Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos made it very clear during a Wednesday appearance on 680 The Fan that the team will not sell at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. Instead, the team is trying to add pieces.

One logical addition the Braves could make is in left field, and there’s an intriguing possibility potentially emerging in the rumor mill — Boston Red Sox’ Jarren Duran.

Newsweek’s Aaliyan Mohammed proposed last week the Braves could land Duran and a few other players in a trade for left-hander Chris Sale. This week, Duran has popped up on lists of potential Braves trade targets.

Again, the Braves aren’t selling, so Duran for Sale is not going to happen. But that doesn’t mean the Braves aren’t interested in Duran.

Anthopoulos acquired Sale from the Red Sox, so there’s a working relationship there. Masslive.com’s Sean McAdam reported Anthopoulos inquired about Boston’s Rafael Devers before he was sent to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

So, it makes sense the Braves could at least kick of the tires on Duran. The obstacle in a move happening is Jurickson Profar.

The Braves’ only significant free agent addition has been serving a PED suspension this spring. But Profar began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Gwinnett this week. When Profar is eligible to return, he is expected to play left field.

That’s where Duran plays for the Red Sox. With Ronald Acuña Jr. in right and Michael Harris II in center, the Braves don’t have any other outfield spots for Duran to play with Profar in left.

Profar is eligible to return from his suspension on July 2. That probably makes a Duran trade to Atlanta unlikely.

The thing to keep in mind, though, is with Profar’s suspension, he is ineligible to play in the postseason. Right now, that’s not necessarily on Atlanta’s mind because the team has a lot of work to get into a playoff spot.

But the Braves have had such bad left field production without Profar this season that one can’t rule out an outfield addition at the trade deadline for Atlanta. Because if the Braves get to the playoffs, there’s a giant hole in left field beginning in October.

There’s also no guarantee Profar returns from his PED suspension and is the player he was in 2024 when he experienced a career year.

The Braves will have about a month to determine if Profar is still that player, and even if he is, his postseason ineligibility still makes an outfield addition possible.

Atlanta might be best suited adding a short-term left fielder rather than someone like Duran, who is under team control until 2029. The Braves are still on the hook for the rest of Profar’s three-year, $42 million deal he signed this past winter.

But Duran has to be one of the best left fielder additions the Braves could make at the trade deadline. He posted a .285/.342/.492 slash line with a league-leading 48 doubles and 14 triples last season. Duran made his first All-Star team as well.

This season, he is hitting .258/.312/.412 with 31 extra-base hits.

Duran would be an awesome fit in the No. 2 hole in Atlanta’s lineup. His left-handed bat would slide perfectly between the right-handed Acuña and third baseman Austin Riley, who could move into the No. 3 spot permanently after a Duran acquisition. The Braves could continue the righty, lefty pattern with Matt Olson batting fourth and Marcel Ozuna in the No. 5 spot.

Right now, Duran to the Braves is just a pipe dream. But because the Red Sox obviously have no problem parting with talent, and Duran is such an ideal trade acquisition for the Braves that it’s hard to say the left fielder going to Atlanta definitely won’t happen.