Atlanta Braves Get Lifeline on Tarik Skubal Trade from MLB Insider

The Atlanta Braves are still flirting with the best record in Major League Baseball, swapping places with the Los Angeles Dodgers on what seems to be a day-to-day basis.

However, chinks in the armor have started to show, and an 8-8 record in June after a scorching April and May has led some to believe general manager Alex Anthopoulos could be in the market for a blockbuster trade.

The name that's been on everyone's lips the last week is Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, who has won back-to-back Cy Young awards in the American League.

ESPN's MLB Insider Buster Olney joined Atlanta's 680 The Fan to weigh in on a potential move, and he sees the Braves as one of two possible destinations for Skubal.

"I think the Tampa Bay Rays and the Atlanta Braves are two teams that you could see going forward," Olney said on 680 The Fan. "And look, you know, Alex Anthopoulos' trade history is that when he feels like he has a team that has a chance to win, he'll make aggressive moves."

Olney points to 2021 after Ronald Acuña Jr.'s injury, and it seemed everything Anthopoulos touched turned to gold, including postseason heroes Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario.

However, trading for a reigning two-time Cy Young winner in his prime is going to be significantly more expensive. That's one of the reasons Olney likes the Braves.

"Their farm system is in better shape than it was a year ago," Olney said. "I think they have the stuff to actually make a trade, maybe (JR) Ritchie is a part of that trade, other minor leaguers. It comes down to what the Tigers want.

"But if in fact the Tigers decide they're gonna trade Skubal, yeah, I'm watching the Braves."

At 34-44, the Tigers would appear to be sellers at the deadline, but they've won four in a row and are starting to feel good about themselves after making the playoffs in 2025.

However, the Tigers made their playoffs last season on the back of a strong start to the season. Detroit was 59-38 in the first half, but they fell to 28-37 in the second half before being bounced from the playoffs by the Seattle Mariners in the divisional round.

Is the slow start to 2026 a continuation of a flawed team that showed its true colors in the second half last season? Or is the four-game winning streak the start of returning to a team that played .608 baseball in the first half of 2025?

Those are the questions the Detroit Tigers will have to answer before the trade deadline, and if they decide to be a seller, Olney thinks the Braves are in a prime position to pounce on Skubal.

Add us as a preferred source on Google