The Atlanta Braves effectively surrendered their postseason aspirations weeks ago, but there’s still a lot of baseball to be played. This is a talented roster and fans aren’t keen on watching a persistent loser for the next couple months.

Alex Anthopoulos let fans down at the trade deadline, struggling to thread the needle between a disappointing present and a still-promising future. He held on to expiring contracts like Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias and traded for veterans like Carlos Carrasco, netting Atlanta zero meaningful assets for the future. It was a strange and illogical strategy, but it’s clear the Braves don’t plan on tearing this roster down any time soon.

That said, before next month, changes are inevitable. Atlanta will welcome back the likes of Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. from the IL, while other waiver opportunities or minor league call-ups may shake things up a bit.

Here are a few current members of the 26-man roster who will be former members of the 26-man roster come Sept. 1.

3B/OF Luke Williams

Luke Williams, 29, has primarily functioned as a pinch runner this season. He has four stolen bases and ranks in the 77th percentile for sprint speed, so he’s not particularly elite at the one skill Atlanta banks on. He has seen a bit more playing time of late with Austin Riley out of commission, switching between shortstop and third base, but the production just isn’t there.

Williams is hitting .103 with a .329 OPS in 29 MLB at-bats. His minor league numbers aren’t much better. The Braves don’t really lean on Williams for his bat, but there are other ways to manufacture speed on the base paths. It’s becoming more and more difficult to justify his spot on the roster.

So, with Riley due back from the 10-day IL before you know it, Atlanta should feel compelled to move on from Williams — at least for this season and this roster.

3B/2B Nacho Alvarez Jr.

The Braves should keep Nacho Alvarez in the big leagues the rest of the way, just to see what happens. This season is lost. It has been tough sledding for Alvarez in sporadic MLB at-bats to date, but he’s 22 years old and an extremely disciplined hitter for his age. It feels like only a matter of time until it clicks.

That said… after claiming Vidal Bruján off waivers just three days ago, Alvarez — with a .204 average and .556 OPS in 49 MLB at-bats this season — isn’t long for the 26-man roster.

The Braves will welcome Riley and Acuña back into the fold soon enough, at which point Anthopoulos and the front office will probably decide it’s better to let Alvarez fine-tune his skill set in Gwinnett, rather than trial by fire at the top of the organizational ladder.

It is what it is. Alvarez has climbed that ladder quickly since arriving in Atlanta as a fifth-round pick in 2022. He’s going to stick on the big-league roster before long. This just isn’t the season, though. Perhaps next summer, if Ozzie Albies gets rerouted in the offseason, Alvarez will finally have a clear path to everyday starts.

RHP Raisel Iglesias

In an unexpected twist, the Braves did not trade 35-year-old Raisel Iglesias in the final year of his contract. This has been Iglesias’ worst season in an Atlanta uniform by a comfortable margin. He has a 4.34 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 53 strikeouts in 47.2 innings.

Iglesias is better than the numbers look, though. His expected ERA (3.39) is indicative of significant bad luck. He still misses a ton of bats and is in the 96th percentile for hard-hit rate, meaning he’s limiting hard cracks off the barrel. That’s why it’s a bit mystifying that Atlanta didn’t trade him, because there was a strong market for high-leverage relievers at the deadline. Even if Iglesias wasn’t viewed as a top-end starter by prospective buyers, he would be a welcomed addition to any bullpen.

Maybe Atlanta sticks it out and tries to re-sign Iglesias in the offseason. But he’s 35, so the clock is ticking on an impressive career. An amicable split may benefit all parties involved. Iglesias can hit waivers and join a contender of his choosing, while Atlanta can call up one of their premium minor-league arms and explore different combinations in the bullpen. It’s time to start thinking about life after Iglesias and the starting rotation still needs a ton of work, if that’s the route Anthopoulos decides to go.

This is easily the biggest leap of faith in this article — Iglesias is still one of, if not the best reliever in the Braves bullpen — but after whiffing on trade opportunities, it wouldn’t be surprising for Atlanta to let him explore options elsewhere.