Nearly 50 games through the season, the Atlanta Braves have quickly found out the weak points on their squad. Sure the team should be better as they are beginning to get healthier, but the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. isn’t the solution to all the Braves’ problems.
The offense is starting to heat up, and the rotation has been more than solid for the better part of a few weeks now. That leaves one area of the team where Alex Anthopoulos needs to do some work this July so that the Braves can push for a postseason berth…the bullpen.
Thankfully, relievers are generally one of the easier positions to acquire at the trade deadline as the supply tends to meet the demand unlike other positions. That said, the price of good pitching doesn’t come cheap so if Anthopoulos wants to acquire any of these arms, he’ll need to be willing to part with some real talent from an already thin farm system.
Does Alex Anthopoulos have more trade deadline magic up his sleeve for Braves fans?
If you were to survey which impact players are expected to be on the move this July, not many relievers would creep into the conversation. However, Anthopoulos could address the bullpen while other teams may be focused on acquiring an impact bat or starting pitcher.
The first difference maker comes in the form of a once elite closer, Felix Bautista.
The Orioles have been one of the biggest disappointments in 2025, and they figure to be selling this July. Bautista was arguably the most dominat pitcher in 2023, but injury sidelined him last year.
He returned earlier this season, and while the numbers won’t wow you the underlying stuff tells you he’s still quite filthy.
Bautista generates a ton of whiffs, and thanks to his nasty splitter, he ranks in the 93rd percentile in ground ball rate. This move would also allow Raisel Iglesias to move into a non-closer role with the team before hitting free agency after the season.
If you want another flame-throwing option at closer, Anthopoulos could look to swing a trade with the A’s again for one Mason Miller.
This move would cost a bit more thanks to Miller’s years of control which runs through 2028. However, with Iglesias’ impending free agency acquiring Miller would fill a void for years to come.
On top of that, Miller has the type of stuff that excels in October baseball. His league leading 100.7 mph average on his fastball plays against any lethal hitter. It’s fun to imagine the impact Miller could make on this Braves bullpen as everyone would shift into a more appropriate role.
Finally, the Braves could just go in a completely different direction and double down on offense once again. The regulars Brian Snitker pencils into the lineup card each day figure to be sticking around for awhile, but there is one spot Anthopoulos could upgrade.
Nick Allen has been a wizard defensively for the Braves, but it’s no secret he’s not a good hitter at the Major League level. Should the Blue Jays fall out the American League playoff race, Bo Bichette is an often discussed name that could lengthen Atlanta’s lineup.
Bichette would be a rental, so the cost wouldn’t be drastic (theoreticaly) and his bounce back 2025 has proven Bichette’s still a very good hitter. Should the Braves offense continue to ride this rollercoaster during the summer months, a surprise move for Bichette could come to fruition.
