Explaining how the Braves approached the trade deadline

Emotions surrounding the Atlanta Braves’ approach before Monday’s trade deadline remain raw.

Rightfully so. Fans have wanted Atlanta to add another starter to slot in behind ace Chris Sale since the offseason. The need for another piece in the rotation seemingly became more pressing after injuries sidelined additional pitchers.

The Braves, however, were the best team in baseball through the first two months of the season. Even after a rough June and injuries to key members of the lineup, they entered Friday with the second-best record in the majors at 70-45 and an 8 1/2-game division lead over the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Braves are in the midst of an eight-game winning streak and are 15-5 since the All-Star break. The pre-deadline rotation is again a major reason for their success. Ahead of Atlanta’s series opener against the New York Yankees on the road, starters had a combined 2.69 ERA in the second half, the best in the National League.

As a result, the Braves didn’t feel a need to mortgage the future for rentals at the trade deadline. Here is what went into the decision-making, according to a team source who spoke on condition of anonymity for their candor.

How the Braves approached the rotation

Tarik Skubal was at the top of Atlanta’s wish list, and the Braves aggressively pursued him. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Friday morning that the Tigers prioritized receiving the greatest overall value in a trade. The Braves were prepared to part with virtually any prospect discussed. As discussions went on, though, Atlanta got the impression the Detroit Tigers were focused on Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Zyhir Hope. The Tigers got him as well as pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith.

The Braves also went after Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom. They had a deal framework in place, but contrary to rumors, it did not include Spencer Strider, the source said. In addition, Rosenthal reported that Atlanta was involved in discussions for right-hander José Soriano and other starters.

The Braves only added Tyler Mahle, whom they were interested in signing before he signed with the Texas Rangers ahead of the 2024 season. Atlanta found the cost — righty Anthony Molina, who had a 3.64 ERA in 54 1/3 innings in Triple A — reasonable for a pitcher it believes can be part of the rotation beyond this season.

It’s fair to question why the Braves didn’t make offers for Casey Mize or Robbie Ray, the two starters acquired by the San Diego Padres, who are on the edges of the NL wild-card race. The Braves had the prospect capital to trade for either. For Mize, the Padres sent their top pitching prospect, Kash Mayfield, and Jackson Wolf, a 2021 fourth-rounder. For Ray, they sent right-hander Miguel Mendez, a top-five prospect, as well as Joniel Hernandez, a 17-year-old shortstop who signed for $1.4 million as an international amateur free agent in January.

Adding either pitcher could have given Atlanta a formidable option behind Chris Sale in the postseason.

But neither Mize nor Ray is perfect. Mize has battled injuries throughout his career, and his velocity dipped in July, reducing some of the swing-and-miss qualities that made him so intriguing. Ray, meanwhile, isn’t the overpowering lefty who won the 2021 American League Cy Young Award. His strikeout rate dropped seven percentage points to 20.9 percent this season compared to last year’s.

The philosophy behind keeping Ha-Seong Kim

Ha-Seong Kim may be enduring the worst season of his career, but the Braves never seriously discussed moving on from him.

Roster decisions extend beyond present-day production. For one thing, his $20 million salary would have been difficult to move. Also, the Braves still trust in Kim’s track record and value his defensive versatility.

The crunch on the roster — Kim’s return from the injured list coincided with catcher Sean Murphy’s, and the Braves needed to make roster space for Lane Thomas — led to the Braves designating Jorge Mateo for assignment and trading speedster Eli White to the Boston Red Sox.

In moving on from Mateo and White, ranked as the third- and fourth-fastest players in the majors, the Braves sacrificed speed that could have come in handy in the playoffs. But the club has found success adding speed to the roster late in the calendar before, as it did with Terrance Gore on its way to the 2021 World Series. When rosters expand to 28 players in September, Atlanta should have options in the minor leagues in DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (35 stolen bases), Brewer Hicklen (27) and Luke Williams (27).

On the brighter side …

Perhaps the positive to take from the Braves’ approach was that they managed to hold on to the top prospects in their farm system. They believe outfielder Eric Hartman, left-hander Cam Caminiti and infielder Tate Southisene will play significant roles for Atlanta in the future.

Of the players they parted with — right-handers Lucas Braun and Molina, left-hander Connor Holton and third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr. — none appeared as likely to have a dramatic impact on the organization’s future.

Of course, it’s fair to question the decision to not dip deeper into the farm system, since there is so much uncertainty before prospects reach the majors. But keeping the present system largely intact should give Atlanta more room to pursue better options down the road.

What else to know

• The Braves acquired Thomas, an impending free agent, from the Kansas City Royals to bolster the lineup against left-handed pitching, but they explored a longer-term plan in the outfield. Adding Angels outfielder Jo Adell, who ultimately landed in Cleveland, was on the table. He has more raw power and arguably a higher offensive ceiling. Thomas, however, fit the platoon role the Braves wanted to fill.

• Bullpen help may be on the way sooner than expected. Although a timeline hasn’t been set for reliever Robert Suarez’s return, Reynaldo López has begun light throwing activity since going on the IL with knee inflammation over the weekend.

• As the Braves rattled off wins in the last week, they began to see signs of life from struggling third baseman Austin Riley. He had five RBIs and eight hits in his last 17 at-bats before going 0-for-3 in Thursday’s rain-delayed 11-3 win.