Almost everyone expects this weekend to be when the deals start flying ahead of the trade deadline, and the Atlanta Braves are likely to be right in the middle of everything. If the Tarik Skubal rumors are true, Braves fans should expect Alex Anthopoulos to be aggressive at the trade deadline, even if they miss out on the Tigers ace.
While the Braves do need some bullpen reinforcements and another bat (preferably right-handed), the main focus has obviously been on Atlanta's beleaguered rotation. However, other than the Skubal chatter of debatable validity, the Braves' front office has continued their long tradition of operating completely in the shadows and not tipping their hand to the public as to what arms they are actively pursuing.
However, it appears that some trade intel has leaked out heading into the weekend. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Braves seem to be exploring two starters they like ahead of the trade deadline in the Angels' Jose Soriano and the Tigers' Casey Mize.
Trade deadline notes, per @JonHeyman:
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 1, 2026
• Pirates among teams in on Luke Weaver
• Yankees like George Springer but prefer OF
• Rangers considering catching help, back-end SP
• Braves believed to like Jose Soriano, thought to be considering Casey Mize pic.twitter.com/iYO33ZyeTi
Braves appear to be circling Jose Soriano and Casey Mize as potential trade targets
It is not surprising that Anthopoulos is exploring other options beyond Skubal. Not only could the Braves potentially use more than one additional starter, but putting all of their eggs in the Skubal basket seems to be asking for trouble given Detroit's rumored asking price for the two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Mize fits the mold of a rental fallback option. He has real prospect pedigree as a former No. 1 overall draft pick, and while he has had some injury issues in his career, he put together a mostly healthy season last year and has a 2.70 ERA and 2.58 FIP in 86.2 innings this year. Mize probably isn't THAT good, but he would be a solid addition that wouldn't require the Braves to empty out their farm system. Of note, Mize's velocity dipped recently, which could be a big red flag that Atlanta will have to account for.
As for Soriano, he is in a different category as a potential top-of-the-rotation starter who is under team control through 2028. That team control and potential will likely come with a very hefty price tag, and Soriano walks way too many hitters right now. However, it is hard to argue with Soriano's potential, and if the Braves are interested in him, it is likely because they see some adjustments they could make that would allow him to find the strike zone more.
You can expect to hear more names in connection to the Braves in the coming hours and days. However, these certainly do seem like a couple of names that fit what Atlanta is likely to be looking for right now, so you may want to keep a close eye on both of them as we approach the trade deadline.
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