The Atlanta Braves could seemingly still go a few different ways with their roster at the MLB trade deadline.

Their track record and general manager say they are going to buy while the record suggests a potential sale coming to Atlanta. The Braves may also go somewhere in the middle, which could entail exploring a trade for veteran Marcell Ozuna, who is on an expiring contract, but reinvest in an area of need such as the bullpen.

Another place the Braves could add is the starting rotation. The team currently has three starters on the injured list, and none of them have a timetable to return. Rookie AJ Smith-Shawver is definitely out the rest of the season with an UCL injury.

But when asked to name eight potential landing spots for Boston Red Sox starter Walker Buehler, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer didn’t pick Atlanta.

Instead, Rymer identified the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Houston Astros as Buehler’s possible suitors.

All of those teams have winning records. The Braves sit at 37-41 entering June 25.

Buehler hasn’t been stellar, which is another reason why the Braves might not be interested. He is 5-5 this season but with a 6.29 ERA and 1.571 WHIP in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Buehler would be a rental player for any contender, as he signed a one-year, $21.05 million contract with the Red Sox before the season.

The right-hander has earned about $48.3 million during his MLB career.

Whether the Braves may add themselves to the list of potential Buehler suitors will depend on a couple things.

First, the team needs to get back above .500 and closer to a playoff spot. Because he’s a rental player, it doesn’t make sense for the Braves to acquire Buehler unless they will definitely make the playoffs.

Buehler’s best asset to any team is his postseason performance. He owns a 3.04 ERA and 1.151 WHIP in 94.2 playoff innings. Buehler recorded the final out of the 2024 World Series.

The other factor will be Chris Sale’s health. The 2024 National League Cy Young winner landed on the injured list Saturday with a fractured left ribcage.

The initial concern was Sale would be out for an extended period of time. But former All-Star catcher A.J. Pierzynski said on Monday’s episode of Foul Territory that Sale told him “he’ll be ok.”

It’s not clear exactly what that means. Pierzynski added that Sale has two small rib fractures. Sale could still miss a few weeks.

If the left-hander is sidelined any longer than that, the Braves could shop for a starting pitcher if they are in the race a month from now. That doesn’t necessarily mean Buehler will be a target, but based on his postseason track record, pundits shouldn’t eliminate him as a possibility for Atlanta if the team does buy at the MLB trade deadline.