Braves Insider Throws Cold Water Over Growing Marcell Ozuna Trade Rumor

However, fellow MLB insider and Braves beat writer Mark Bowman tweeted Wednesday that not only have talks between the Braves and Padres not "intensified," but they haven't taken place at all.

Gaudin added during the broadcast that he didn't have any insider information and didn't bring up the report from Gómez.

But it was still more than fair to suggest the ninth-inning at-bat could be Ozuna's final one with the Braves at home. The team doesn't play in Atlanta again until after the MLB trade deadline on July 31.

To begin the unofficial second half of the season, the Braves lost both their home series' to the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. Over the final two days, the Giants have outscored the Braves 18-3.

Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider, who started on Wednesday afternoon, called his and the team's performance embarassing.

Sitting 13 games below the .500 mark, the Braves are expected to be sellers. Ozuna will be an unrestricted free agent this winter, so he's one of the more obvious trade candidates for the team.

TV Replay appeared to indicate Ozuna had earned a walk during his ninth-inning at-bat Wednesday, but the home plate umpire called him out on strikes on a pitch inside during a full count.

Ozuna entered Wednesday batting .235/.361/.390 with 13 home runs, 42 RBI and 37 runs in 394 plate appearances over 92 games this season.

One complication of a potential Ozuna trade is the veteran has 10/5 rights. Veterans who have 10 years of MLB service and have also spent at least five years with the same team possess the right to veto any trade they want.

Over the past six years, Ozuna has starred for the Braves, batting .267 with an .841 OPS. He has hit 140 home runs with 384 RBI and 332 runs in 630 games.