The Atlanta Braves hold a comfortable 4.5-game lead over Philadelphia in the NL East, but as injuries once again take their toll, Alex Anthopoulos and the front office face elevated pressure ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Atlanta has let the past two seasons slip away due to poor health. The front office cannot let another collapse come to pass.
One clear area of need is pitching, primarily in the starting rotation. Chris Sale has put himself in the Cy Young conversation with another brilliant campaign, but otherwise Atlanta has fallen victim to regression from the likes of Martín Pérez and Bryce Elder. Meanwhile, Spencer Strider is stuck in IL purgatory (again), while Spencer Schwellenbach’s return date is uncertain.
FanSided’s MLB insider, Robert Murray, outlined a few potential trade targets as Atlanta seeks to fortify its rotation down the stretch.
Clay Holmes, New York Mets
- Robert’s Take: “Perhaps a long shot — it may take an in-division tax to complete a trade — but Clay Holmes would be an awesome fit in Atlanta. He also knows Jeremy Hefner, the Braves’ pitching coach, from when he was in Queens.”
Holmes has not taken the mound in Queens since mid-May, when he suffered a fractured right tibia. The 33-year-old will begin a rehab stint in the minors this week, however, so he should be available for the stretch run. While Holmes has expressed a willingness to sign an extension in New York, all signs point to the Mets trading him instead.
Though he technically has a $12 million player option for next season, Holmes is all but guaranteed to waive it in favor of testing free agency. So he’s a rental. While the Mets probably aren’t keen on trading Holmes in the division, it helps that New York is out of the postseason race and thus won’t need to worry about Holmes impeding their progress on his current contract.
Holmes put up a 2.39 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in nine starts, with 45 strikeouts in 52.2 innings, before the injury. The former reliever turned starter has thrived since making the switch, with a high groundball rate stemming from a sinker that he throws 50 percent of the time and buries in the bottom of the zone with consistency.
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
- Robert’s Take: “Does Anthopoulos go all-out for the best pitcher in baseball? Odds are probably not, with the Dodgers and Rays having a better chance. Still, this would cement the Braves as legit World Series contenders.”
If the Tigers decide their World Series odds are too slim to press onward with the current core, trading Tarik Skubal and recouping significant prospect capital is the obvious next step. The rumored asking price includes at least one major league-ready arm, of which Atlanta has plenty. Names like J.R. Ritchie and A.J. Smith-Shawver could appeal to Detroit.
The Braves’ farm system pales in comparison to other potential suitors, such as Los Angeles or Tampa Bay. There is also the simple fact that Atlanta does not historically pay sticker price for superstars. The Braves prefer internal development and early contract extensions for young stars. While Atlanta traded for Chris Sale, that was buying low on a mid-30s veteran stuck in a losing situation. Skubal is 29, in the middle of his prime. He won’t accept the same short-term, team-friendly extension Sale did.
If there’s a pitcher worth bending your own organizational principles to acquire, however, it’s Skubal. The two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner has not missed a beat since returning from midseason elbow surgery. He’s up to 98 strikeouts in 82.2 innings with a 2.83 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. Skubal’s mix of fiery stuff and elite command makes him, still, the absolute best in the business. The Dodgers do not want to see Skubal and Sale on the docket in a playoff series.
Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
- Robert’s Take: “Gausman feels very Bravesy. He may suddenly be available considering the Jays’ collapse, and Atlanta should be all over this.”
This is more Atlanta’s speed, as Kevin Gausman is a former All-Star on an expiring contract who’s reaching the tail end of his perceived prime. The Braves have a strong track record of rehabbing the value of aging pitchers and re-signing them at an affordable number, with Sale a shining example.
Gausman has fallen short of his usual standard this season, with a 4.51 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 21 starts and 115.2 innings. Still, the metrics point toward imminent improvement, and he could fare better in a more competitive environment like Atlanta.
While Gausman’s strikeout numbers are down compared to his prime, the durability factor is a huge selling point for a team in Atlanta’s position. Moreover, Gausman still throws a ton of strikes, able to pepper the top of the zone with his fastball and coax plenty of ill-fated swings in the dirt when he breaks out his splitter.
AJ Minter, New York Mets
- Robert’s Take: “If the Braves can’t address the rotation, adding to the bullpen is possible. Even if they add to the rotation, adding to the bullpen is possible. Minter is a player the Braves know well and he’d be a seamless fit to the bullpen.”
AJ Minter spent the first eight years of his career in Atlanta before signing with the Mets in 2025. He has dealt with injuries this season, but when he’s on the mound, the 32-year-old southpaw looks as sharp as ever. He has a 1.71 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 21.0 innings out of the bullpen this season, with 18 strikeouts.
Minter is a unique high-leverage reliever in the modern MLB landscape. His fastball sits in the low to mid-90s and he’s not a huge swing-and-miss guy. Instead, the southpaw relies heavily on a cut fastball and four-seam combo, with which he paints the corners and misses barrels. He has allowed just two walks so far this season. Minter is filling up the zone and letting the defense work behind him.
The Braves value familiarity in their clubhouse, but Minter has also played some of his best baseball in New York. He’s an affordable rental who’d face less pressure in a bullpen that already features Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suárez, Dylan Lee and Didier Fuentes. One way to hedge against a vulnerable rotation in the playoffs is to hit opponents with a wave of elite relievers.
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