Atlanta Braves fans weren't thrilled with this season's trade deadline. While needs were addressed, it didn't feel like enough of an impact was made. The struggles of the back end of the starting rotation have surely highlighted that, and there is still a real case to be made that Alex Anthopoulos didn't do enough.
However, a couple of those moves have looked like genius moves by the Braves front office. One is the energetic lefty reliever, Brent Suter. The southpaw has an impressive 1.71 ERA since joining Atlanta at the deadline. The other standout performance has been by starter Tyler Mahle. Fans were right to be skeptical of him at first, as he carried a 5.31 ERA over 78 innings with the Giants.
Tyler Mahle continues to prove the Braves were right to take a chance on him at the trade deadline
Despite the skepticism, Mahle has proven the Braves right to bet on him. He has a 2.21 ERA, 11 walks, and 51 strikeouts over 53 innings in the second half. Next to Chris Sale, he's been the most dependable arm for Atlanta since the All-Star break.
Mahle has pitched so well that baseball experts have taken notice. It's hard not to, with his 1.24 ERA in his six starts since joining the Braves. His addition is being considered arguably the best move at the trade deadline.
Best ERA among arms traded at 2026 Trade Deadline (min. 20 IP since 8/3)
— Shawn Coleman (@StatsSAC) September 9, 2026
0.82 - Aaron Civale
1.24 - Tyler Mahle
1.71 - Brent Suter #BravesCountry
Again, AA should have done more, but so far he’s clearly hit on the margin moves he made
ESPN's Bradford Doolittle recently released a list giving an update on each MLB team's post-deadline rating. He came up with a rating based on team and player-based factors. The Braves landed in Tier 1, which broke down teams that are contenders, whose deadline additions have helped, and whose playoff odds have improved.
Mahle and Suter are big reasons why Atlanta landed in this tier. Mahle may have struggled with the Giants, but the Braves were able to look back on his success with the Rangers in 2025 and make the call to acquire him. The righty carried a 2.18 ERA over 16 starts with Texas last year. Clearly, Atlanta knew they could get him back on track. They always seem to know how to bring out the best in struggling pitchers.
Mahle has done a great job commanding the baseball, and he's been able to keep hitters off balance. It's imperative that he keeps pitching well so the Braves have a chance of winning the division. The offense needs to get its act together if that's going to happen, however. But Mahle is playing his part well.
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