Why the Braves are unlikely to be Trade Deadline sellers

The Orioles have been a popular topic of conversation when it comes to the Trade Deadline, as Baltimore’s disappointing season has many wondering if -- when? -- the O’s will become a seller before all is said and done.

If the Orioles are viewed within the industry as a potential seller, why isn’t anybody talking about the Braves in the same manner?

Atlanta was one game above .500 on May 18, but by June 8, the Braves were 27-37 -- digging themselves a hole in the standings. They’ve made up some of that ground in the past few weeks, but the Braves still face an uphill climb if they hope to extend their postseason streak to eight straight years.

Could the Braves ultimately decide to sell? The guess here is no, and here are four reasons why:

They’ve been here before
Three years ago, the Braves were seven games behind the Mets with 50 games remaining on the schedule. Atlanta went 35-15 (.700) down the stretch to capture the NL East title.

The year before that, Atlanta never broke the .500 mark during the first half of the season, finally getting its head above water for the first time on Aug. 6. The Braves went 33-18 (.647) in their final 51 contests, winning the division by 6 1/2 games before rolling through October en route to the 2021 World Series title.

These experiences in the not-too-distant past will certainly be at the top of president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos’ mind as he navigates his way toward the Trade Deadline. Anthopoulos doesn’t know what it’s like to sell and sacrifice a season; since 2015, the team he’s been with has reached the postseason every year -- including all seven in Atlanta -- six of them ending in NL East titles. The idea of him selling off pieces and looking toward 2026 seems unthinkable.

The win-loss record doesn’t tell the whole story
Through their first 80 games, the Braves had a +21 run differential. Not the best, but far from the worst when it comes to NL teams.

The Phillies were at +37, yet their record was 10 games better than the Braves, who held the distinction of being the only team in the NL with a positive run differential and a losing record. In other words, they’re not far off, especially now that Ronald Acuña Jr. is healthy and playing MVP-caliber ball.

Atlanta’s expected win-loss record at that point was 42-38, which would have had them only two games out of a playoff spot. Of course, expected win-loss records are fun to talk about, but the actual win-loss mark is the one that counts. Still, the fact that the Braves had a higher run differential than a number of teams currently considered contenders should be an encouraging sign for Anthopoulos.

Who would they trade, anyway?
While the Orioles have more than a half-dozen players on expiring contracts that would draw interest around the league, the Braves’ roster is littered with players under club control in 2026 and beyond.

Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Michael Harris II, Spencer Strider and Sean Murphy are all signed (or have options) through at least 2029, while Acuña is under control through '28. Spencer Schwellenbach, Drake Baldwin and AJ Smith-Shawver are still at least two years away from reaching arbitration. The Braves’ core isn’t going anywhere for quite some time.

The only notable players headed for free agency at the end of the season are Marcell Ozuna, who would certainly garner interest from teams seeking some pop, and Raisel Iglesias, who is having the worst year of his career. Not exactly a windfall in the making if Anthopoulos throws in the towel on 2025.

Of the controllable veterans, the only one the Braves would conceivably trade is Murphy, as the rookie Baldwin is quickly establishing himself as the team’s catcher of the future. But a Murphy trade feels more like an offseason option, especially if Atlanta is within shouting distance of a playoff spot.

Who are they chasing?
The NL standings are topped by some true heavyweights, with teams such as the Dodgers, Mets, Phillies and Cubs expected to be aggressive at the Deadline in order to put themselves in a good position for the postseason.

After those four teams, are there any others in the NL that you would say are near-locks to play into October?

The Brewers, Cardinals and Reds are having nice seasons, but it remains to be seen whether any of them make big moves to bolster their rosters. Ditto for the Padres, Giants and Diamondbacks, who may wind up fighting for a Wild Card berth with the Dodgers primed to win another NL West crown.

Would it surprise anybody if the Braves had a strong second half and jumped over most of those teams to secure a Wild Card spot?