisene is already putting together one of the better teenage seasons you’ll see in the minors, and if it continues in Rome, the Braves may have a future superstar on their hands at a position that has plagued the organization ever since Dansby Swanson left in free agency.

Also worth noting — this promotion could have implications for John Gil, another ultra-talented shortstop prospect currently playing in Rome. His spot may now be opening up for Southisene, which could mean Gil is on his way to Double-A Columbus. In just 53 games this season, Gil has already surpassed his home run total from a year ago with eight and has added 28 stolen bases.

The Braves will likely need to find a stopgap at shortstop for another season or two, but the future of the position appears to be firmly within the organization.

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(Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire)

That’s a question everybody has been wondering since it was announced he would need surgery on his elbow prior to the season, and while he’s back to throwing, Walt Weiss reminded everyone on Friday that Schwellenbach pitching this year is far from a guarantee.

Walt Weiss again said that Schwellenbach is still a long way from possibly returning this year.

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 5, 2026

Spencer Schwellenbach ended the 2025 season on the IL after suffering a minor fracture in his elbow, and when he went down again right before the start of the 2026 campaign, the initial feeling was that he probably wouldn’t pitch again this year.

There have been positive developments recently, however. Schwellenbach was cleared to throw a couple of weeks ago and has worked his way up to 75 feet. Weiss said he’ll continue to progress slowly up to 120 feet, and at that point, they’ll see if he’s ready to throw bullpens. He’ll then progress to live action, and hopefully, begin a rehab assignment, which will essentially be like his Spring Training.

Simply put, this is going to be a very long and slow process for Spencer Schwellenbach with a lot of boxes to check. A single setback, and it’s pretty much a guarantee he will not pitch this season.

The promising news on the pitching side of things is that a couple of the Braves other talented young arms do look like they’ll return. Hurston Waldrep began his rehab assignment earlier this week, meaning he could rejoin the club in about a month.

Walt Weiss also said that AJ Smith-Shawver — who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery — is not far behind. He’s throwing high intensity bullpen sessions, the final step before he begins his rehab assignment as well.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

The do-it-all man Mauricio Dubon has taken his place in center field, providing Ha-Seong Kim with an opportunity to start at shortstop.

City Connect Saturday!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/Fp5gAPOkos

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 6, 2026

For now, all we can hope is the Braves are taking things super cautiously. Harris has been among the best players on the team — hitting .303 with 13 homers and an .853 OPS — and has a history of back issues. There’s no reason to take any chances, but we should know more when Walt Weiss addresses the media.

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(Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Leave ’em here. Please include your city.

The Braves, of course, would go on to win the division — sweeping New York in the final series of the season to cap one of the most remarkable comebacks in MLB history.

This season, the shoe is on the other foot. Despite a revolving door of injuries, the Braves have more than weathered the storm, building a 9.0 game lead in the division through the first two-plus months. They’ve been the best team in baseball since Opening Day, and there’s reason to believe they could get even better as reinforcements arrive.

Drake Baldwin — arguably the best catcher in baseball — is expected back at some point in June. Hurston Waldrep just began his rehab assignment. AJ Smith-Shawver and Spencer Schwellenbach are both expected to return at some point this season. And the Braves still have the prospect depth and financial flexibility to be major players at the trade deadline.

All of that has led ESPN’s Buster Olney to make his own declaration.

“It’s over,” Olney said on ESPN. “You’re the Atlanta Braves, they are rolling — 109-win pace. Ronald Acuña Jr. starting to heat up right now, in addition to what they are getting out of Matt Olson, in addition to what they are getting out of Michael Harris II. All around that diamond, with their rotation, they look excellent.”

The Nationals have been a fun story through the first two months, boasting one of the more exciting offenses in the league, but most still consider the Phillies to be Atlanta’s primary competition in the division. Philadelphia sits 9.5 games back and has the kind of roster capable of stringing together a lengthy winning streak at any moment.

Making up that kind of ground in four months is improbable — but far from impossible. Atlanta has had trouble staying healthy since the start of the 2024 season, and things could get very interesting if a primary starter goes down.

The Braves haven’t given anyone a reason to doubt them. They’re mashing baseballs, pairing it with elite pitching, and stand to get stronger as the season progresses. But declaring the NL East over with four months to play is wildly premature. There’s still a lot of baseball left, and everyone in Atlanta’s dugout is aware that the job is not finished.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today selected RHP
Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 2, 2026

Carrasco has made seven appearances for the Braves over the last two seasons, all in mop-up duty. However, he’s been reasonably effective in that role this year, posting a 2.45 ERA over 7.1 innings.

We may or may not see him in the upcoming series against the Blue Jays — but if we do, somebody is winning by five or more runs. Within the next week, he’ll likely be designated for assignment again to make room for a fresh arm, only to resurface a few days later. It’s an endless cycle, but there are worse veterans to have on standby when you need someone to eat innings. It’s a good thing he hasn’t found a new home.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Anthopoulos is unlikely to sit on his hands. The better question is how big will he swing? If he’s willing to part with anyone on this list, the Braves could land one of the marquee stars that becomes available over the next two months.

5. Eric Hartman

Hartman has been the talk of the farm system so far in 2026 — going from an afterthought to a borderline top-100 prospect in just two months. He’s an elite athlete who has flashed impressive power early on, hitting 13 home runs in 47 games for High-A Rome at just 20 years old. But this feels like the type of player the Braves could potentially sell high on. He still has a lot to prove before he’s discussed as a legitimate fixture in Atlanta.

4. Cam Caminiti

Most prospect outlets have Caminiti as the Braves’ top overall prospect — a left-handed starter with a ton of projectability who has scuffled a bit in his transition to High-A ball, posting a 5.16 ERA. Nobody should panic over a 19-year-old still finding his footing, but given how many talented young arms are already in this organization, parting with one who is still several years from the majors would be an easier pill to swallow than most of the other names on this list.

3. Tate Southisene

Southisene was the Braves’ first-round pick last year — a selection some called a reach at the time. His first taste of professional ball suggests otherwise. In 47 games for the Augusta Green Jackets, he’s hitting just under .300 with eight home runs and a ridiculous 35 stolen bases. The tools he’s flashing at just 19 years old have the entire organization excited, which would make moving him an incredibly difficult conversation to have.

2. JR Ritchie

The second spot was the toughest call on this list. Caminiti, Southisene, and Hartman are all talented and oozing with upside — but Ritchie is a major-league ready arm with plenty of ceiling of his own, making it hard to go in another direction.

The 22-year-old consensus top-100 prospect has already made five starts with the Braves, posting a 4.56 ERA. There were some control issues, but nerves likely played a role. In seven starts for Gwinnett this season, he owns a 2.70 ERA.

1. Didier Fuentes

Most prospect outlets have Fuentes as the club’s number two prospect — but when it comes to trade value, it’s not particularly close. He’s already proving himself at the major-league level and hasn’t even turned 21 years old yet. Since moving to the bullpen, he’s posted a 1.15 ERA over 15.2 innings.

Long-term, Fuentes is a starting pitcher — whether that’s in Atlanta or somewhere else. The raw talent he possesses is as good as any young arm in the organization. It would take an All-Star caliber player with multiple years of affordable team control for the Braves to even consider moving him, but there might be a deal out there where it makes sense.

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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Chris Sale is once again in the thick of the NL Cy Young race. Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II have all played like MVPs, even if catching Shohei Ohtani — who is terrorizing opponents both as a hitter and a pitcher — feels like a near-impossible task. Walt Weiss deserves to be a frontrunner for NL Manager of the Year, and Alex Anthopoulos is as deserving as anyone for Executive of the Year honors.

Hardware is coming to Atlanta in some form, but they also have a chance to break the franchise record for most All-Stars in a single season, a mark that was set back in 2023 with eight.

Starting Pitchers

Absolute Locks

Chris Sale — Sale has more pedigree than just about any active pitcher, but he doesn’t need to lean on reputation this season. He’s posted a 2.02 ERA over his first 11 starts and will be representing the Braves in the All-Star Game for the third consecutive year.

Trending In The Right Direction

Bryce Elder — Elder had his first rough outing last week, allowing six runs over 3.1 innings in Boston, bumping his ERA from 1.97 to 2.50. If selections were made today he’d likely sneak in, but with the competition for National League spots as stiff as it is, he’ll need a strong finish over the next month to secure a spot.

