Braves linked to Tigers All-Star pitcher in surprise blockbuster

The Atlanta Braves are in an unfamiliar position heading into the Major League Baseball trade deadline.

After dominating the National League East for the past six seasons, the Braves are eight games back of the Philadelphia Phillies with 74 to play. The Braves did take two of three from the injury-riddled Phillies over the weekend, but that's still quite a lot of ground to recoup.

Of course, the Phillies have shown Atlanta firsthand that winning the division goes out the window after the first pitch of a playoff series, but the Braves still clearly have some flaws to address. And one of those flaws appears to be the back end of the starting rotation.

The Braves could find a cost-efficient starter to eat some innings, or even roll with the group they have with top prospects as supplements. But one baseball writer believes a much more drastic solution is in play.

R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports listed trade fits for the top 30 players available at the trade deadline, and ranked Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal number two overall. He listed the Braves as one of three potential suitors, along with the Lost Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles.

Would the Tigers even consider dealing Skubal? Anderson said some of the sources he talked to didn't believe so, leading him to rank Skubal second instead of first for the purposes of the piece. But he also seemingly urged the Tigers to pull the trigger.

"Be aware that he's closing in on free agency (winter 2026) a lot sooner than the Tigers might like given their uncompetitive state," Anderson said.

Skubal, 27, is enjoying a monster year, far exceeding the sizable expectations many set for the emerging ace before the season. In 110 innings, Skubal has a 2.32 ERA and 132 strikeouts, both top five in MLB. He also leads the majors in WHIP at 0.90.

From the Braves' perspective, there are a couple of factors in play: whether Skubal is available and whether Atlanta wants to pony up the prospect capital necessary to acquire such an elite talent with two full remaining seasons of control.

Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves' top-ranked prospect who dominated the Phillies lineup on Saturday night, would almost certainly have to be included in a return package to Detroit. If not Schwellenbach, then multiple other top prospects, perhaps four or five, would be required.

But could Skubal be worth the price? He's still young, has remaining control with the potential to be extended, and clearly has elevated himself to the upper echelon of MLB starters.

If the goal is to take down the Phillies, the team with the best starting rotation in baseball, perhaps the best solution is to form a super-rotation with Chris Sale, Max Fried, and Reynaldo López.

The only person who knows the answer is general manager Alex Anthopoulos. And that answer will come within the next three weeks.

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