For a team as talented as the Atlanta Braves, the expectation around Major League Baseball was for them to figure it out at some point throughout the season. A few days after the All-Star break, the Braves lost a series to the New York Yankees over the weekend.
Sitting at 43-55 and 12.5 games back in the National League East, there isn’t much of a chance for them to win the division. The Braves could go on an impressive stretch over the next few months and sneak into a Wild Card spot, but the expectation around the league is for that not to happen, as they could look to sell.
According to a recent report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Braves are expected to listen to offers on some of their players, while others they won’t field any offers on until the offseason.
“Atlanta is expected to listen to trade offers for catcher second baseman Ozzie Albies, center fielder Michael Harris and catcher Sean Murphy, but not until this winter. They are letting teams know that DH Marcell Ozuna, closer Raisel Iglesias and reliever Pierce Johnson are all available.
“Ozuna, who has 10-and-5 rights, can veto any trade,” he wrote.
Will the Braves Be Having a Fire Sale?
This could be a telling sign for the Atlanta Braves, especially if Michael Harris is being thrown in trade discussions. While the youngster hasn’t been as good as he was early on in his career, he’s still an outstanding player, and it’s fair to suggest that he just hasn’t played well over the past year or so. He’s dealt with some injuries, so that has to be taken into account.
According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, the Braves aren’t expected to move on from any of their players controlled beyond this year. He noted that the team could listen to offers on Ozzie Albies and Pierce Johnson, who have options for the 2026 season.
“The Braves have said they won’t trade any players controlled beyond this year. This opens the door to move pending free agents Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias. The club should also listen to offers for both Ozzie Albies and Pierce Johnson, who both have an option for 2026. None of these players will garner a significant return. But there is a need to add organizational depth in both the position-player and starting-pitching departments,” he wrote.
Had this been a few years ago, the Braves likely would’ve gotten a massive return for Albies.
Is Chris Sale Going to Be Available?
There are some other decisions the Atlanta Braves have to make, and that’s the availability of Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale. If the Braves make Sale available, every contending team in the league would want him. However, according to a report from Robert Murray, the team has no interest in moving on from the left-hander at the moment.
“While almost every contending team is searching for starting pitching at the trade deadline, one name that can be crossed off the list is Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale. Atlanta has not discussed Sale in trade talks and will not consider moving the left-hander or any other player under control beyond 2025, according to major-league sources,” he noted.
Braves Make Unfortunate Trade Deadline Plans Due to Struggles