MLB Insider Provides Definitive Answer to Potential Ronald Acuña Jr. Trade

MLB Network does its best to engage fans and start fun, hypothetical conversations.

Last week, the network discussed the idea of the Atlanta Braves trading right fielder and 2023 National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. Although the trade pitch was presented not as a prediction, the argument for why it could happen sent the MLB hot stove into a heated frenzy.

But to begin this week, USA Today's Bob Nightengale poured a huge bag of ice, figuratively speaking, on any Acuña trade talks.

According to Nightengale, an Acuña trade isn't happening.

"Atlanta has zero interest in trading Ronald Acuña Jr.," Nightengale wrote. "Acuña is earning $17 million a year through 2026, and Atlanta has club options for $17 million in 2027 and 2028.

"He's not going anywhere."

It's an update that Braves Country and baseball fans would have found very unnecessary just a week ago. But on Wednesday, MLB Network's Joel Sherman argued why the Braves could entertain Acuña offers.

"So I wonder if I can play a game here. Because I know what's going to happen is our aggregator friends out there are going to take what I'm about to say and have it wrong. Whenever I suggest something, all I ever want to do is say, would the people involved have a serious meeting about it if I presented it," said Sherman.

"Should they trade Acuña right now? Right? Here would be my argument to the Atlanta Braves front office on why it would be valuable to do this right now.

"Can you look at this team, which I think has almost zero chance to get to the playoffs now, down four key starting pitchers? Their offense, Albies has gone the wrong way, Harris has gone the wrong way. You have no idea the money you are spending on Profar, what you have. So this might be a lost year.

"Can you see a championship in the next few years? I don't."

With the Braves possessing their worst winning percentage since the 2017 season, trade rumors should only continue heat up in Atlanta. On Sunday, MLB insider Jon Morosi urged the Braves to be sellers at the MLB trade deadline.

But it remains to be seen whether Atlanta entertains offers for any of its stars before the deadline. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos definitively stated on June 18 that the team will not sell prior to the 2025 deadline.

That could change with the Braves quickly falling out of the playoff race. But any trade the team might make will not include Acuña.

According to Nightengale, the Braves won't even entertain the possibility, and rightfully so. When a team has a talent like Acuña, the organization should do everything it can to ensure he stays for his entire career.

"Trading Acuña would be arguably the dumbest thing the Braves could do," The Athletic's David O'Brien wrote on X on Thursday in response to MLB Network's rumor. "Too wildly popular and entertaining. Too good. A large segment of the fan base would *never* forgive them if they did that.

"You don't trade Chipper, you don't trade Acuña."