Last week, both Jon Heyman and Jim Bowden reported the Braves don’t have any interest in selling, with Heyman saying Alex Anthopoulos is monitoring the markets for both shortstops and left field.

Perhaps that changes over the next couple of weeks, as the Braves just began a stretch of 13 games in 13 days with divisional opponents, ten of which are against the Mets and Phillies. However, if Atlanta finds a way to make up some ground, expect Alex Anthopoulos to aggressively attempt to add, and he probably won’t wait until the trade deadline to make a move.

With that, let’s take a look at some of the top outfielders that could be traded. Later in the week, I’ll dive into shortstops and other areas of need.

Taylor Ward

Taylor Ward has been on the trade block for seemingly five years, but the Angels have continually held onto him, and they might have a reason to again this year, as they sit just a couple of games back of the final wild card spot in the American League. However, Los Angeles is still amid a rebuild and probably doesn’t have the firepower to stay in the race for much longer.

Ward is not a high average guy, but he has slugged 18 homers already this season after mashing 25 last year. He also has one more year on his contract after this season, and the Braves and Angels have worked out a plethora of trades in recent years.

Austin Hays

After signing a one-year, $5 million contract with the Reds, Hays is amid a career year, hitting .303 with six home runs and a .901 OPS. He offers more of a contact bat than a player like Ward, which would be a breath of fresh air in Atlanta’s lineup, but he also has slugged at least 16 home runs in each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 22 long balls in 2021.

The Reds are another team that aren’t in the for-sure sellers category, currently sitting three games over .500. However, if they fall any further out of the race, they’ll probably be willing to sell off some of their spare parts like Austin Hays.

Jarren Duran

Does anybody really know what the Red Sox are doing right now after essentially salary dumping Rafael Devers to the Giants over the weekend?

There have been murmurs about them fielding offers on Jarren Duran, who is a true five-tool talent that posted 8.7 WAR last season and is under contract for two more years after this season. He’d be the perfect fix to the Braves outfield woes long-term, and it’s hard to imagine the Red Sox dealing him, but they seem to be in the business of trading away their talent for prospects.

Wilyer Abreu

Another young controllable outfielder from the Red Sox that could fill the Braves long-term need next to Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr., Abreu finished sixth in the rookie of the year race last season and is having another solid season, posting a .792 OPS over 64 games. The Red Sox have a surplus of guys like these, which is why many are speculating that one could be moved for the right price ahead of the trade deadline.

Luis Robert Jr.

Luis Robert Jr. has been absolutely dismal offensively over the last two seasons, and the Braves don’t necessarily have the magic touch offensively like they did in the past. A change of scenery could completely change the outlook of his career, and the haul the White Sox will require has never been lower. It’s an intriguing high upside option that will garner interest from around the league, but it does feel like this Braves offense needs more of a sure thing.