Braves trade prediction lands Tarik Skubal at huge two-thirds top prospect cost

The Atlanta Braves have been reeling a bit lately, as they've struggled this month, dropping 10 of their 18 games in June. At 48-30, they're only 5.5 games up on the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

Their recent struggles are thanks in large part to the struggling starting rotation. Other than Chris Sale, the Braves' starters are struggling mightily this season. They desperately need someone like Tarik Skubal in a trade.

That's why Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report is predicting the Braves trade for Skubal. However, it comes at a steep price, as the Braves would be, in this prediction, giving up two-thirds of their top-three pitching prospects for Skubal.

Braves predicted to trade 2/3rds of top pitching prospects for Tarik Skubal

"Atlanta Braves (48-30): They'll get Tarik Skubal from the Tigers," Rymer predicts. "... If they tell the Tigers to pick two of their three best pitching prospects - Cam Caminiti, JR Ritchie, Didier Fuentes - would they be able to say no?"

While the Braves desperately need someone like Skubal to join this rotation and provide some huge help, sending two of these three pitching prospects would be a lot to part with.

Skubal, the back-to-back Cy Young ace for the Tigers, who has a 3.02 ERA this season after some shaky starts since coming back from surgery, would be a huge boost to the rotation.

MORE: Angles can demand more in trade for Reid Detmers than Tigers can for Tarik Skubal

Fuentes has been great this season, posting a 2.43 ERA for the Braves, while Ritchie has a 4.87 ERA in the Majors for the Braves and a 2.75 ERA in the minors. Caminiti is the Braves' top prospect, and he has a 4.71 ERA in High-A this season.

If the Braves traded two of Fuentes, Ritchie, and Caminiti, they would be parting with some serious value in a trade. Two of those three pitching prospects for a rental is a lot to give up. But to land Skubal, it's going to cost a lot.

Atlanta could prefer to keep Caminiti with a hope of their top prospect reaching his potential, or they could prefer to keep Fuentes, as he's been good in the Majors this season and would be more helpful to ensure they don't waste Skubal as a rental.

While the Braves' prediction from Rymer is exciting, in that they land Skubal in a trade, this lofty cost would give the Braves pause, as it could very easily come back to haunt them.

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