The Atlanta Braves need starting pitching help, that’s been a well documented since it was deemed that Hurton Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach will start the 2026 season on the 60-Day Injured List. Other reports out of Braves camp indicate that Atlanta has not been engaged in the top remaining MLB free agent starters, Zack Littell and Lucas Giolito.
Since it’s become clear Alex Anthopoulos does not want to spend money, the Braves could also look to the trade market to make a splash addition before Opening Day. With the news of Twins’ starter Pablo Lopez going down with Tommy John Surgery, Joe Ryan has surfaced once again as a top trade candidate, and the Braves have recently been floated as a possible destination for the All-Star starter.
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Recent Trade Proposal Sends Joe Ryan to Atlanta
In a recent trade proposal piece by FanSided’s Christopher Kline, the Atlanta Braves are one of five teams named as a trade destination for Joe Ryan, and Kline names three prospects (Tate Southisene, Briggs McKenzie, and Didier Fuentes) that could make a deal work:
“Ryan can give the Braves much-needed stability and a clear-cut No. 2 behind Sale come October. Alex Anthopoulos is historically quite reluctant to pay pitchers max value in free agency, so this probably is not a long-term union with Ryan. Even if it’s just two years of his prime, however, the 29-year-old can substantially improve the team’s World Series odds â which tend to sit higher than most folks realize, if the roster can just stay semi-healthy.”
GettyMinnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan
Joe Ryan enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign where he posted a 3.42 ERA over 171 innings and 30 starts. He also almost reached the 200-strikeout mark and was named an All-Star for the first time in his career.
Due to the fact that Ryan is just a rental, the package Kline proposes might be a little much for the Braves to want to give up, but Joe Ryan is clearly worth more than those three prospects combined in terms of production.
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Joe Ryan’s Fit with the Braves
As Kline outlines, Joe Ryan would fit soundly in the Braves’ rotation as the second-option, at least until Schwellenbach returns, but even then, Ryan does have more MLB experience under his belt than any of the Braves’ young arms.
The other teams floated as trade destinations for Ryan included the Yankees, Orioles, Phillies, and Astros, all teams that are thought to need a starter before Opening Day.
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