Unless Alex Anthopoulos is willing to change his tune regarding trading players with multiple years of control, the Braves don’t have a ton they can offer competing teams at the trade deadline.
Marcell Ozuna is really the only offensive piece who might draw interest, but his hip injury and declining power complicate his value.
The starting rotation doesn’t feature any expiring contracts, but the bullpen has a few arms who could be moved.
Despite a rough start to the season, Raisel Iglesias has likely played himself back into the conversation.
He hasn’t allowed a run in 11 straight appearances, racking up 14 strikeouts over that stretch.
Teams always value experienced late-inning arms with postseason résumés, and Iglesias fits that mold.
Pierce Johnson is another arm teams will likely call the Braves about, but with a more than palatable club option for 2026, Alex Anthopoulos will probably be hesitant to part ways with him unless someone is willing to overpay.
But perhaps the most intriguing name the Braves could look to move over the next few weeks is Aaron Bummer.
For whatever reason, Bummer hasn’t gained much traction with fans, but the reality is he has been one of the Braves most consistent relievers over the last two seasons.
He ended last year on a tear and owns a 2.86 ERA in 28 relief appearances this season. Perhaps it’s because Bummer doesn’t necessarily have electric stuff.
He thrives because of his deception, but it’s incredibly effective, as he’s averaged at least 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings in each season dating back to 2020.
Given there aren’t going to be a ton of teams waving the white flag ahead of the trade deadline, Aaron Bummer could be one of the better left-handed relievers available, and there’s also a little extra incentive for the Braves to move him.
Even though he’s been well worth the money so far in Atlanta, Bummer was signed to a backloaded extension last offseason.
The deal is paying him just $3.5 million this season, but that money spikes to $9.5 million next year.
That’s not quite as palatable a figure for a middle reliever, especially considering all of the holes the Braves could potentially be looking to fill next offseason.
If there’s one name Anthopoulos should be willing to move, it’s Aaron Bummer — a valuable trade chip with enough market appeal to yield something worthwhile.