Position Players

Absolute Locks

Matt Olson — Olson has been the best first baseman in baseball through the first two-plus months, hitting 16 home runs with a league-leading 18 doubles and an .882 OPS. Pair that with his elite defense and he’s on his way to his fourth All-Star Game.

Drake Baldwin — Baldwin has been sidelined for a few weeks, but that shouldn’t cost him a spot. He’s the best catcher in the National League by a wide margin, hitting over .300 with 13 home runs and a .931 OPS. He’s in.

Michael Harris II — It’s surprising Harris hasn’t made an All-Star Game yet, but it’ll be very difficult to snub him this year. He’s hitting over .300 with 13 home runs while playing his typically elite defense in center field.

Ronald Acuña Jr. — A week ago he wouldn’t have been a lock, but Acuña has caught fire — five home runs in his last four games with his OPS now sitting at .821. And beyond the numbers, the All-Star Game is a popularity contest in many ways. Acuña is getting in on the fan vote regardless.

Trending In The Right Direction

Ozzie Albies — A month ago he would have been a near-certainty. A rough May changed that. There were signs of life toward the end of the month, and if that carries over, he should get in — but he’s not a lock right now.

Relievers

Trending In The Right Direction

The competition for reliever spots is brutal, so nobody is a lock — but Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, and Dylan Lee are all making strong cases.

Iglesias is probably the best reliever in the league never to have made an All-Star Game. That should finally change this season — he’s posting a 1.02 ERA and 1.22 FIP over 17 appearances. Suarez would be making his third consecutive All-Star appearance, and he’s somehow been even better than Iglesias, recording a 0.71 ERA over 25 outings. Lee is equally deserving with a 1.30 ERA, 0.614 WHIP, and 1.42 FIP over 28 games. It would be a travesty if any of the three gets left out — but all three getting in would be extraordinarily rare.

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At minimum, the Braves are getting five All-Stars. Add in two relievers and that’s seven — one shy of the franchise record. If Elder and Albies both perform over the next month, breaking that record becomes a very real possibility. Given how this team has played through the first half, it would be a fitting storyline.

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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

There’s no place like home! #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/MN8TuBni1Z

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 2, 2026

Walt Weiss said last week that he’d be taking shortstop day-by-day, essentially playing the hot hand — and it’s hard to find anyone hotter right now than Jorge Mateo.

He homered in both games against the Reds over the weekend and has hit safely in five straight. On the season, he now owns a .316 batting average with four home runs, an .876 OPS, and seven steals.

Mateo’s track record suggests this can’t be sustainable forever. Over his seven-year career, he’s never posted an OPS better than .670, and even that came back in 2021 over just 89 games. Some regression is likely coming — however, there was once a time when Jorge Mateo was the top prospect in the Yankees organization, ranked just ahead of three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge.

His career obviously didn’t pan out anything like Judge’s. He was included in the trade that netted the Yankees Sonny Gray, then dealt again to the Padres before he ever made his MLB debut. His longest stint in the majors came with the Orioles, where he spent five seasons — only two of which he was an everyday player.

That speaks to the volatility of prospects, but it also speaks to the raw talent Mateo has always possessed. Maybe the Braves are catching lightning in a bottle, or maybe this is a player finally feeling comfortable and making the most of a perfect opportunity. Whatever it is, the Braves appear ready to find out. As long as he keeps hitting, he’s going to be the club’s starting shortstop.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa

If the Hawks don’t go the point guard route at 8, they could look to address it at 23 — and Stirtz could be the best player available at this slot.

After a monster year at Drake, Stirtz transferred to Iowa and led the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight. He shot 35.8% from three this season, but he was asked to carry a heavy load offensively and shot the ball really well at the NBA Combine. There’s enough reason to believe he’s a better three-point shooter than that number suggests, and he’s a crafty finisher around the rim despite not possessing elite athleticism. A solid pickup late in the first round at a position of need.

Henri Veesaar, F/C, North Carolina

Outside of point guard, the other glaring need for the Hawks is frontcourt depth. Veesaar starred at North Carolina after transferring from Arizona, averaging 17 points per game and shooting 42.6% from beyond the arc — borderline unbelievable for a near seven-footer. He continued to showcase that shooting ability at the NBA Combine as well.

Veesaar isn’t the imposing defensive presence the Hawks might ideally want at center, but he’s athletic and mobile enough to play the four or the five. The upside this late in the first round is hard to ignore.

Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas

After two seasons at Xavier, Swain transferred to Texas and starred as a junior — averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He has ideal size for a modern NBA wing and his do-it-all ability stood out every time the Longhorns took the court.

The shooting is a legitimate concern. He shot just 34.4% from three this past season after shooting 25% as a sophomore, and he’ll need to improve drastically in that area to become a starter at the next level. But it’s rare to find this kind of physical profile paired with his level of college production this late in the first round.

Ebuka Okorie, PG, Stanford

Okorie starred as a freshman at Stanford, averaging 23.2 points per game behind his tremendous shooting range and pace off the dribble. He was more of a volume scorer than a playmaker this past season, but the fact that he’s still just 19 years old makes him a really intriguing option late in the first round. In terms of upside, Okorie might be the Hawks’ best bet at 23 — and it doesn’t hurt that he plays a position of need.

Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke

Evans has really good size for the wing at just under 6-foot-6, and he’s an elite shooter who connected at 38% from three over two seasons at Duke. He’s more athletic than he looks, capable of rising above defenders and finishing at the rim, and he improved considerably on the defensive end during his college career. He’ll need to add strength as he transitions to the next level, but if he does, he projects as a starting-caliber two-way player.

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Photo: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire

A fractured elbow ended his 2025 campaign, and like Waldrep, loose bodies were discovered in the elbow during Spring Training. Both had to go under the knife, but reports suggested Schwellenbach’s injury was considerably more severe. There was serious doubt surrounding his availability for 2026, but recent developments have provided a more optimistic outlook on his timeline to return.

“We were just waiting for the bone to fully heal. Got the green light (in early May) to start going, and just kind of working through the progressions now with throwing at 75 feet,” Schwellenbach said, via Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Everything feels really good and just trying to keep on building from there.”

Schwellenbach began throwing from 60 feet a couple of weeks ago and will now work from 75 feet for a couple of weeks. If everything checks out, the goal is to start throwing bullpens, followed by live hitters, and eventually a rehab assignment. It’s not going to be a quick process, but the goal is to get him back on the mound in 2026.

“Honestly, I spent the last 11 months asking about timelines: ‘Hey, if everything goes well, what’s it gonna look like for me?’ And now I’m just kind of like, ‘Hey, what’s tomorrow look like?'” Schwellenbach said. “I’m trying to be as present as I can, and as long as I can keep stacking good days, then I think we’ll have a good chance to be back this year. That’s the goal.”

If everything goes perfectly — which is a big if — a return around mid-to-late August feels possible. A more likely timeline, given how cautious the Braves will be with him, is early September. Either way, that still provides enough of a runway to make his case for a postseason roster spot.

The Braves rotation hasn’t been an issue through the first two months — it’s been among the best in baseball. But questions remain about how this group would match up against an elite offense come October. After Chris Sale, there are no proven frontline arms.

At his best, Schwellenbach is one of the better pitchers in the National League, posting a 3.09 ERA and 3.25 FIP over 17 starts before going down with injury last season.

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Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

The #Falcons and star WR Drake London have agreed to terms on a massive new contract extension, as he gets a four-year deal, sources say.

Atlanta’s former first-rounder has been a priority and now paid in a deal done by Andrew Kessler of @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/AaVMVwdwPW

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 2, 2026

Adam Schefter then followed with the details of the extension. It’s a four-year, $141 million contract extension for Drake London with incentives that could push it all the way up to $150 million.

Falcons are signing WR Drake London to a four-year, $141 million extension worth up to $150 million, including $100 million guaranteed, per his agent Andrew Kessler. It makes London the third highest paid receiver in the league with the highest average per year in Falcons… https://t.co/JayLqVcJQ7

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2026

The extension makes London the third-highest paid wide receiver in the league, and it’s more than deserved. London caught for 1,271 yards in 2024, and though there was a dip to 919 this past season, he actually averaged more yards per game — missing five contests and averaging 76.6 yards per contest when he was out there.

