The Braves are starting to look like the team they were a year ago, winners of six of their last seven games, and fresh off a sweep of the Detroit Tigers, which brings us to our next trade deadline piece.
I’ve covered a plethora of trade candidates for a number of different teams, mostly from clubs that will undoubtedly be selling all of their spare parts over the next six months. The Tigers aren’t quite in that category, as they are a bit of an up-and-coming team, but in a competitive American League, their odds of making the playoffs are slim to none. They should be moving veterans, continuing to build around their young core for the future.
If you missed any of the previous parts to this series, follow the links below.
- Braves trade targets from Athletics
- Braves trade targets from Angels
- Braves trade targets from Rockies
- Braves trade targets from White Sox
- Braves trade targets from Mets
- Braves trade targets from Marlins
- Braves trade targets from Red Sox
Jack Flaherty
I’m not currently expecting the Braves to make a big move for a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. Mostly because starting pitching has been the best aspect of the team. The top four of Chris Sale, Max Fried, Reynaldo Lopez, and Charlie Morton is more than enough for a postseason run, and Spencer Schwellenbach has really looked impressive as a rookie.
With that being said, things can change in an instant, as we’ve seen this season far too often. If one of the Braves’ top four pitchers were to suffer any sort of injury or start struggling mightily ahead of the trade deadline, Jack Flaherty would instantly become a top target.
Once one of the league’s best young pitchers, a plethora of injuries derailed his career, but he’s gotten it back on track with the Tigers after signing a one-year deal with Detroit this past offseason. In 13 starts, he owns a 3.01 ERA, 2.63 FIP, 0.953 WHIP, and eye-popping 11.6 K/9. Flaherty is pitching like an All-Star again and will be one of the hottest commodities available at the trade deadline if the Tigers make him available.
Mark Canha
Starting pitchers and outfielders, that is what most of the trade deadline pieces are focused on when concerning the Braves. The Tigers don’t have much of either, but outside of Jack Flaherty, Mark Canha would make a lot of sense to help patch up the Braves outfield. Since 2018, he owns a .785 OPS and 119 OPS+ (19% above league average). He’s also a veteran that has almost dead even splits over his career, owning a .770 OPS against righties and .768 OPS against lefties.
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Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sports
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