Braves acquire Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter from Royals

The Atlanta Braves acquired veteran outfielder Lane Thomas and left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter from the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, August 1, 2026, in exchange for minor league pitchers Lucas Braun and Carter Holton. The trade bolsters the Braves' depth as they lead the National League East.

Thomas, 30, was pulled from the Royals' game in Colorado in the fourth inning on Saturday after starting in center field. He is expected to join the Braves on Tuesday for the start of a series against the Miami Marlins. Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos indicated Thomas will primarily play left field, likely forming a platoon with Mike Yastrzemski. Anthopoulos highlighted Thomas's strength against left-handed pitching, noting he is a career .288 hitter against lefties. This season, Thomas is batting .232 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs in 97 games. He signed a one-year, $5.25 million contract with Kansas City in the offseason.

Bailey Falter, 29, has struggled in limited major league action this season, posting an 0-2 record with a 13.97 ERA over five appearances while dealing with left elbow inflammation. Anthopoulos stated Falter will report to Triple-A Gwinnett....