Braves acquire Mahle from Giants for Molina
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- Atlanta Braves acquired veteran starter Tyler Mahle from the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night for minor league pitcher Anthony Molina, adding depth ahead of Monday's trade deadline.
- Tyler Mahle signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Giants over the winter but posted a 5.13 ERA over 18 starts this season, a sharp drop from his 2.18 ERA in 16 starts in 2025 with a home run rate that nearly tripled.
- Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos said the club had pursued Mahle as a free agent before the 2024 season, noting the 31-year-old right-hander is 'really good against left-handers' while still seeing room for improvement versus right-handers.
- The Braves rotation is without Spencer Strider (elbow inflammation, could miss the rest of the season), Spencer Schwellenbach (recovering from February elbow surgery) and Reynaldo López (placed on the IL Sunday with left knee inflammation).
- The Braves have held first place in the NL East since April 8 and lead the second-place Philadelphia Phillies by eight games despite the pitching losses.
- The Giants, at 47-65 under first-year manager Tony Vitello, are expected to trade more veterans by Monday's deadline, including All-Star Luis Arraez and 2021 AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray.
- Anthony Molina, a 24-year-old right-hander with a fastball that sits around 97 mph, made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2024 and logged three relief appearances for the Braves this season.
Why it matters: The Braves get a rotation reinforcement to protect an eight-game NL East lead, but Mahle's inflated 5.13 ERA — paired with a home run rate that has nearly tripled — makes this a clear bounce-back gamble on a pitcher they once tried to sign as a free agent. The Giants, sellers with the third-worst record in the National League, land a 24-year-old 97 mph arm in Molina and signal that more veteran trades, including Arraez and Robbie Ray, are coming before Monday's deadline.
