Atlanta Braves Acquire Relief Pitcher Tyler Schoff

The Atlanta Braves have acquired 27-year-old relief pitcher Tyler Schoff from the Washington Nationals. Schoff was rehabbing in Rookie ball this season, going 2-3 with a 2.04 ERA over 17.2 innings. And with this trade, the Braves assigned Schoff to the Rome Emperors, the team's High-A affiliate. But Schoff will likely be promoted to Double-A or Triple-A in the near future. Ozzie Albies believes this year's team is special, saying it's a great group of guys. Braves manager Walt Weiss agreed with Albies' statement, noting the team has had some strong teams in the past. The Braves are 48-27 and 7.5 games up on the Philadelphia Phillies for the top spot in the NL East. So the Braves could get aggressive ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that rival executives think the Braves are a sleeper team to acquire Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. The cost could be two of their top-10 prospects, including one who's in the top 100 overall. Schoff went undrafted in the 2021 MLB Draft and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Nationals. He pitched for Bryant in college baseball and was a Second Team All-NEC selection in his draft year. The Braves' acquisition of Schoff adds depth to their bullpen, which could be crucial in their push for the playoffs. With a strong team and potential additions like Skubal, the Braves are looking to make a deep run in the postseason. The trade was made on June 20, according to the transactions page. Schoff's performance will be closely watched as he moves through the Braves' system.