Fire up the rumor mill! With just under 48 hours to go until the trade deadline (Tuesday, August 1 at 6 p.m. ET) Jon Morosi of MLB Network is reporting the Braves are working on adding a starting pitcher.
Morosi added the Braves have checked in on Justin Verlander, but the two parties are not currently engaged in negotiations.
While the possibility of a Verlander trade seems unlikely, the Braves searching for a starting pitcher is an encouraging sign. Even with positive news surrounding Max Fried’s recovery — he is expected to return next weekend against the Cubs — the Braves know far too well how quickly pitching depth can vanish in September (see: last fall when Spencer Strider blew an oblique and a nasty stomach bug made Max Fried lose ten pounds before his start in the NLDS.