The Braves are unlikely to sell at the trade deadline unless things really take a turn for the worse over the next month.
There are several reasons for that, but most notably, they don’t have a lot of pieces to sell right now that are going to net them anything of significance.
They are better off just taking their chances of making a run rather than trading away their spare parts for a couple of prospects that likely won’t amount to anything.
The real question is what kind of buying will the Braves be doing. If things don’t improve in the standings before the trade deadline, it’s difficult to justify taking any big swings… unless the acquired player is under team control for multiple years.
The one area that needs to be addressed, not just now but in the future as well, is the closer’s role. Raisel Iglesias lost his job earlier in the season, and while he’s been better of late, the Braves need to upgrade, especially considering he is a free agent at season’s end.
At some point between now and Opening Day 2026, Anthopoulos must sink significant assets into the position, and there could be a slew of elite closers available at this year’s trade deadline.
Jhoan Duran
Duran is one of the filthiest pitchers the sport has ever seen, featuring an average heater north of 100 MPH and a splinker that sits around 98 MPH. He currently boasts a 1.73 ERA for the Twins and has multiple years of control remaining after this season.
Minnesota doesn’t look like a team that’s going to compete this year, but they are still hanging around and have no incentive to move Duran unless the prospect haul is significant.
Emmanuel Clase
Another NL Central closer, Clase had some early season struggles after finishing third in the AL Cy Young race in 2024 by posting a 0.66 ERA with a league-leading 47 saves. However, he’s recorded a 1.27 ERA over the last two months, looking much more like his dominant self.
The Guardians feel less likely than the Twins to sell at this point, given they are just 0.5 games out of an AL Wild Card spot, but perhaps there’s a scenario where swapping MLB ready talent makes some sense.
Felix Bautista
Of the three guys on this list, Bautista feels like the most likely to be moved, and he could be the most coveted reliever on the block at this year’s trade deadline.
The Orioles are 12 games under .500 and 7.5 games out of a playoff spot in the American League, and their free-fall doesn’t appear to have an end in sight. Bautista has two more years of team control left after this season, and since returning from Tommy John surgery, he owns a 2.60 ERA and 12.4 K/9 over 28 appearances.