Now imagine what those numbers could look like if London ever develops a consistent rapport with a starting quarterback. The Falcons have been playing musical chairs at the position ever since he was drafted 8th overall four years ago, and he’s somehow still found a way to produce.

But beyond the statistics, Drake London is the epitome of the kind of leader the Falcons should be building around. There aren’t many receivers in the league as focused on their blocking assignments as they are on getting open, but London is one who relishes the little things that make an offense tick as a whole.

This was always an extension the Falcons were going to get done. Up next, expect Bijan Robinson to reset the market at the running back position — another player who epitomizes everything the new regime is trying to build in Atlanta.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Weiss also provided an update on Baldwin’s backstop mate Sean Murphy, saying the veteran catcher is out of his cast after suffering a broken middle finger, but he’s still a ways away from beginning baseball activities.

#Braves C Sean Murphy is out of the cast and now wearing a splint for the broken finger on his left hand, but Walt Weiss said it'll still be several weeks before he begins baseball activities.

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) June 2, 2026

Sean Murphy has had some incredibly poor injury luck over the last calendar year. His 2025 campaign ended, as he decided to undergo surgery on a hip injury that had bothered him for several years. That kept him out from last September until early May, and just eight days after returning to the Braves, he found himself back on the IL with another serious injury — one that is expected to keep him out another 2-3 months.

At this point, it’s fair to say Atlanta’s decision to trade for Murphy and hand him a lengthy extension was a misstep. He hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and there’s been very little offensive consistency because of that.

However, Sean Murphy still offers a lot of value as a tremendous defensive catcher that’s an ideal backup behind Drake Baldwin. It may not have worked out the way the Braves initially hoped, but there remains a pivotal role for him to play as the club chases their second World Series since 2021.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Now we have a much clearer timeline. Walt Weiss said ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays that Baldwin could return during the team’s next homestand, which runs from June 16th through June 21st.

Weiss said Baldwin could be activated during the next homestand, which runs June 16-21

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 2, 2026

Anthopoulos also said he didn’t expect Baldwin would need a rehab assignment, and this update seems to confirm that.

The Braves haven’t missed a beat in Baldwin’s absence, maintaining a healthy 9.5 game lead in the NL East over the Nationals and Phillies — but the situation at catcher has been nothing short of abysmal. Sandy Leon is hitting below the legal driving limit with -0.4 WAR in 12 games. Chadwick Tromp has been better, but not by much, hitting .217 with a .469 OPS over 11 games.

Getting Baldwin’s bat back in the lineup will be a breath of fresh air. Before going down with the oblique injury, he was hitting .303 with 13 home runs and a .931 OPS — building beautifully off his Rookie of the Year campaign and on his way to his first All-Star appearance.

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Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

But what does that look like? Do the Hawks stay the course, sticking with their plan of stockpiling assets and adding more young talent to their current core? Or is this the offseason general manager Onsi Saleh takes the big swing?

The most likely answer is they stay the course. Saleh has a measured approach, having come from organizations like the Warriors and Spurs that built through the draft. He understands that’s the most reliable way to build a sustainable winner, and that attempting to skip steps in the process often leads to disaster.

The one name worth monitoring, however, is Jaylen Brown. He’s been linked to the Hawks multiple times this offseason for a reason. He’s the type of top-ten player who can instantly make Atlanta a legitimate contender, he might actually be available, and the fact that he genuinely wants to play for his hometown team is not a position the Hawks find themselves in very often. There’s real smoke there, even if the hurdles involved are significant.

But for argument’s sake, let’s set aside the hypothetical blockbusters for a moment and talk about what actually gets the party started — which begins June 23rd on draft night.

Atlanta enters the offseason with two glaring needs: a legitimate point guard and size in the frontcourt. Both of those can potentially be addressed with their two first-round picks.

The Hawks find themselves in a slightly awkward position with the eighth pick. Following the top four, there is expected to be a run on point guards — Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., and Mikel Brown. Atlanta could end up taking whoever remains from that group as their point guard of the future, or they could pivot and go the size route, selecting Aday Mara out of Michigan — a 7-foot-3 center who would instantly give the team a presence in the paint they’ve sorely lacked for years.

The 23rd pick figures to land them another starting-caliber player as well. This is one of the most loaded drafts in NBA history, and coming away with two immediate contributors is the ultimate goal regardless of position.

A week after the draft, NBA free agency begins — but before that, the Hawks will have to make a decision on Jonathan Kuminga‘s $24.3 million club option.

Kuminga was a key reason for Atlanta’s turnaround over the final couple of months, averaging 12.3 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He’s also still just 23 years old, and there’s a sense that another level of his game has yet to be unlocked. Seeing whether he can find that in his second season with the team is probably worth the $24 million gamble — unless the Hawks have an obvious upgrade in mind. That’s going to be difficult to find at that price point in today’s market.

The Hawks would obviously like to bring back CJ McCollum as well. He was their best player in the first-round series against the Knicks, and the veteran presence and steady scoring he provided was invaluable. The question is what a 35-year-old microwave scorer commands on the open market. The price and length of any deal have to make sense for Atlanta to pull the trigger.

Even if both return, the Hawks will still have trade exceptions available to continue upgrading the roster. This is where the draft matters. If Atlanta comes away with a point guard at pick eight, finding a rim-protecting big becomes the organization’s top priority — one that cannot be overlooked.

It might not be the sexiest offseason on paper, but this Hawks team was among the best in the NBA over the second half of the season. They followed that up with a respectable first-round showing against a team that didn’t lose a single game on its way to the Finals, and they would be adding two high-profile rookies plus help in the frontcourt. That’s a step in the right direction.

Is it enough to win an NBA Championship next season? Almost certainly not — but there’s probably no single move that gets the Hawks to that level in one offseason, and they still don’t fully know what they have in a lot of these young players.

An offseason like this keeps them in the conversation with the best teams in the East, preserves their financial flexibility going forward, and buys them more time to evaluate how all the pieces fit together.

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(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)

It starts at the top with Raisel Iglesias. He’s a primary reason Atlanta’s relief corps scuffled to begin last season, relying far too heavily on his slider — an offering that was consistently finding its way out of the yard.

Eventually Iglesias moved away from it, and with that decision came some remarkable success. Over his final 40.1 innings of 2025, he posted a 1.34 ERA, earning himself another one-year deal with the Braves. This season he’s almost completely abolished the pitch from his repertoire, utilizing it just three percent of the time — and through two months, he has yet to allow a single run.

Robert Suarez hasn’t been quite as dominant, currently sporting a ho-hum 0.81 ERA over 22 appearances. His high-powered arm has been a breath of fresh air at the back end of games. It’s something the Braves sorely lacked a season ago after AJ Minter signed with the Mets — probably why Anthopoulos wasted no time locking up Suarez in the offseason.

But while Suarez and Iglesias were always expected to be a nightmare for opposing hitters at the end of games, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Among National League relievers with at least 15 innings pitched, the Braves own four of the top six ERAs.

Notable Braves Relievers

• Raisel Iglesias — 0.00 ERA
• Robert Suarez — 0.81 ERA
• Dylan Lee — 1.11 ERA
• Didier Fuentes — 1.08 ERA

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Dylan Lee has been a silent assassin in Atlanta for a long time. Many fans of other teams probably haven’t heard of him, but he’s sporting a 2.64 ERA over 223 career appearances, taking his game to a completely different level this year.

Dylan Lee Notable Advanced Metrics

• xERA — 100th percentile
• xBA — 96th percentile
• Average Exit Velocity — 86th percentile
• Chase % — 93rd percentile
• Whiff % — 98th percentile
• K% — 96th percentile
• BB% — 99th percentile

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Simply put — Dylan Lee is elite.

Three pitchers operating at that level at the back end of games is going to result in a lot of wins. The addition of Didier Fuentes, however, has been the icing on the cake.

Fuentes’ high-90s fastball and swing-and-miss stuff make him a natural fit for late-inning work, but because he’s really a starting pitcher, the Braves are able to deploy him in a variety of situations. Some nights he bridges the gap for multiple innings. Others, he’s used in high-leverage spots to give the traditional late-inning guys extra rest.

