Report: Braves won't trade core pieces before deadline
The Atlanta Braves aren't going to consider moving players under control beyond the 2025 season before the July 31 trade deadline, sources told Robert Murray of FanSided.
Injured ace Chris Sale is reportedly one of those players, as the reigning NL Cy Young winner's name hasn't been discussed in trade dialogue.
Braves general manager and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said in mid-June that rumors involving dealing Sale were "completely ridiculous." The left-hander was then sidelined a few days later with a fractured ribcage.
Marcell Ozuna, a 2024 All-Star, isn't under contract past this season. The 34-year-old designated hitter has 12 homers with 41 RBIs and a .757 OPS over 87 games in 2025 after slashing .289/.364/.552 with 79 long balls, 204 RBIs, and a 148 wRC+ across 306 contests between 2023 and 2024.
The Braves have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball due to underperformance and injuries. The team enters Thursday's action with a 40-51 record, sitting fourth in the NL East and 9.5 games out of the final wild-card spot.
Atlanta has made the postseason for seven straight years, dating back to 2018.