The Braves and others showed trade interest in Jacob deGrom. He opted to stay in Texas

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Since the start of last offseason, the Atlanta Braves have been haunted by their inability to land a high-quality starting pitcher. The trade deadline offered them a chance to finally address that need. And Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom loomed as a potentially electrifying acquisition.

The Braves informed the Rangers of their desire to land deGrom, according to people briefed on the discussions who were offered anonymity for their candor. The Rangers told deGrom if he wanted to waive his no-trade clause for Atlanta, they would make a deal happen. But deGrom said no, explaining that he wanted to win in Texas.

Other teams also expressed interest in deGrom, 38. In speaking with reporters Monday, the two-time Cy Young winner did not directly address the Braves’ pursuit of him. But he made clear that when he signed a five-year, $185 million free-agent contract with the Rangers in Dec. 2022, he intended to see it through.

“I want to be here,” deGrom said, according to MLB.com. “I believe in this group. Obviously, the last road trip didn’t go well, but I believe we can win. I signed here to help this team win a World Series. In 2023, the team was able to do that. I want to be a part of that in the future. I signed here to do that. I want to stay here and help this team compete.”

As recently as last Tuesday, when the Rangers led the AL West by two games, that vision seemed quite realistic. The team then lost five straight, falling two games under .500 and dropping 2 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros after getting swept by their division rivals over the weekend.

The losing streak continued a poor stretch after the All-Star break in which the Rangers lost four of five series. Their playoff odds down to 36.7 percent, they entered the deadline seemingly poised to become a seller, ruling nothing out. But the only player they wound up trading was utility man Josh Smith, to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Braves, on the other hand, overcame a series of injuries to starting pitchers to enter the deadline 67-45, with an eight-game lead in the NL East. While deGrom is not the pitcher he once was – his 3.96 ERA this season would be a career high – he and fellow Cy Young winner Chris Sale would have given Atlanta a potentially dominant 1-2 combination in the postseason.

Instead, the only addition to the Braves’ rotation was right-hander Tyler Mahle, who had a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts for the San Francisco Giants. The Braves also acquired relievers Brent Suter and Tyler Uberstine as well as outfielder Lane Thomas. None of those players will be as impactful as deGrom might have been.

The Rangers negotiated deGrom’s full no-trade clause into his free-agent contract. The Braves, though, had reason to be confident that he might join them. They met with him when he was a free agent. They are closer to his home in DeLand, Fla. And this season, they are a better team than the Rangers, entering the deadline with playoff odds of 99.3 percent.

Perhaps the Rangers, 1 1/2 games back in the wild-card race, can still rally for a postseason berth. Perhaps they will rebound even stronger in 2027, the last guaranteed year of deGrom’s contract, assuming a lockout does not shorten or cancel the season. But it’s also possible the Braves offered deGrom his last, best chance to win.

Players seek no-trade clauses to gain control over their futures, something they lack in the early portions of their careers. The Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout has expressed sentiments similar to the ones deGrom conveyed Monday, saying he wants to remain loyal to an organization that has been loyal to him.

Every club knew of deGrom’s no-trade clause, and his potential to wield it. Numerous other starting pitchers were available. But the Braves were left with only Mahle.