The Atlanta Braves were expected to be sellers at the MLB trade deadline.
At least, their veterans on expiring contracts were sure to go, right?
The Braves are 15-plus games under .500 and out of first place in the NL East. This is a lost season. It’s made for giving up the guys who very likely won’t be back next season, anyway.
Except, the trade deadline came and went on Thursday, and Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias are still Braves.
Trade deadline has come in Major League Baseball…
17-games under .500 and 16-games out of first place, the Braves do not move Marcell Ozuna or Raisel Iglesias.— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) July 31, 2025
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It’s a really weird outcome.
Ozuna will turn 35 in November, when he will be a free agent.
Iglesias will turn 36 in January and is also heading to free agency.
This has nothing to do with their caliber as players at this point. It has to do with maximizing value.
Neither veteran will get to help the Braves win in the playoffs this season. Barring the miracle of all miracles, there won’t be any playoff baseball in Atlanta.
Maybe the Braves want to bring Ozuna or Iglesias back this offseason, but even that wouldn’t have precluded a trade. They’ll be free agents in a couple months regardless.
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Getting any asset for these guys, rather than no assets now, would’ve been worthwhile.
Maybe teams truly didn’t want them, but that’s hard to believe. Relievers and thumping bats moved all over the place on Thursday.
Somehow, the Braves decided not to take part in the musical chairs, and it seems on the surface like an odd choice.
At this point, the best Ozuna and Iglesias can do is try and play spoiler in other playoff races the rest of the way. That doesn’t seem like the best use of their value for Atlanta.
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