Three Players the Braves Should Trade by the Deadline

First of all, Ozuna holds full 10-and-5 rights, meaning he can block any trade he objects to. This further restricts an already limited pool of suitors due to his DH-only status. Furthermore, it’s no secret that the hip injury he’s been dealing with for months is significantly hindering Ozuna’s ability to produce at the plate. The former slugger is slashing .232/.358/.384 with just 13 home runs on the season, and has been held out of the lineup more games than not since the All-Star break.

Given the diminished market for his services, it seems like the Braves will wind up receiving just one or two mid-level prospects for Ozuna. The DH-needy Reds and Padres are two of the most popular destinations in recent trade rumors.

Raisel Iglesias

Iglesias, 35, is another longtime Braves star struggling in a contract season. The closer recorded 67 saves from 2023-2024 but holds a 5.09 ERA with just 11 saves in 2025. Iglesias appeared to be turning things around during a scoreless streak from June 9th to July 18th, but has endured two blowups since then. The regression is apparent, and Atlanta should look to recoup value with no plans to re-sign the aging reliever.

Despite Iglesias’ struggles, a contending team is sure to take a chance on the former All-Star who has recently shown flashes of his former self. There’s a glut of top-tier closers on the trade block that includes Emmanuel Clase, Ryan Helsley, and Mason Miller, and the Braves righty could be a nice consolation prize for a team that misses out on their top target. The Chicago Cubs, who are probably the most likely team to make a move for relief help, have recently been floated as a potential match.

Pierce Johnson

In a scenario that would have seemed completely implausible just a few months ago, Johnson, 34, might actually be the Braves’ best trade chip right now. The righty set-up man has allowed just one earned run in 14 1/3 innings since serving up a Matt Chapman walk-off home run on June 7th. His 2.92 xERA and .210 xBA against on the season sit in the 88th and 90th percentile of all major league pitchers, respectively. Johnson is the type of rental that every team could use, but he has the stats to warrant a decent prospect return, unlike Iglesias.

Mike Axisa at CBS Sports recently suggested the Seattle Mariners as a trade partner for Johnson, another contender that needs bullpen reinforcements. The Detroit Tigers make sense as well, with their back-end arms faltering recently.