Braves Make a Run at Former All-Star Player in Free Agency
The Atlanta Braves could have another intriguing option to strengthen their starting rotation this offseason, with San Diego Padres right-hander Casey Mize emerging as a potential free-agent target.
Mize, a 6-foot-3 former No. 1 overall pick and 2025 All-Star, was acquired by San Diego from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline after putting together a strong first half of the 2026 season.
The Padres paid a significant price for the right-hander because of his performance, sending top pitching prospect Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf to Detroit.
Mize entered the Padres’ plans as a rental, meaning Atlanta could have an opportunity to pursue him once the season concludes.
The Braves already had interest in Mize before San Diego won the bidding at the trade deadline, making a potential reunion with Atlanta particularly interesting. Reports indicated that Atlanta explored Mize as a possible rotation addition but ultimately did not meet Detroit’s asking price.
The right-hander was enjoying one of the better stretches of his career before the trade, posting a 2.70 ERA through 16 starts for the Tigers and establishing himself as one of the more attractive pitchers available on the market.
Atlanta’s rotation has dealt with injuries and uncertainty throughout the season, so adding a proven starter who has already demonstrated the ability to handle a major-league workload could make considerable sense.
Mize’s path to becoming a legitimate free-agent target is also one of the more compelling comeback stories in baseball. The Tigers selected him first overall out of Auburn in 2018, but injuries, including Tommy John surgery that wiped out the 2023 season, slowed the beginning of his career.
He has since worked his way back into a reliable major-league starter and earned his first All-Star selection in 2025. His 2026 season showed how valuable he can be when healthy, although his post-trade performance with San Diego has been uneven.
He produced a strong six-inning outing against Cleveland in August, but he later struggled against Tampa Bay and Cincinnati, showing why Atlanta would need to carefully evaluate his health and recent velocity before committing to a multiyear deal.
For the Braves, however, the potential upside could make Mize worth another look when free agency arrives.
Atlanta knows the pitcher well enough to have already considered him at the deadline, and his combination of age, pedigree, All-Star experience and recent success could fit the organization’s desire to reinforce its rotation without necessarily pursuing the most expensive ace available.
Mize is also an Alabama native and Auburn product, adding another regional connection to the Braves’ potential pursuit.
There are legitimate concerns, particularly his recent velocity decline and injury history, but if Atlanta believes those issues are manageable, Casey Mize could become one of the most intriguing replacement options for the Braves’ rotation in free agency.
