Braves’ 3-Time All-Star Emerging As Key Trade Deadline Target

Officially six weeks out from the 2025 MLB trade deadline, teams like the Atlanta Braves are starting to mull over their options.

At 34-40, six games back in the NL Wild Card race, the Braves aren’t out of it. But they’re not exactly in it either. They’re stuck, trying to figure out their identity with a roster full of talent and a front office that has built its reputation on knowing exactly when to push.

This time, though, there’s no obvious answer. And that makes Atlanta’s situation all the more intriguing.

Marcell Ozuna Trade Rumors

The Braves’ season hasn’t been short on turbulence. They’ve already weathered two separate seven-game losing streaks.

And yet, Ronald Acuna Jr. is back to looking like one of the best players on the planet. Spencer Strider is nearing a return. And general manager Alex Anthopoulos has gone on record saying they intend to buy. Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com noted Saturday that the team’s “controllable assets” like Cy Young winner Chris Sale won’t be traded.

“No, zero [chance],” Anthopoulos said, per Harrigan. “I’ve seen the speculation. It’s completely ridiculous to me. We are not selling, especially someone that has club control beyond the current year. Will not happen. I never make definitive statements unless I’m going to stick to them. Once you make definitive statements and then you go back on them, you’re a liar and you’re done.

“Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps. So much so that I’m trying to make a trade now — it’s very hard right now to make a trade in June — just to signal to everybody that we will not sell.”

Still, the door can never be completely shut, especially this close to July. And in a deadline landscape this congested, that matters.

If the Braves decide to back off and sell, it might all start with Marcell Ozuna, who could enter free agency in 2026. He’s expected to receive $77,307,692 over four years once he hits the market, per Spotrac.

Braves Won’t Throw In The Towel At Trade Deadline

Ozuna’s power has regressed a bit, but his on-base skills remain strong — he’s hovering around a .379 OBP. He’s a pending free agent, he’s got playoff experience, and he’s a proven middle-of-the-order bat if he’s shipped to another contender.

“Ozuna is by far the best player on that short list, which also includes relievers Raisel Iglesias and Rafael Montero and outfielder Alex Verdugo,” Harrigan wrote on June 21.

The Braves are the team everyone’s watching. One bad stretch could shift their deadline plans overnight. One hot streak could lock them in as buyers.

And across the league, that ripple would be felt instantly.

For now, they’re saying the right things. They’re planning to compete. They’re staying the course. But each loss chips away at that stance. Each injury tests their depth. And each quiet day on the trade market increases the pressure.

Either way, they’ll matter. And that’s why all eyes are on them. That said, any potential second-half push could be decided on however they choose to move forward with Ozuna.