The Atlanta Braves waited until it was too late to save the season to start making moves.
It seems losing starting pitcher Grant Holmes was the final straw the front office needed to create a sense of urgency in upgrading the rotation. Adding SP Erick Fedde was the first notable move made with the struggling starter, acquired for no return of note.
Fedde, Spencer Strider, and Bryce Elder were still the only experienced starters in the rotation. This has changed with Atlanta bringing in a fourth option, adding Carlos Carrasco from the New York Yankees. According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Braves are sending cash to the Yankees to acquire the former league wins leader.
The Braves have acquired Carlos Carrasco from the Yankees in exchange for cash considerations or a PTBNL, per source. @JackCurryYES was on it.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 28, 2025
It is the same exact situation as Fedde, an experienced option who needed a fresh start.
Atlanta's standards for making the rotation have arguably never been lower in recent history. This is based on a front office failure to add depth and a shocking number of injuries. Holmes joined Spencer Schwellenbach, Chris Sale, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Reynaldo Lopez on the injury list. This is every starter who was expected to be a piece of Atlanta's Opening Day rotation.
Still, if the team had re-signed Max Fried and Charlie Morton, the season could look entirely different.
Braves Acquire RHP Carlos Carrasco From Yankees Before Trade Deadline
For Carrasco, this is another chance at a fresh start after three years of frustrations. The Yankees have far too deep of pitching talent to continue to put the failing veteran on the mound. Atlanta is desperate enough to overlook the results in favor of adding a veteran capable of eating innings, no matter the results. Braves fans might remember Carrasco from the veteran's years with the New York Mets.
In eight games (6 starts) with the Yankees before the trade, Carrassco was 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA and 1.531 WHIP, while averaging 7.0 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. He last appeared in the Majors in May and has since been with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which includes a 2.05 ERA with 19 Ks in 26 1/3 innings in his last four starts — all wins, too.
At times, Carrasco can look like one of the league's best options, only to go through long streaks of tossing batting practice. Regardless, the Braves are adding the veteran not in an effort to improve, but to make it through the rest of the season. Waving the white flag is the only move left as the Braves attempt to piece together innings and protect key starters for next season. There simply isn't a reason to put any meaningful pitcher back on the mound.
Strider is the lone exception, with Atlanta having no legitimate excuse to shelve the healthy starter. However, there is no reason to bring any of this season's injured options back until the 2026 season. Carrasco helps give the Braves this chance, eating innings down the stretch of the season.