60 Years Ago, Braves Arrived In Atlanta
PLUS: SIX TARIK SKUBAL TRADE PACKAGES THAT MAKE SENSE
THE FIRST 2026 BASEBALL BOOK — CLICK HERE TO ORDER:
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Readers React
On Roki, Ryne, and Cabrera
“Roki Sasaki exceeded rookie qualifications in 2025 and will not be a rookie in 2026.
Late Friday, Ryne Stanek signed with the Cardinals.
Owen Caissie is no Lou Brock. The Edward Cabrera deal is excellent for the Cubs. Might be good for both teams, but Caissie... good prospect, but no Hall of Fame talent.”
— Al Yellon, Chicago
Sasaki just missed retaining rookie status for 2026, the jury is still out on Owen Caissie, and Stanek’s signing was announced after the newsletter was put to bed. — D.S.
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On Andruw Jones Plaque
Dan gets it!!! Always telling it like it really is. Thanks for another great year of newsletters and books!
— Chuck Simon, Atlanta
Thanks, Chuck. Your check is in the mail. — D.S.
Pregame Pepper
Overnight, the big news broke: the World Champion Dodgers outbid the Mets, landing Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract . . .
Free agent signee Robert Suarez, now in Atlanta, leads the majors with 76 saves since 2024 . . .
If Toronto signs left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers, identical twins Taylor and Tyler could be together in the 2026 Blue Jays bullpen . . .
Seeking better power production, the Kansas City Royals have decided to move in the fences at Kauffman Stadium . . .
As if Commissioner Rob Manfred hasn’t twisted the rules and legacy of the game enough over the last few years, he’s now considering shortening the season in favor of an in-season tournament akin to the NBA Cup . . .
Manfred is also said to be open to a split-season concept, last employed during the 1981 strike year to stoke declining fan interest . . .
Arizona may have to pay a lot to cover Nolan Arenado’s contract but at least the D’backs didn’t surrender much talent — in quality or quantity — to the Cardinals for the gifted third baseman.
Leading Off
First Edition of Atlanta Braves Was Different Club
By Dan Schlossberg
Sixty years ago, the Braves moved to Atlanta after a 13-year sojourn in Milwaukee.
While based in Wisconsin, those Braves never had a losing record. They also won a world championship and came thisclose to winning two in a row — and almost four (1956-57-58-59).
The team that transferred to Atlanta brought with it Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews, future Hall of Famers who hit a record 863 home runs during the time they were teammates.
It also had a hard-hitting catcher named Joe Torre who would eventually become a batting champion and MVP.
And it had a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher whose main claim to fame would be hitting two grand-slams in one game — a feat never accomplished before in National League history.
Those 1966 Braves had a few future Hall of Famers, including Torre and Phil Niekro in addition to Aaron and Mathews, not to mention broadcaster Milo Hamilton, then in his first year with the team.
But the team, managed by Bobby Bragan and then Billy Hitchcock, also had a bunch of clunkers.
The first Atlanta Braves finished fifth in the 10-team National League in those days before the divisional play era dawned in 1969. The team went 85-77, finishing 10 games behind the front-running Los Angeles Dodgers, even though Aaron led the league with 44 home runs and 127 runs batted in.
Mathews became the first man to play for a team in three different cities (Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta) but started so poorly that he was demoted to platoon player at third base, sitting against left-handed pitching. That ended when Hitchcock replaced Bragan in August and allowed Mathews to bat against Sandy Koufax. As if it were scripted, the aging third baseman hit the game-winning home run in a 2-1 win for lefty Denver Lemaster.
Lemaster was one of three Braves to win in double digits, along with 14-game winners Ken Johnson and Cloninger, though the latter had won 24 the previous season. In 1966, Bragan let him work 13 innings on a cold, wet opening night. The pitcher was never the same, though he did hit five home runs that season.
The best player on the club was actually Felipe Alou, an erstwhile outfielder whose deployment at first base did not deter him from hitting .327 with 31 home runs and 74 runs batted in — great numbers for a leadoff man.
Torre had 36 homers, second only to Aaron among the Braves, but Mathews slipped to 16 and was traded to the Astros in December for forgettable pitcher Bob Bruce.
Other players of note included Rico Carty, a DH before its creation, and Mack Jones, no relation to later stars Chipper or Andruw. A Dominican who was once a boxer, Carty contributed a .326 average and a self-appointed nickname as The Beeg Boy but had iron hands as an outfielder and especially when tried as a catcher for 17 games.
Jones hit 23 home runs but was better than retreads Ty Cline, John Herrnstein, or Marty Keough in the outfield.
Torre, whose .315 average was phenomenal for a backstop, had the tough task of catching the knuckleballs of both Johnson, who once threw a no-hitter he lost, and Niekro, whose breakout years began in 1967. But former stars Wade Blasingame, Don Schwall, and Joey Jay were total washouts.
