The Atlanta Braves have been widely rumored to be heavily interested in acquiring left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal.
Atlanta has struggled as of late, but still is atop the NL East, but the lead is shrinking. So, the Braves should look to add more talent to the roster ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.
The Braves have some areas of need, but the rotation could use an upgrade. With that, MLB analyst Mike Axisa of CBS Sports predicts the team will acquire Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
“The Tigers will indeed trade Skubal at the deadline. It won’t be an easy choice for the front office and the fan base will be upset. But it is likely to be the ruthlessly correct baseball decision. Where will Skubal wind up? My guess is with the Braves, though I hardly think that’s a lock. The bidding war will be intense,” Axisa wrote.
If the Braves do acquire Skubal, it would be a major addition to Atlanta’s rotation and make the Braves a true contender.
However, Atlanta will have to part with multiple top prospects to acquire him, and with Skubal as a pending free agent, it is a risk to trade for him. Yet, the Braves are one of the top teams in the MLB. So the front office should go all-in and acquire Skubal.
Skubal is the reigning back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner and is 5-5 with a 3.09 ERA in 13 starts this season.
Rotation Help the Biggest Need for Braves
Chris Sale leads Atlanta’s rotation, but outside of that, the Braves’ potential playoff rotation is very much up in the air.
With that, adding another impact starter is considered the Braves’ biggest need ahead of the August 3 trade deadline, according to Mark Bowman.
“There has been talk about the need to add starting pitching going back to the end of the 2025 season. The Braves have since lost four starting pitchers to injuries,” Bowman wrote. “So, Chris Sale currently stands as Atlanta’s only playoff-caliber starting pitcher. Reynaldo López could improve over the next months and Bryce Elder might eventually turn things around. …
“If Elder turns things around and if Martín Pérez regains his 2024 All-Star form and if Smith-Shawver is one of the few to find immediate success after UCL surgery and if Waldrep harnesses his command, the Braves may have enough internal options to fix their rotation. But each of these things is a big ‘IF.'”
Atlanta could go big game hunting for Skubal, or perhaps add two starters to add more depth. Regardless, the Braves should bolster their rotation this offseason.
Skubal Hopes to Stay in Detroit
Although the Braves have been linked to Skubal, the left-hander has reportedly said he wants to stay in Detroit.
Skubal has spent his entire career with the Tigers and wants to help the team reach the playoffs.
“Skubal has informed friends that he badly wants to stay in Detroit the rest of the season, believing they have a legitimate shot at the World Series, and has zero appetite to be traded,” Bob Nightengale wrote.
The left-hander is a two-time MLB All-Star.
Braves Predicted to Land 2-Time Cy Young Award Winner in Blockbuster Move