The trade deadline is less than 12 hours away, and the market has yet to really develop. We have seen some pitchers moved in the wake of Tarik Skubal going to the Dodgers (still gross), but there are a lot of names still on the board that will get moved. That means that the Atlanta Braves still have plenty of time to round out their acquisitions, but time is definitely running out.
Despite the presence of many players still waiting to find out if they will get traded, the Braves have not been idle. They have made a pair of trades to address both sides of the ball over the weekend. Let's take a look at those trades and how well Atlanta did with them.
Grading the Braves trades so far on the day of the trade deadline
Lane Thomas (and Bailey Falter)
The Braves certainly needed to address the lineup and, more specifically, the need for a right-handed bat that could help Atlanta against left-handed pitching was very high. Ronald Acuña Jr.'s return from the IL helps keep opposing teams honest, but the bulk of the Braves' offensive firepower right now comes from the left side of the plate. Unless Austin Riley figures things out, lineup balance is the offense's biggest problem.
Enter Lane Thomas. He doesn't have any real defensive value at this point, and he isn't good against righties, but Thomas' career .850 OPS against southpaws (including an .800 OPS in 2026) is definitely welcome. The Braves did have to give up Lucas Braun and Carter Holton to get him alongside Bailey Falter (who is likely to be organizational depth and little else), but neither pitching prospect seemed overly likely to factor into Atlanta's plans.
Grade: B- There is nothing wrong with this trade per se, but Thomas is very limited in his utility, and the upside at his age isn't ideal. This move was widely predicted, but its narrow scope and Thomas' limitations keep it from getting top marks.
Tyler Mahle
The Braves snagged Tyler Mahle from the Giants, and it only cost them Triple-A swingman Anthony Molina, so there is little actual risk here. Mahle has struggled with San Francisco this season and has a recent history of injuries, but has (mostly) pitched better recently and has some encouraging peripherals.
As a rental, there isn't much long-term risk here. The Braves needed multiple starters coming into the trade deadline, and Mahle is a cheap option who should be able to cover innings the rest of the season. With Atlanta only giving up some fringe roster depth in Molina, that will work.
Grade: B- This is a fine secondary trade for rotation depth at very little cost, and the Braves needed to make at least one such move. However, the odds are long that Mahle is anything more than a decent back-of-the-rotation option.
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