The Atlanta Braves are putting together an impressive 2026 MLB season. At 48-29, they have the second-most wins of any team, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (50-29), and have a 6.5-game lead in the National League East.
With World Series aspirations, the Braves are expected to make some upgrades before the trade deadline on Aug. 3. Throughout the season, starting pitching has been a strength for Atlanta, ranking sixth in ERA (3.74) and 11th in WHIP (1.27).
However, they're dealing with several injuries, with starting pitchers Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach both on the 60-day injured list. Of course, one of the most sought-after players before the deadline is Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal.
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While a handful of teams are expected to make a push for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal says not to rule out the Braves.
“The Braves see their system as pretty darn good right now, and better than the ratings indicate, the public ratings,” Rosenthal said on "Foul Territory." “So do they have the potential to make that kind of trade? They believe they do in terms of having the players available. Now, do they want to take on the money? Do they want to take on that kind of money for a rental? All of that remains to be seen, but there’s no reason to believe that the Braves would not be in this mix.”
In the latest update from MLB.com, the Braves' farm system ranked No. 26. However, since then, their two top-100 prospects have each been bumped up. Left-handed pitcher Cam Caminiti went from No. 68 to No. 45, while right-handed pitcher JR Ritchie went from No. 90 to No. 57.
While the exact asking price for Skubal is unknown, it's expected to take several top prospects to join the conversation. He's a valuable asset, though coming off back-to-back Cy Young Award-winning seasons.
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So far this year, he's started nine games, posting a 3.02 ERA, a 143 ERA+ and a 1.025 WHIP. His opponents are slashing .235/.270/.375 with a .645 OPS. If the Braves could pull off a trade, he would be a major boost to their starting rotation.
