Braves trade candidates based on recent reports

The Atlanta Braves are set up to sell at the trade deadline. It’s just a matter of what they choose to sell.

According to numerous reports and from Alex Anthopoulos himself last month, they do not plan on moving any of their core pieces under team control past this season. They still believe this group is good enough to win a championship in 2026, and while bigger trades could happen in the winter, they won’t be happening this month.

That doesn’t leave the Braves with a ton of valuable pieces to sell, but here are some names that could be moved in a couple of weeks.

Marcell Ozuna

In the final year of his deal, The Big Bear could be playing his last few games in Atlanta. The Braves won’t be able to get much for him, given he has been mostly horrendous since the beginning of June. However, he’s a terrific clubhouse presence that’s had some big moments in the postseason and is showing signs of turning the corner. Over his last five games, Ozuna has a couple of homers and an OPS over 1.000. Surely, somebody would be interested in at least taking on the remainder of his contract and betting on his upside.

Raisel Iglesias

A month ago, not many teams would have been interested in Iglesias. Now, the Braves might be able to fetch something of value in return. Iglesias hasn’t given up a run since June 5th, tossing 12.2 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts and a 0.87 FIP. He’s been among the most dominant relief pitchers in the game throughout his tenure in Atlanta, and every competing team will likely be making offers for his services at the trade deadline.

Pierce Johnson

Johnson does have a more than palatable $7 million club option for 2026, so the Braves aren’t just going to give him away, but they should surely be listening in case a team is willing to overpay. He’s a tremendous set-up man and amid one of the best seasons of his career, boasting a 2.67 ERA over 36 appearances.

Aaron Bummer

Bummer is a guy the Braves should probably be trying to move. Not because he has been bad, but because his salary spikes from $3.5 million to $9.5 million next year. Getting that off the books, even if he doesn’t net much in return, should be a priority.

Dylan Lee

Under team control for three more seasons, the Braves probably won’t actively shop Dylan Lee, who has been one of the better left-handed relievers in the game since 2022. However, if the right package comes along, they’d have to consider it. Lee owns a 2.55 ERA and 0.921 WHIP over 41 appearances so far this season.