Tarik Skubal: The Braves Didn’t Want to Trade Didier Fuentes

Didier Fuentes made a name for himself during the 2026 playoffs.

The 21-year-old has been outstanding this season as a reliever in Atlanta, but the playoffs allowed him to shine even brighter.

The Braves have a good pitcher on their hands.

But did you know that, according to Peter Abraham, the Atlanta Braves believe in him so much that he was one of the untouchables in trade talks with the Tigers for Tarik Skubal?

Braves Weren't Willing To Include Didier Fuentes In Skubal Trade Offer https://t.co/ntY23KXKel pic.twitter.com/nyJGXALnNp

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) October 10, 2026

Pitchers like A.J. Amith-Shawver and J.R. Ritchie weren't off the table in talks with Detroit. But Fuentes was.

After seeing him pitch in the playoffs and witnessing the organization's confidence in this 21-year-old, it's clear why Alex Anthopoulos was cautious.

Didier Fuentes of the @Braves retired 11 consecutive batters on Sunday.

That's the longest streak by a reliever aged 21 or younger in a postseason game in MLB history.

No reliever aged 21 or younger has had a streak that long in a regular-season game since Tom Gordon on April 12, 1989 (11). pic.twitter.com/NvaTWVCxFH

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 5, 2026

If the Braves had managed to acquire Skubal (who ultimately helped the Dodgers knock Atlanta out of the playoffs) and that had cost them Fuentes, the story would have been different.

In my opinion, without Fuentes, the team might not have gone as far. And we can all agree that it would have cost more than just the young reliever to acquire Skubal…

The team would have had Skubal, but certainly not Tyler Mahle, who was acquired as a “consolation prize” by Anthopoulos—and who dominated in Atlanta. So it all amounts to the same thing.

Would the Georgia team have been further along? We'll never know.

Given the confidence the Braves have shown in their young pitcher, I wouldn't be surprised to see Fuentes try his hand at starting in 2027.

Many teams could adopt this strategy in the event of a potential lockout. With a shortened season, it would help manage the workload of the pitchers in question.

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