That kind of versatility is a weapon — especially come playoff time, when starters typically aren’t going as deep into games. The Braves don’t view Fuentes as their closer of the future, even if he could thrive in the role. He’s a starting pitcher learning how to navigate big league hitters out of the bullpen, filling the role the team needs him in right now, and he’s gaining confidence with each outing.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

It has now been two weeks since Ha-Seong Kim returned from a month-and-a-half on the shelf with a torn tendon in his finger, and the results have been nothing short of abysmal.

Kim has just four hits in his first 38 at-bats, none for extra bases, and his defense at shortstop has somehow been even more concerning. Beyond three errors in just 11 games, the range is lacking, his arm has been wildly inaccurate, and he frankly just doesn’t look comfortable out there.

Struggling at the plate after a lengthy layoff is one thing. Kim hasn’t been healthy for much of the last two seasons, and that’s something the Braves can manage — especially while they’re winning. The defense is a different story. He’s not passing the eye test of an everyday shortstop right now.

Because he’s making $20 million this season and it’s still relatively early, the Braves are going to give him more time in hopes that he can get comfortable and find some confidence, both offensively and defensively. But when players return from injury and more are added at the deadline, the best players are going to play down the stretch, and I’m not sure the best version of Kim is better than Mauricio Dubon or even Jorge Mateo.

As things stand, Dubon is playing left field against left-handed pitching to fill the void left by the Jurickson Profar suspension. But it would be surprising if the Braves didn’t add a right-handed outfield bat at the deadline, and once that happens, left field is no longer a spot where Dubon can play most nights.

Dubon has been the superior defender — which takes precedence over everything else at shortstop — and his clutch hitting has been critical to Atlanta’s success this season.

Ha-Seong Kim will have to play a lot better over the next couple of months if he wants to see the field come August. At that time, it’s very possible the Braves look at the $20 million they spent on him during the offseason as a sunk cost.

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Photo: Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire

Following Tuesday’s loss — courtesy of a monstrous night from Michael Harris II — the Red Sox have dropped four straight. They sit at 22-31, last place in the AL East and already 12.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. There’s still some hope given how weak the American League is overall, but if they can’t right the ship over the next two months, they will be sellers — and they have plenty of intriguing names to move.

Greg Weissert

We don’t get to see a ton of the Red Sox, but watching Greg Weissert pitch Tuesday night was impressive. He doesn’t throw 100 MPH, but his arm angle makes it seem like he does — especially against right-handed hitters — and he pairs that fastball with a lively sweeper. It’s hard to imagine how anyone hits him from the right side. The Braves already have a great bullpen, but adding an arm like Weissert for middle relief would be a significant boost, and the fact that he’s under team control for two more seasons makes him even more attractive.

Sonny Gray

Stop me if you’ve heard this before — a trade rumor involving Sonny Gray and the Braves. Now 36 years old, he may not be quite what he once was, but he still owns a respectable 3.27 ERA over nine starts this season. And unlike a lot of starting pitchers, he probably won’t demand an enormous haul either, given he’s in the final year of his contract with a $30 million mutual option for next season.

Aroldis Chapman

The Braves already have one of the best bullpens in baseball, but adding Aroldis Chapman would essentially turn every game into a five-inning affair. He’s been the best reliever in baseball since the start of last season, posting a 1.03 ERA over 88 appearances. If the Braves don’t want to meet the asking price on the top starting pitchers available, turning their bullpen into an absolute juggernaut is a compelling alternative — and Chapman is a guy who does that.

Garrett Whitlock

If the Braves don’t want to part with the prospect haul it would take to land Chapman, Garrett Whitlock wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. Since the start of the 2024 campaign he owns a 2.37 ERA with over 11 strikeouts per nine innings across 86 appearances, and he comes with an $8 million club option for 2027 and a $10 million club option for 2028.

Jarren Duran

Because of Boston’s crowded outfield, Duran’s name has been the subject of trade rumors for years. He’s off to a rough start in 2026, hitting just .198 with seven home runs, but from 2024 to 2025 he hit .271 with an .805 OPS and accumulated 13.7 WAR. Left field has been a problem in Atlanta for far too long. Adding Duran, who is under contract through the 2028 season, fixes it in one swift move.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Strider settled in from there, as both sides traded zeroes until the top of the fifth, when Matt Olson launched a two-run home run well over the right field wall — his first since May 10th. The Braves added three more in the following inning on a triple from Austin Riley, a double from Michael Harris II, and a much-needed single from Ronald Acuña Jr.

Strider came back out for the bottom half of the inning, but after walking the leadoff batter, Walt Weiss turned to Didier Fuentes — and that’s where things got rocky again. A single and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out, but a double play limited the damage to one run.

That became the theme of the night. The Braves’ normally unhittable high-leverage arms were gutting through innings to protect a lead that kept shrinking. In the seventh it was Dylan Lee‘s turn, and he surrendered a home run that cut the deficit to one.

Michael Harris II had an answer, though. In the top of the eighth, he took a pitch well out of the zone and drove it 430 feet to dead center, putting two more on the board. It was Harris’ fourth hit of the night, pushing his average over .300 to go along with 12 home runs and 2.1 WAR on the season. He’s likely headed to his first All-Star Game after posting just 2.2 WAR across 160 games all of last year.

The job wasn’t finished, though. After a scoreless inning from Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias got the ball in the ninth. He entered the game having not allowed a run in 28.2 consecutive innings — a streak that dated back to last August. That streak is now over.

A couple of seeing-eye singles put runners at second and third with nobody out. A strikeout followed by another single cut the lead to one and put the tying run on base. Yet another single then put the Braves one mistake away from disaster.

This is when it pays to have an elite closer.

Even with everything unraveling, the job is simple — get the last three outs with the lead intact. Iglesias did exactly that, forcing two straight groundouts to end the Braves skid, if you can even call it that, at two games.

Atlanta hasn’t played its best baseball over the last week. They dropped their second series of the season this past weekend and are clearly feeling the effects of not having a legitimate MVP candidate in the lineup since Drake Baldwin went down with an oblique injury. But any complaining at this point is just the result of being spoiled rotten. This offense is still loaded with stars that can win games on their own — on Tuesday it was Michael Harris, and on Wednesday it will likely be somebody else entirely.

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(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

Since Opening Day, nobody has been better than the Atlanta Braves — which is startling considering they haven’t been close to healthy for a single game of the 2026 season.

Just over the offseason, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, Ha-Seong Kim, and Sean Murphy all went down with injuries. A couple have returned, but Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin, and Raisel Iglesias have also spent time on the IL.

It’s been a wild ride — one that hopefully slows down considerably over the next four months — but the promising news is that all of these players are currently slated to return at some point this season.

So what does the Braves’ best 26-man roster look like with everybody healthy?

Rotation

1. Chris Sale
2. Spencer Strider
3. Bryce Elder
4. Spencer Schwellenbach
5. Hurston Waldrep

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Chris Sale and — much to everyone’s surprise — Bryce Elder have been the two best starting pitchers in Atlanta through the first two months. There’s still a chance Elder hits some bumps and falls out of favor given the sheer depth of this group, but the struggles would have to be significant based on what he’s shown so far.

Rounding out the rotation with Schwellenbach and Waldrep is one option, but there are really so many directions the Braves could go. Grant Holmes and Martin Perez have both been solid at the back end so far this season. JR Ritchie remains in the conversation. AJ Smith-Shawver is working his way back from injury. And don’t forget about Didier Fuentes — even though he’s thrived out of the bullpen, he’s still a starting pitcher with immense upside who could get stretched out later in the season.

When fully healthy, this is an embarrassment of riches from a depth standpoint.

Catchers

1. Drake Baldwin
2. Sean Murphy

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Not much to say here. The Braves have arguably the best catching tandem in baseball. Unfortunately, both of them are currently on the IL. Baldwin appears to have avoided disaster with his oblique injury, which is massive, but Murphy is likely out for several more months after fracturing his finger.

Infielders

1. Mauricio Dubon
2. Austin Riley
3. Matt Olson
4. Ha-Seong Kim
5. Ozzie Albies
6. Jorge Mateo

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The infield is currently fully healthy following Kim’s return, but questions have emerged about whether he’s actually the best option at shortstop. He’s struggled significantly over the last two weeks both offensively and defensively, while Dubon and Mateo were a strong tandem at the position in his absence.

