The Braves are winners of six of their last seven games as the club begins to look like the version that so many expected coming into the season. The NL East deficit is now down to 7.0 games as the Phillies have lost five of their last eight games.
The pitching staff remains one of the best in baseball, but it’s been the bats that have finally woken back up after a lengthy two-month slumber. The injuries have not subsided for Atlanta, though.
Most recently, Michael Harris II was bit by the bug, joining the IL with a hamstring injury over the weekend. It’s been one thing after another for the Braves, but they’re showing their resilience.
With the MLB trade deadline a little over a month away, many will connect the Braves to outfielders on the trade block, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post is linking Atlanta to a pair of high-profile arms in Tyler Anderson and Jesus Luzardo.
Tyler Anderson, Angels SP
Heyman believes the Halos and Bravos match up as ideal trade partners. Anderson owns a 2.58 ERA across 14 starts and 89.1 innings, reminiscent of his All-Star campaign in 2022 in which he posted a 2.57 ERA and 1.002 WHIP.
Anderson would make a lot of sense for the Braves because he could ease some concerns about the rotation in 2025. He’s in the second year of a three-year deal worth $42 million, and Atlanta could see Max Fried and Charlie Morton depart this winter.
Heyman notes there’s a “good” chance that Anderson is moved, but the Braves may be weary of a potential deal because his underlying metrics suggest he could be headed for regression. His 4.69 FIP and 1.191 WHIP aren’t ideal.
Jesus Luzardo, Marlins SP
Luzardo will be up there with the most sought-after pitchers at the trade deadline, regardless of his numbers this year. He owns a flat 5.00 ERA across 12 starts and 66.2 innings, but his 4.25 FIP suggests that should be lower. Moreover, his track record of production will entice clubs. Across the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, the 26-year-old posted a 3.48 ERA across 50 starts and 279.0 innings.
Just like Anderson, Luzardo could be a fixture of the Braves rotation for years to come. He’s under team control through the 2026 season. The Marlins will surely be able to garner quite the haul in return for him. There’s also the fact that trades within the division are rare, but the Fish have notably made deals with the Braves and Phillies in the past, so that’s worth noting.
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Photographer: Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire
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