Braves acquire pitcher in trade with Angels

With all the injuries the Atlanta Braves have dealt with, they could use as much depth as possible. Now, the Braves have added some more in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels.

Atlanta acquired right-hander pitcher Victor Mederos in exchange for international bonus pool money, the team announced. They then optioned him to Triple-A, while moving AJ Smith-Shawver to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Mederos.

The fact the righty was admittedly sent the minors means that the Braves may not see him as an immediate difference maker. But after getting some fine tuning, now in Atlanta’s system, perhaps Mederos can be a diamond in the rough.

He spent three years with the Angels, appearing in 12 games – with three starts. Mederos posted an 8.53 ERA and a 22/21 K/BB ratio. His 17 innings pitched were a new career-high in 2025, but it resulted in a 7.41 ERA and a 14/12 K/BB ratio.

Mederos’ numbers have looked a bit more palpable at the minor league level. He has registered a 5.29 ERA and a 281/144 K/BB ratio. Still, with his numbers not jumping off the page, there must be some underlying factor that the Braves see in Mederos.

At the same time, it’s not like Atlanta gave up the farm for the righty. They had a roster spot available as Smith-Shawver continues to recover from a torn UCL. Mederos will now look to prove himself at the Triple-A level before potentially returning to the majors with the Braves. Even with the addition though, the franchise will keep their eye out for available pitching throughout the 2026 campaign.

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