The Atlanta Braves will pick the 2013 $6.5 million option on starting pitcher Paul Maholm, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's David O'Brien.
Maholm was acquired by the Braves from the Cubs at the trade deadline, along with outfielder Reed Johnson, for pitchers Arodys Vizcaino and Jaye Chapman.
Maholm is 11-9 in 26 games (25 starts) with a 3.44 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 157 innings pitched this season. Since joining the Braves, he is 2-3 with a 2.45 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in five starts.
The Braves are poised to be players in the free agent market in the near future, with more than $30 million coming off the books this offseason in the form of Chipper Jones, Derek Lowe and Michael Bourn. The team has one big-ticket long-term contract in Dan Uggla.
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