Outfielders

1. Ronald Acuña Jr.
2. Michael Harris II
3. Eli White
4. Mike Yastrzemski

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All four outfielders are currently healthy, and while the group might look thin on paper, Dubon’s versatility to play all three outfield spots eases a lot of concerns. That said, this was a group that was supposed to include Jurickson Profar, who was suspended 162 games for PEDs. Replacing that production — ideally with a power-hitting right-handed bat — should be a priority before the trade deadline.

Designated Hitter

1. Dominic Smith

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Who would have thought Dominic Smith would prove to be the superior DH option to Marcell Ozuna, who the Braves let walk in the offseason?

Bullpen

1. Raisel Iglesias
2. Dylan Lee
3. Robert Suarez
4. Didier Fuentes
5. Tyler Kinley
6. Reynaldo Lopez
7. Grant Holmes
8. AJ Smith-Shawver

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This is where things get really interesting. With everybody healthy, the Braves could have four starting pitchers in their bullpen — Fuentes, Lopez, Holmes, and Smith-Shawver. It’s a bit unconventional, but Holmes and Lopez have each had success in relief previously. Fuentes is thriving in the role this season. And Smith-Shawver has the high-end stuff to be a weapon out of the bullpen if his arm looks anything like it did before Tommy John surgery. The Braves will also likely look to add to this group at the trade deadline.

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The Chicago Cubs sign veteran reliever Aaron Bummer to a minor league contract after being recently released by Atlanta.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 27, 2026

Aaron Bummer’s time in Atlanta was not as miserable as most Braves fans would like to describe. The Braves squeezed two good years out of him as a middle reliever after acquiring him for essentially nothing from the White Sox.

The extension Alex Anthopoulos handed him was always the mistake, and unfortunately if you’re a Cubs fans stumbling upon this article, there’s not a lot of good things to say about Aaron Bummer today.

He suffered a shoulder injury towards the end of last season, and it was evident throughout this season that it’s something that is still affecting him. His life and velocity dropped on all of his offerings, leading to a 7.63 ERA over 19 appearances.

It got so bad at the end that he couldn’t even be trusted in garbage time situations and help save the bullpen, leaving the Braves with no option but to release him despite the fact he’s owed $9.5 million this year.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

For that to happen, however, Atlanta would have had to grant the 76ers permission to speak with Saleh. After he finished second in Executive of the Year voting, that was never going to happen.

Not only is Saleh not going anywhere — he’s now committed to staying in Atlanta for the long haul. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Hawks are handing him a long-term contract extension and promoting him to President of Basketball Operations.

The Atlanta Hawks are signing general manager Onsi Saleh to a long-term contract extension and promoting him to President of Basketball Operations, sources tell ESPN. Saleh – runner up for 2026 league executive of the year – took over as Hawks GM last offseason after joining… pic.twitter.com/9DrBUDxTnF

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 27, 2026

The decision to remove Landry Fields as general manager last offseason and replace him internally with Saleh turned a lot of heads. Clearly, he made quite the impression in a short amount of time after previously working with the Spurs and Warriors.

In his first season, Saleh pulled off a number of remarkable moves — beginning with a draft night trade with the Pelicans that netted the Hawks an unprotected first-round pick in this year’s draft. He also signed the league’s Most Improved Player, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, in free agency. And perhaps most importantly, he navigated a messy situation with Trae Young about as well as anyone could have.

It looked like the Hawks were hitting the reset button. Instead, they finished the season as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, catapulting themselves out of the play-in tournament for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

Now entering the offseason, the Hawks have incredible financial flexibility, no bad contracts on the books, two first-round selections in this year’s draft, and five total tradable first-round picks. Saleh can go in virtually any direction he wants this summer, and the organization has rightfully decided to put their full faith in him.

For the first time since Tony Ressler took over as the Hawks owner, it feels like there is finally a healthy chain of communication between ownership, the front office, and head coach Quin Snyder — who is also expected to sign a contract extension this offseason.

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Photo: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire

Almost everyone has the consensus top four as follows — AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson in some order. Then there are four point guards most expect to go in the next wave — Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., and Kingston Flemings.

The Hawks have a desperate need for a true point guard following the trade of Trae Young ahead of this year’s deadline. They could sit, wait, and take whoever falls to them — but if they want their pick of the litter, moving up to the fifth pick appears to be a realistic option.

“When it comes to next month’s draft, I’m already hearing considerable curiosity about the Clippers, who currently hold the No. 5 selection via Indiana thanks to the teams’ Ivica Zubac trade in February,” NBA insider Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line.

“Will the Clippers keep the pick to keep injecting top-tier youth into their program after the recent acquisitions of Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin? Or are they more likely to try to use it to acquire a player closer in win-now readiness to Kawhi Leonard when the decision at No. 5 likely means choosing between a slew of guards?”

After swapping James Harden for the younger Darius Garland, the Clippers’ need for another ball-dominant point guard has been significantly reduced. It makes sense that they’d be open for business — especially if a trade helps them compete while Kawhi Leonard is still in Los Angeles.

The cost of moving up even three spots will obviously be a major factor for anyone calling the Clippers. But what this really comes down to for the Hawks is how they view that second crop of point guards behind the top four.

If one of them clearly separates himself from the rest, this shouldn’t be much of a conversation. Onsi Saleh should do everything in his power to move up the board and potentially land the franchise talent the Hawks missed out on when the lottery failed to push their pick into the top four.

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(Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire

Buster Olney floated an interesting idea on @CelliniNick & @chrisdimino

“If they were to put Jeremy Peña out there… I think that would be like a finishing piece for a Braves team that has high aspirations.”

Would you want to see the Braves make a move for Jeremy Peña if… pic.twitter.com/i1mcbSWuaM

— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) May 27, 2026

With Buxton and the Braves, there’s at least legitimate traction. Atlanta was reportedly among the most aggressive teams pursuing him at last year’s trade deadline, but he ultimately decided he wasn’t going to waive his no-trade clause for anyone.

More recent reports, however, have suggested that could change — and with the Braves having a clear need in left field, he’s a logical target if the Twins end up sellers at the deadline.

The Jeremy Peña idea is a little more out of left field — no pun intended.

The Braves obviously have a need at shortstop. It’s been a miserable situation ever since Dansby Swanson left for Chicago following the 2022 season. Ha-Seong Kim hasn’t worked out as hoped, and while Mauricio Dubon has proven to be a massive addition, there’s no comparing him to Peña — a legitimate All-Star shortstop who has also won a Gold Glove.

But are the Braves really ready to write off the $20 million they spent on Kim this offseason as a sunk cost, on top of the prospect haul it would take to acquire Peña from Houston? That feels highly unlikely — especially when you consider that Peña is a Scott Boras client who isn’t going to sign a long-term extension before hitting free agency.

It’s fun to think about. Jeremy Peña would make this Braves lineup look like a juggernaut. But if Alex Anthopoulos wanted to hand out $200 million to a shortstop who averages four to five WAR per season, he would have done it years ago for Dansby Swanson — and he wouldn’t have had to give up a bunch of top prospects to get him.

It’s just not Anthopoulos’ style. Acquiring a significant upgrade at shortstop is highly unlikely to be part of the Braves’ plans. They’ve shown they’re perfectly comfortable throwing darts at the wall with guys like Kim and Dubon until one of their homegrown talents is ready to take over.

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(Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire)

The news that followed the next day eased some of those concerns, however. Calling it a mild Grade 1 oblique injury, Baldwin shouldn’t miss too much time — and to add onto that, the Braves offense hasn’t stopped rolling in his absence.

A lot of that has to do with the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. to the lineup. He came off the Injured List on the exact same day Baldwin was announced out, and in two games he’s been on base four times and scored four runs. The Braves essentially swapped one MVP-caliber player for another.

But even more impressive, Atlanta continues to get high-level production from players who were afterthoughts coming into the season. On Tuesday it was Mauricio Dubon, racking up three hits and delivering the go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning. Yesterday it was Dominic Smith, blasting his fifth home run of the season to go along with a triple, pushing his season average to an eye-popping .337.

