There will be a lot of talk around the Atlanta Braves the closer we get to the 2026 trade deadline. They need to improve their rotation and bullpen, despite things going fairly well so far. Atlanta should have a plethora of options to sort through as the playoff picture becomes clearer. It's a little too early for teams to start dealing players, but that time will be here before we know it.
One of those options could come from the American League West. Jeff Passan released a list of top trade deadline candidates, and the Braves were listed as a fit for a few different pitchers. Angels starter Jose Soriano was one of the options suggested.
Jose Soriano is just the kind of starter the Braves need to consider at the trade deadline
There is good reason to believe that Soriano is a good fit for the Braves, especially considering he has two years of control left. He began the season as one of the best pitchers in baseball after allowing just one run over his first 37.2 innings pitched.
Unfortunately, Soriano eventually lost that streak, and his ERA now sits at 2.79 on the season. Soriano carried a 1.74 ERA over his first eight starts, but he owns a 4.02 ERA over his last seven starts with 23 walks and 38 strikeouts. He needs to improve his command, and the Braves would be a great development ground for the righty. Braves pitching coach Jeremy Hefner has already shown his aptitude for helping pitchers adapt. It could be a perfect match for Atlanta.
There is a lot to like with Soriano, with his average fastball velocity sitting at 97 mph this season. He pairs that fastball with a knuckle curve, sinker, splitter, and slider. Teams have hit his fastball and sinker fairly well, but his off-speed and breaking pitches help get some swing and miss.
The main things he's struggled with are issuing walks and allowing teams to barrel his pitches. Outside of that, his metrics are outstanding. So, maybe going to a new team and trying some mechanical changes could do him a lot of good. It's hard to pass up an arm with that kind of talent and controllability. Seems like a much easier move to make than a blockbuster move for a rental like Tarik Skubal.
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