At least the bullpen had some healthy arms in closer Clay Carroll, submariner Ted Abernathy, and veteran southpaw Billy O’Dell. Not quite ready for prime time were sidearmer Cecil Upshaw and pro basketball player Ron Reed.
Part-time starters Pat Jarvis and Dick Kelley combined for 13 wins, while 40-year-old reliever Chi-Chi Olivo worked 47 times as the oldest rookie in the National League.
Had Niekro’s prowess and potential been discovered a year earlier, the 1966 Braves might have given the Dodgers a run for their money. It would be three more years — and a split into divisions —before Atlanta finished first for the first time.
HtP weekend editor Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ covers baseball for forbes.com, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, Memories & Dreams, and many other outlets. His email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Cleaning Up
A Few Potential Trade Packages For Tarik Skubal
By Dan Schlossberg
Two things are pushing the Detroit Tigers to trade Tarik Skubal despite his back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards.
First, he’ll be a free agent after this season and able to sell his services to the highest bidder.
Second, he’s asking $32 million in salary arbitration as opposed to the team’s offer of $19 million. That $13 million differential is a dubious major-league record.
There’s no shortage of suitors for the southpaw’s services despite the dispute over dollars.
The 6’3” pitcher has won 31 games and led his league in earned run average over the last two seasons and has the potential to blossom into a rare commodity these days: a 20-game winner.
He’s made 31 starts in both 2024 and 2025 and, at 31, could give a prospective new club prolonged positive numbers.
The problem is finding a suitor willing to surrender “half a ballclub,” as one rival GM suggested.
Here are a half-dozen possibilities:
New York Mets — Backed by the wealthiest owner in the bigs, this NL East contender desperately needs a No. 1 pitcher. It also has a plethora of players to trade, from infielders Mark Vientos and Luisangel Acuna to pitchers David Peterson, Sean Manaea, and A.J. Minter. Even if the Mets yielded that entire quintet, it might not be enough.
Los Angeles Dodgers — Always craving more ironman starters, this wealthy West Coast world champion could part with slugging third baseman Max Muncy, a free agent this fall, and pitchers Tyler Glasgow, Tanner Scott, Landon Knack, and Alex Vesia.
Philadelphia Phillies — Skubal would be a great replacement for defecting left-hander Ranger Suarez, who surprisingly signed with Boston. But it might cost Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh, Jesus Luzardo, and Andrew Painter — if the Tigers consider that package powerful enough.
Atlanta Braves — Since Skubal and Chris Sale both become unrestricted free agents this fall, would the Tigers go for Sale, Spencer Strider, Ozzie Albies or Austin Riley, and blue-chip prospect JR Ritchie? Sale, who’s seven years older than Skubal, and Strider, two years younger, are Atlanta’s top two starters of the moment and Ritchie can step right into the Detroit rotation after starting the Futures Game last summer.
New York Yankees — With Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt all unavailable early in the season, Skubal would fill a serious void in the Bronx. But the cost might be pending free agent Jazz Chisholm, Jr., young slugger Spencer Jones, pitchers Luis Gil and Camilo Doval, and Ben Rice.
Toronto Blue Jays — The American League champions badly need a left-handed partner for newly-signed staff ace Dylan Cease. But they’d probably have to part with Alejandro Kirk, Ernie Clement, Anthony Santander, and Jose Berrios — plus a pitching prospect or two.
Another alternative for the Tigers is holding onto Skubal for this year, at least until his price goes up at the trade deadline, and making another run for the post-season. Detroit last won a world championship in 1984.
HtP weekend editor Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ writes baseball for forbes.com, Memories & Dreams, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, and many other outlets. He’s also the author of 43 baseball books. Contact Dan via ballauthor@gmail.com.
Timeless Trivia: Astros Were Once Colt .45s
The Houston Astros began life as a 1962 National League expansion team called the Houston Colt .45s . . .
The only team named for a firearm, the nickname was shortened to Colts after the gun company complained (and asked for a slice of the team’s revenue) and changed to Astros after the futuristic Houston Astrodome opened in 1965 . . .
Colt Stadium, where the team played home games for its first three seasons, was sold and carted off to Mexico . . .
Ancient Bobby Shantz, who once won MVP honors while pitching for the Philadelphia Athletics, was the winning pitcher in Houston’s big-league bow . . .
The Astros switched leagues in 2013 and settled in the American League West . . .
The lone club to win seven postseason series, the Astros never reached the World Series during the National League tenure but won twice since joining the AL.
Know Your Editors
Here’s the Pitch is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles the Monday issue with Dan Freedman [dfreedman@lionsgate.com] editing Tuesday and Jeff Kallman [easyace1955@outlook.com] at the helm Wednesday and Thursday. Original editor Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com], does the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Former editor Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] is now co-director [with Benjamin Chase and Jonathan Becker] of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, which publishes this newsletter and the annual ACTA book of the same name. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HtP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.