The Braves simply have a really good baseball team. When one guy goes down, the next guy steps up and keeps the group churning out wins at an alarming rate. They’ve been doing it since Opening Day, and thinking it was ever going to stop — even with someone like Drake Baldwin going down — was a trap many of us fell into, most likely due to the PTSD from the last two seasons.

That said, we’re all sitting here waiting to see just how dangerous this team could look if everybody were healthy at the same time. That still hasn’t happened once all season — which is just fine in May — but hopefully that changes when the stakes are raised later in the year.

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(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

“So I asked about Joe (Jimenez) last homestand, and Walt Weiss told me he had had another knee surgery,” Grant McAuley said in an interview on 92.9 The Game. “So this would be number three, but they felt like this procedure might have actually increased his chances of being able to pitch again at some point, but there is no timetable.

“And we’re not talking pitch again at some point in 2026. I have heard from a couple of different places where when they found out how bad Joe’s knee was after 2024 that there was some thought, at least initially, that this might be career threatening.”

The surgery Jimenez underwent after the 2024 season isn’t one you hear about often in baseball, or any sport for that matter. It was to remove cartilage, and he was immediately announced out for 8-12 months.

That timeline put him on track to return at some point last season, and he did begin throwing bullpens midway through the year. However, he was ultimately shut down again following a setback and had to undergo yet another procedure. At that point, it became fairly evident the chances of him ever pitching for the Braves again were slim — which McAuley confirms later in the interview.

“That dude pitched through a pretty bad knee injury in 2024, and I don’t know if that made it worse, or if it just was what it was. And I don’t even know the details of all of the different procedures that have gone on, but I can suffice it to say I would not factor in Joe Jimenez heavily into the plans of the Braves this year, and this is the final year of his contract.”

From the sound of it, Joe Jimenez left it all on the line for the Braves over his final two seasons. Not only was he among the most effective setup men in baseball, he was also one of the most utilized — making a staggering 128 appearances between 2023 and 2024, at least part of which came while pitching through a severely damaged knee.

That’s something every fan can respect, even as it becomes increasingly likely he never throws another pitch for the Braves this season.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today selected RHP Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster and optioned RHP Víctor Mederos to Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 21, 2026

This is a move strictly about getting a fresh arm in the bullpen. Mederos made his Braves debut yesterday in mop up duty and did a nice job, tossing a couple scoreless frames to ensure no other relievers were needed.

By now, you should know the job of Carlos Carrasco. He’s been recalled by the club seemingly a million times and is almost never used. He’ll soon be designated for assignment, likely clear waivers, and find himself back in Gwinnett until the Braves need another fresh arm in case of emergency.

Atlanta’s pitching staff finds itself in a really good spot entering the final four games of the week. Their big guys have only pitched once, and every notable arm in the bullpen got a day off yesterday in the Braves 9-1 route of the Fish. That’s important considering what’s ahead — a matchup with the Washington Nationals, who surprisingly lead all of baseball in runs scored with 279, averaging well over five per game.

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(Photo by Mary Holt/Icon Sportswire)

Atlanta Falcons 2026 Schedule

• @ Pittsburgh
• vs. Carolina
• @ Green Bay (Thursday Night Football)
• @ New Orleans (Monday Night Football)
• vs. Baltimore (Sunday Night Football)
• vs. Chicago
• vs. San Francisco
• @ Tampa Bay
• vs. Cincinatti (Madrid)
• vs. Kansas City
• BYE WEEK
• @ Minnesotta
• vs. Detroit
• @ Cleveland
• @ Washington
• vs. Tampa Bay
• vs. New Orleans
• @ Carolina

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Injuries can change everything, and teams go from good to bad and vice versa at an alarming rate in the NFL — but it’s hard to take one glance at this schedule and not recognize how brutal it is for a team with a new coaching staff and real uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position.

A road game in Pittsburgh isn’t impossible to win, but it’s certainly not the type of game the Falcons have come out on top of in recent history.

All four division games will be difficult. Anyone overlooking them is foolish. The Panthers have owned the Falcons recently, winning three of the last four matchups. The Bucs will always be tough with Baker Mayfield under center, and New Orleans is an ascending team that believes they’ve found their franchise quarterback in Tyler Shough — and they might not be wrong.

The thing that stands out most, however, is that the Falcons have three primetime games in a row from Week 3 to Week 5. Whoever thought that was a good idea — let’s talk outside.

The good news: the Falcons have actually been solid in primetime, even amid their current postseason drought. The bad news: two of those games come on the road, and the one home game is against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on short rest.

If you thought it might ease up after that — think again.

Those primetime matchups are followed by games against the Bears and 49ers — two legitimate Super Bowl contenders — a road divisional game against the Bucs, then the Bengals in Madrid, and finally the Chiefs, who will likely have Patrick Mahomes back by that point.

The Falcons catch a breather in Week 11, only to come out of the bye and face the Vikings and Lions — two more really damn good football teams.

Cleveland and Washington both look like winnable games, but they’ll be cold weather road trips, and you know the Browns will be itching to hand their former head coach a loss. The Falcons then close with three straight divisional games, which if trends hold, will likely determine the NFC South.

That’s about as brutal a Falcons schedule as I can remember seeing in a long time. As I mentioned, things can always change in ways that make it look easier in hindsight. But in all likelihood, Kevin Stefanski and this new coaching staff better have these guys ahead of schedule come Week 1. Coaching transitions are never easy — especially when the team doesn’t even know who the starting quarterback is going to be. If the Falcons somehow manage to scrape together nine or ten wins, I think we’ll have our answer on whether Stefanski is the right guy for the job.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

This is a team with a 34-16 record, the best in baseball, and nine games clear of the Phillies and Nationals for first place in the NL East. They should be loading up for a championship run, armed with the cash and prospect depth to make the kind of blockbuster swing we haven’t really seen from Alex Anthopoulos in the past.

Aroldis Chapman

The Braves have one of the most lethal late-inning trios in baseball with Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias. There are some concerns about middle relief, however, and while Aroldis Chapman certainly isn’t a middle reliever, why not overkill the bullpen — especially given the cost of adding a frontline starting pitcher.

The Red Sox are among the season’s biggest disappointments, sitting at 22-27 and already 11.5 games back in the AL East. That’s a hole that’s almost impossible to dig out of. They’re likely sellers, and Chapman — on a one-year deal with a mutual option that is almost certainly going to be declined — is an obvious trade candidate.

Over the last two seasons, there hasn’t been a better reliever in baseball. Chapman posted a 1.17 ERA last season, finishing seventh in the AL Cy Young race, and has somehow started 2026 even stronger, recording a 0.51 ERA over his first 18 appearances with 12 saves.

Jarren Duran

Duran is another Red Sox star who could be dangled on the market leading up to the deadline. He hasn’t quite been the same since his ridiculous 9.0 WAR season in 2024, settling for 4.7 WAR last season and getting off to a slow start this year — hitting .195 with six home runs. There’s no doubting his talent, though, and he comes with a couple more years of affordable team control.

Like shortstop, left field has been a black hole for the Braves for years — which is strange, because it really shouldn’t be a difficult position to fill with a premium offensive talent. This trade deadline could be the perfect opportunity for Anthopoulos to address that now and for the future.

Byron Buxton

By now you’ve heard the connections between the Braves and Byron Buxton.

Atlanta reportedly pursued Buxton at last year’s trade deadline, but he had no interest in waiving his no-trade clause. He appeared more open to the idea this offseason, however, and with the Twins struggling again, those conversations could pick up once more.

Buxton is making $15 million this season and $15 million in each of the next two seasons, making him one of the most affordable superstars in the sport. The only knock on him throughout his career has been injuries. He’s played in over 100 games just three times in eleven seasons, though two of those instances have come over the past two years.

The Braves are also in a position to make Buxton’s life considerably easier in an attempt to keep him healthy. He won’t have to play center field in Atlanta and can see a significant amount of time as the designated hitter. Add in the fact that he’s a hometown product, and the move makes almost too much sense — which is exactly why it keeps coming up.

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Stay tuned for Part 2! 

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

On the field, they wrapped up another series win, bludgeoning the Marlins pitching for nine runs behind two homers from Michael Harris II and another from Mike Yastrzemski. Spencer Strider did allow three home runs, but they were all solo shots as he worked into the seventh inning and struck out nine batters — another promising outing as he continues to look like a much better pitcher than he was a year ago in his first season back from InternalBrace surgery.

