ATLANTA — The Los Angeles Angels already have the best record in baseball. That didn't stop them from making a bold move two days before the trade deadline.

With their sights set firmly on the World Series, the Angels pulled off a blockbuster deal yesterday to acquire slugger Mark Teixeira from the fading Atlanta Braves.

Los Angeles sent first baseman Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steve Marek to the Braves, who raised the white flag on this season after a rash of key injuries.

"Our goal is to win a world championship," Angels general manager Tony Reagins said. "The team is playing well at this point, but being able to add a player like Mark Teixeira just makes us that much better."

Los Angeles has an 11 1/2-game cushion over the Texas Rangers in the AL West. But the Angels were more concerned with setting up a roster that can go all the way in October.

"Hopefully, I can just go over there and be one more piece of the puzzle," Teixeira said before leaving Turner Field.

The first baseman is making $12.5 million and will be eligible for free agency after the season.

A two-time Gold Glove winner, Teixeira has hit at least 26 home runs in every season since making his big league debut with Texas in 2003. He hit a career-high 43 homers and was an All-Star in 2005, and has had four straight years with at least 100 RBIs.

But the Braves trail the New York Mets by 8 1/2 games in the NL East, with little chance of bouncing back after a rash of injuries — especially to the pitching staff.

John Smoltz underwent season-ending surgery on his shoulder, and Atlanta fears that another top starter, Tim Hudson, is done for the season after an MRI found ligament damage in his pitching elbow. Peter Moylan, expected to hold down the main setup role in the bullpen, also is out for the year.

Chipper Jones, the team's leading hitter, went on the 15-day disabled list Monday.

Atlanta acquired Teixeira last July 31 at the trade deadline in a seven-player deal that sent catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to Texas.

ELSEWHERE

Mets: New York pitcher John Maine was diagnosed yesterday with a mild strain in his right rotator cuff, and it's uncertain whether he will make his next scheduled start on Sunday. Maine left Monday's game at Florida after 4 1/3 innings because of pain in the back of his pitching shoulder.

Phillies: Philadelphia placed third baseman Pedro Feliz on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a lower back injury. Feliz had missed the Phillies' previous three games, so the move is retroactive to Friday.

Pirates: Pittsburgh placed first baseman Adam LaRoche on the 15-day disabled list yesterday because of a strained muscle in his ribcage and called up infielder Brian Bixler from Triple-A Indianapolis. The move was made retroactive to Monday.

Mariners: Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki reached 3,000 combined hits in the major leagues and the Japanese League with a first-inning single last night in a 11-10 loss to Texas. Suzuki went 2 for 5 and has 1,723 hits in 1,224 games in his eight seasons with Seattle and had 1,278 hits in 951 games in nine seasons with the Orix Blue Wave of Japan's Pacific League.

Rockies: Colorado put outfielder Scott Podsednik on the 15-day disabled list yesterday, retroactive to Monday, because of a non-displaced fracture of his left pinky. The team purchased the contract of outfielder Cory Sullivan from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Twins: Minnesota will place second baseman Alexi Casilla on the disabled list and activate Adam Everett to replace him. An MRI revealed a torn right thumb ligament on Casilla, who has helped spark the Twins this season by hitting .313.