In a perfect scenario, the Atlanta Braves would have secured another top-tier starter to complement Chris Sale at the front of their rotation.
However, that objective went unmet at the trade deadline.
The Braves were reportedly among the teams pursuing Tarik Skubal, but as many expected, the standout left-hander ultimately ended up with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Rather than landing an All-Star-level arm, Atlanta’s front office instead added a back-end starter who has struggled at times this season.
The right-hander owns a 5.13 ERA across 18 appearances with the San Francisco Giants — a number that doesn’t inspire much confidence. Still, Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly believes the move could turn out to be a “sneaky good” addition to Atlanta’s rotation.
Braves add veteran starter to rotation
“So why are we optimistic about the Braves acquiring [Tyler] Mahle? He actually performed well in July, recording a 2.82 ERA over four starts,” Kelly wrote. “On top of that, he’s only a year removed from posting a 2.18 ERA in 16 appearances with the Texas Rangers.”
Mahle was dealt by the Giants in a trade that sent minor league reliever Anthony Molina the other way.
Mahle still brings respectable strikeout ability, averaging 8.5 K/9, and his fastball has remained effective even though it’s sitting at just 92.6 mph in 2026.
“The biggest concern for the 31-year-old right-hander throughout his career has been durability,” Kelly noted. “But if Mahle can stay healthy, he could provide a meaningful boost to Walt Weiss’ rotation, which has been heavily impacted by injuries this season.”
Will this move be enough to push the Braves past the Dodgers? Unlikely. Still, the rotation needed reinforcements, and Mahle is capable of filling that gap.
