Only hours before the July 31 trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves sat only 1 ½ games out of fifth place in the NL East. Those high expectations of a second World Series title in five years evaporated long before superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. smashed a home run in his first at-bat off the injured list.
Outside of Acuña, not much has gone right for the Braves this summer. Longtime second baseman Ozzie Albies’ best days may be behind him, former Rookie of the Year Michael Harris II has regressed in a major way, and Atlanta is on track to miss the postseason for the first time since 2017.
And yet, there’s a realistic argument to be made that the Braves won the trade deadline — or, at least, they fared better than other teams who sold in recent days. That’s what happens when general manager and known magician Alex Anthopoulos runs the show in Atlanta.
Did the Atlanta Braves actually win the 2025 MLB trade deadline?
As of publication, the Braves hadn’t made any significant moves before the 6 p.m. ET deadline. Albies, Chris Sale, and Marcell Ozuna all remained in Atlanta, though their long-term Braves futures remain uncertain.
However, Atlanta did make two notable moves on Wednesday, including trading veteran reliever Rafael Montero to the Detroit Tigers for minor-league infielder Jim Jarvis. The Braves also sent pitching prospect Austin Smith to the Colorado Rockies for reliever Tyler Kinley.
Tyler Kinley, K’ing the Side. pic.twitter.com/80sIZszIUj
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 9, 2023
The Braves took a chance on Montero earlier this year, largely because the Astros agreed to cover roughly $8.5 million of his $11.5 million salary. Unfortunately, Montero never found his groove in Atlanta, posting a 5.50 ERA and walking 21 across 34 1/3 innings. Montero’s standout 2021 season with the Astros, one where he recorded a 2.37 ERA and 14 saves over 68 1/3 innings, looks more and more like an aberration.
Anthopoulos deserves immense credit for getting anything in return for Montero. Jarvis, an 11th-round pick in 2023, hit .242 with a .652 OPS at Double-A Erie. Even if his ceiling is a backup utility infielder, at least it’s something.
As for Kinley, he’s pitched to a 5.98 ERA in 128 innings since the start of 2023. However, his 4.56 FIP in that time at least creates an argument that he’s been a victim of bad luck and playing for the Rockies, which in itself may be bad luck.
The best-case scenario is that Kinley thrives in Atlanta and emerges as a possible bullpen weapon for 2026. If Kinley doesn’t pan out, the Braves can decline his team option and only pay a $750,000 buyout.
All in all, the Braves won without making a splash — and if it eventually helps them compete for a title in 2026 and beyond, then the Braves will definitely be considered trade deadline winners.