The Braves lost the first game of the series 12-0, and the following morning it was announced that Drake Baldwin was heading to the IL with an oblique strain.

They went on to win the next three games and outscored the Marlins 26-20 for the series — a perfect microcosm of the next-man-up mentality this club has had since Opening Day.

There was one small concern during Thursday’s game, however, as Ronald Acuña Jr. left with a thumb injury. X-rays came back negative and he has been ruled day-to-day, but it’s yet another injury concern the Braves will have to monitor going forward.

Spoke with Ronald Acuña Jr. in Spanish postgame. He said he experienced tightness and wasn’t able to move his right thumb.

He also joked that he didn’t have to convince Walt Weiss to put him in tomorrow’s game. Otherwise, they would’ve had just four outfielders in the field.

— Jesús Cano (@Jesus_Cano88) May 22, 2026

On the transaction wire, the Braves added a catcher, claiming Maverick Handley off waivers from the Orioles.

Handley has appeared in exactly one major-league game this season with one at-bat. Last year he played in 16 games for the Orioles, and the numbers were less than stellar — a .073 batting average and .207 OPS.

He has posted some respectable offensive numbers in Triple-A over the last two seasons, however. In five games this year he has an .879 OPS, and he posted a .740 OPS over 38 games last season.

But this is obviously not someone the Braves want catching every day. It’s debatable whether he’s even an upgrade over what the club currently has in Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon. This move was most likely made simply to add organizational depth at the position in case another injury surfaces.

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Freeman has helped propel the Dodgers to two straight World Series titles, winning World Series MVP in one of them. It’s been nauseating to watch from afar as a Braves fan — but it feels like the script is about to flip in a big way over the second half of Matt Olson‘s contract.

Olson has not had a subpar season in Atlanta. Not once. He’s played in every game, earned a top-five finish in the NL MVP race, broke the franchise record for home runs, and is on his way to his third All-Star Game as a Brave. You could make an argument that Freeman has been the slightly better player up to this point — but now the age factor is starting to kick in.

Olson just turned 32, smack dab in his prime, with four years left on his contract. Freeman is pushing 37, beginning to show signs of decline, and will be a free agent after next season. This is where Olson starts making up ground — and then some — which could have Alex Anthopoulos looking like a genius when it’s all said and done.

But did you know Olson to Atlanta almost never happened?

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Braves’ first call when they felt Freeman was slipping away was to Anthony Rizzo.

“The previously unreported twist is this: Once the Braves believed they were out on Freeman during the post-lockout free-agent frenzy in March 2022, they tried to sign another first baseman before acquiring Olson from the then-Oakland Athletics,” Rosenthal wrote for The Athletic.

“That first baseman, according to people familiar with both the team’s and player’s discussions, was Anthony Rizzo. The parties did not get close to a deal. The Braves, who do not give players opt-outs, declined to offer Rizzo the kind of contract he received from the New York Yankees — two years, $32 million, with an opt-out after the first year. The team’s preference, according to a person close to Rizzo, was to sign him for one year.”

The Braves then pivoted to Matt Olson, avoiding what could have been one of the biggest disaster points in franchise history. Rizzo is no longer even in the league, and over his three seasons following the Braves’ failed pursuit, he averaged just 1.0 WAR per season with the Yankees.

The Freeman-Olson saga has been a non-stop conversation since Atlanta pulled the trigger on that trade with the A’s — and a heated one at times, with fans firmly planted on both sides and neither budging an inch.

But the further we get from it and the more we look at the full picture, the clearer it becomes: the Braves have essentially gone two decades with a Hall of Famer at first base. And when you put it like that, it’s hard to say they lost out on anything at the end of the day.

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(Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today claimed C Maverick Handley off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta transferred RHP Hurston Waldrep to the 60-day injured list.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 21, 2026

Handley has appeared in exactly one major-league game this season with one at-bat. Last year he played in 16 games for the Orioles, and the numbers were less than stellar — a .073 batting average and .207 OPS.

He has posted some respectable offensive numbers in Triple-A over the last two seasons, however. In five games this year he has an .879 OPS, and he posted a .740 OPS over 38 games last season.

But this is obviously not someone the Braves want catching every day. It’s debatable whether he’s even an upgrade over what the club currently has in Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon. This move was most likely made simply to add organizational depth at the position in case another injury surfaces.

The Braves’ decision to transfer Hurston Waldrep to the 60-day IL doesn’t really change anything. He’s already been out for a couple of months and is nowhere close to returning. Whenever he’s deemed ready, the Braves will be able to activate him.

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Detroit is sitting in last place in the AL Central, 9.5 games back of the Guardians. They’ve lost 14 of their last 16 games, have an entire rotation on the IL, and because of that, the rumors swirling around two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal are only just beginning.

The Braves going after Skubal isn’t something we’ve seen Alex Anthopoulos do at any point as general manager. He generally runs the other direction when it comes to bidding wars for marquee starting pitchers. That said, the hypothetical price tags executives have placed on Skubal aren’t exactly outlandish.

“I don’t think anyone can answer that. I don’t think we have ever seen a pitcher this good coming off such a bizarre injury. He’s playing for a team that is trying to win themselves, so there are so many factors at play. If I had to answer, I’d say one top-100 prospect plus a top-15 and one more throw in,” one executive told MLB insider Robert Murray of Fansided.

“It would have to be a [Dave] Dombrowski or [AJ] Preller to get a top prospect. Everyone else treats it like Wall Street and asset value so my guess is a couple of top 10 prospects for a couple months of him,” another executive said. “Or [Andrew] Friedman could go out and get him. He ups a team’s chances to win the World Series by a pretty big margin. You get two starts in that five-game series. Friedman gets him, that’s my prediction.”

A lot of this comes down to Skubal’s return from injury, of course. He had a procedure to remove loose bodies in his elbow, with an initial expectation of missing a couple of months — but he’s already throwing bullpens and a return to the mound appears to be around the corner.

The other factor is whether the Tigers can sneak back into contention. It’s unlikely, but in the AL Central, anything is possible with this much time remaining on the schedule.

But for argument’s sake — let’s say Skubal returns healthy and Detroit decides to sell at the deadline. Would you give up a top-100 prospect plus a couple of mid-tier pieces for two months of Tarik Skubal?

The Braves have five guys I’d consider top-100 caliber — Cam Caminiti, Didier Fuentes, Eric Hartman, JR Ritchie, and John Gil. One of them would have to go in the deal, and while that would sting, the thought of Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale leading this rotation in October is something dreams are made of.

One more thing worth considering, raised by one of the executives in Murray’s piece — a trade for Skubal is going to be difficult for a lot of clubs simply because of the money. Not many teams have an extra $10-15 million sitting around for a midseason addition. The Braves, however, do — thanks to the Jurickson Profar suspension that wiped out his salary right before Opening Day.

So Anthopoulos has the prospects and the cash to make a move like this happen. That’s not something the Braves could say with confidence in years past.

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That puts Alex Anthopoulos in a difficult spot.

The Braves still believe in Murphy and view him as someone capable of being an integral piece moving forward. He’s also owed $15 million annually through the 2028 season. Atlanta is not going to move on from him unless another club is willing to take that contract off their hands, which feels highly unlikely given the injury history.

At the same time, the Braves can’t really afford to sit around this season waiting to see whether Murphy can get healthy and rediscover his form. Catcher is arguably the most important position on the field, and Atlanta is now one injury away from finding itself in a brutal situation depth-wise.

It will be a major point of emphasis leading up to the trade deadline and feels like something the Braves would prefer to address sooner rather than later.

Trades this early in the season are uncommon, but they certainly happen. The San Francisco Giants just traded two-time Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians last week, and reports have suggested several struggling contenders could begin entertaining trade discussions much earlier than usual this season.

With Drake Baldwin already in the fold, this doesn’t need to be a franchise-altering move. But the Braves should be able to find a meaningful upgrade over Sandy León well before the trade deadline arrives.

It wouldn’t be surprising if something materialized before the end of the month.

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Grant Holmes got the start for Atlanta, and while it wasn’t a disaster, it certainly wasn’t a quality outing. He allowed two runs, lasted just four innings, and walked four batters. It is the fourth start out of the last five that Holmes has failed to make it past the fifth inning.

When Holmes exited, the Braves trailed 2-1, but they’re fortunate to have an arm like Fuentes waiting in the bullpen. The 20-year-old entered in the fifth and didn’t allow a single hit over the next three innings, striking out three before handing the ball to Dylan Lee in the eighth.

The Braves made the somewhat controversial decision to move Fuentes to the bullpen — despite him being one of the organization’s top pitching prospects at such a young age — following a rough outing on April 22 in which he surrendered four earned runs over three innings. There were understandable concerns about what the role change might mean for his development, but those concerns have quieted considerably.

Didier Fuentes has been brilliant. He’s allowed just one run over his last five appearances in relief, good for a 1.02 ERA alongside a 2.66 FIP.

At this point, if the decision were strictly between Fuentes and Holmes, it probably wouldn’t require much thought. Fuentes is the more talented arm with a level of upside Holmes cannot match. But the situation isn’t quite that simple.

The Braves have been operating with a six-man rotation ever since Spencer Strider returned from the IL, adjusting things series by series. It’s worked so far, but eventually they’ll have to settle on five starters. That brings Martin Perez into the equation, who has been outstanding this season, along with Reynaldo López, who could always shift back into a starting role later in the year.

And that’s without even factoring in the potential returns of Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach, two high-upside arms the Braves hope to get back during the second half.

This may end up being a classic case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Fuentes has carved out a valuable role in the bullpen and looks extremely comfortable there. At the same time, the upside if he eventually puts everything together as a starter is difficult to ignore.

It’s the kind of problem every organization wants to have. The Braves suddenly look like a team with almost too many starting pitching options, and more help is still on the way.

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After the game, Walt Weiss was asked about the two finally breaking through, and he credited the legendary former Braves manager for teaching him patience.

“I like to encourage guys,” Weiss said. “Obviously, that was one of Bobby’s greatest strengths, and virtually everyone you talk to that played for him says that. Maybe I took that from Bobby, and I’m good with that if that’s the case. The game is really hard. I think it’s important to encourage guys when they’re struggling because you feel like when you’re not playing well everybody hates you in this league. You don’t want your players feeling that. I think it’s important to encourage them through the tough times.”

It’s a statement everybody has heard a million times, but fans are often quick to forget: baseball is a game built on failure. Every player in the league — Hall of Famers included — goes through rough stretches. Hell, Shohei Ohtani recently had a 10-game stretch where he hit .105 with one extra-base hit. Nobody in Los Angeles was talking about benching him.

Riley had an April he’d probably love to erase, struggling to stay above the Mendoza Line, but he’s beginning to turn things around in May, hitting .316 with three homers and a .920 OPS over his last 10 games.

Tuesday also marked the first home run of the season for Yastrzemski. It’s been a difficult start to his first season with a tomahawk across his chest; however, this is still a player that has produced between 2-3 WAR in every season since his rookie campaign in 2019.

That’s a remarkable level of consistency, and as another legendary Braves manager, Brian Snitker, used to say, it’s usually best to bet on the back of a player’s baseball card.

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“Tate Southisene has his fans — scouts love the kid, as they did his brother, Ty, in last year’s draft — but Atlanta’s first-round pick was the biggest reach of the round for me,” Law wrote. “I don’t think there’s a plus tool here; he has a decent enough swing, but he has some swing-and-miss issues against breaking pitches and changeups, and I don’t see great adjustability in his approach right now. He is a plus runner and could move to center, which would help his value, but I don’t think there’s enough hit tool probability or upside here for Atlanta to take him with the 21st pick.”

Well, there’s a reason Keith Law is writing articles and not scouting players. Because not only does Tate Southisene possess a plus tool, he’s showing early this season with the Augusta GreenJackets that he might have the entire tool belt.

Southisene’s approach at the plate has been magnificent. He’s walked nearly as often as he’s struck out and is getting on base at a ridiculous .431 clip. But even that might not be the most impressive aspect of his offensive production.

With another home run last night, Southisene now has seven on the season through just 33 games, tying him for the league lead.

T as in Troy? No, T as in TaTe SouThisene is Tied for the league lead in homers. pic.twitter.com/GV6zf3OoVz

— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) May 13, 2026

Tate Southisene doesn’t have the biggest frame, standing under 6-foot and weighing around 180 pounds, but the ball flies effortlessly off his bat. Possessing that kind of power at just 19 years old, paired with above-average contact skills while playing a premium position like shortstop, are the kinds of traits that put players on the fast track to top-100 prospect status.

Eric Hartman joined that club earlier this week following his scorching start in Rome. His teammate John Gil — another one of the Braves’ intriguing shortstop prospects — likely isn’t far behind, and Southisene could join them by season’s end.

This is easily the strongest the organization has looked from a position-player prospect standpoint in quite some time. The next generation of Atlanta Braves talent is not arriving quietly.

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Behind them is another group of ultra-talented freshman guards that starred for major college programs this past season — the aforementioned Acuff, along with Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, and Mikel Brown Jr..

As of now, most mock drafts have the Atlanta Hawks selecting whichever guard remains when they come on the clock, but what if there were a scenario where they could have their pick of the litter?

The Los Angeles Clippers were one of the biggest winners of the draft lottery. They acquired a top-four protected pick from the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline in exchange for Ivica Zubac. The Pacers then tanked their way toward the bottom of the standings, only to land the fifth pick in the lottery — an absolute best-case scenario for Los Angeles, who have been described as a team potentially willing to move down the board for future assets given they do not control their own first-round pick until 2030.

Now, the jump from 8 to 5 might not seem enormous, but in a draft class this loaded, it would likely take a massive haul for the Hawks to move up. Simply packaging Pick No. 23 probably wouldn’t come close to getting it done. Atlanta would almost certainly have to include either part of its young core or a future first-round pick just to get the conversation started. And if the Clippers open the door to those discussions, there will be no shortage of teams calling.

To this point in his tenure as Hawks general manager, Onsi Saleh has taken a measured approach, prioritizing asset accumulation while continuing to build around Atlanta’s young talent. That’s how the Hawks now find themselves holding two first-round picks — including one inside the top 10 — despite finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference.

A move like this would be a clear shift in philosophy, but opportunities to land a potential future All-Star that cleanly fits the timeline of the current core aren’t likely to come around in the future. If the Clippers are open for business, you would have to imagine the Hawks will at least make the call.

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The Braves left-handed reliever has arguably been the most effective bullpen arm in all of baseball through the first seven weeks of the season, sporting both an ERA and FIP below one while appearing in a league-leading 21 games.

Lee is finally beginning to receive the recognition he deserves from the fan base, and hopefully the national media follows suit as the All-Star Game approaches. But the funny thing is, this isn’t exactly new. Lee has quietly been one of the best relievers in baseball for years now, despite lacking the eye-popping velocity, flashy repertoire, or clearly defined role that usually earns pitchers this kind of attention.

Take a trip back to 2021 for a second — the year Lee signed a minor-league contract with the Atlanta Braves after spending several years grinding through the Miami Marlins farm system. That season, he made just two appearances during the regular season and posted a rather ugly 9.00 ERA. Yet somehow, he found himself starting Game 4 of the World Series.

There may not be a better summary of Dylan Lee’s entire Braves tenure than that.

From the moment he arrived in Atlanta, he’s filled every role imaginable. Need an opener? He’s done it. Long relief? No issue. High leverage? Lefties? Righties? Doesn’t matter. Lee has consistently taken the ball wherever the Braves have needed him, and he’s done it with a level of reliability few relievers in baseball can match, posting a 2.64 career ERA over 219 appearances.

But the 2026 version of Dylan Lee, this is a different beast. Take a look at some of these underlying numbers:

• 100th percentile xERA
• 96th percentile xBA
• 96th percentile Chase%
• 98th percentile Whiff%
• 96th percentile K%
• 99th percentile BB%
• 84th percentile Average Exit Velocity

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There’s nothing fluky about what Dylan Lee is doing right now.

When the Braves signed Robert Suarez during the offseason, the expectation was that Atlanta would possess a devastating one-two punch at the back end of games alongside Raisel Iglesias. Instead, that duo has quickly evolved into a three-headed monster, one that’s already slammed the door on countless close games and become a primary reason why the Braves sit at 30-13 and 10 games clear atop the NL East.