The Atlanta Braves may be slumping, but don’t expect a white flag to fly over Truist Park any time soon.
Despite sitting at 31–38, 13 games behind the Phillies in the NL East and seven games back in the Wild Card chase, Atlanta’s front office isn’t flinching. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, general manager Alex Anthopoulos has no plans to sell at the trade deadline, no matter what the standings say.
This matches what other insiders — including The New York Post’s Jon Heyman — have been hinting at for weeks: the Braves see themselves as buyers. It’s a bold stance in a season that’s tested even their most optimistic believers. Still, it’s also a very Anthopoulos move rooted in patience, belief in internal talent, and a deep playoff résumé.
Anthopoulos: Betting on His Guys
Nightengale’s report may have been brief — a single sentence tucked into a broader Sunday column — but its message was clear: the Braves are not punting. Teams calling to pry away impending free agents like Marcell Ozuna or Raisel Iglesias are likely being met with a firm “thanks, but no thanks.” At least for now.
Even without a formal quote from Anthopoulos, the message is unmistakable. The front office still believes this roster, as flawed as it looks on paper, has a path forward.
This is the same Braves team that weathered injuries and midseason adversity in previous years only to catch fire at the right time. If anyone has earned the right to bet on internal rebound, it’s Atlanta.
Where They’ll Look to Add
If the Braves do buy — and the rumblings suggest they will — three areas stand out:
- Shortstop: Since moving on from Orlando Arcia, the Braves have leaned on Nick Allen. His defense is elite but whose bat (.234/.309/.269, 0 HR) brings little to the table. That kind of one-dimensional profile only works when the rest of the offense is humming — and right now, it’s not.
- Outfield (Left Field): The black hole continues. Alex Verdugo and Eli White have both failed to seize the role, and Jurickson Profar is suspended (and ineligible for the postseason anyway). Ronald Acuña Jr. can’t do it all, and Michael Harris II is mired in a season-long slump.
- Bullpen Help: This might be the most urgent need. Atlanta’s bullpen has blown multiple close games recently, turning winnable matchups into bitter losses. Iglesias hasn’t pitched a ninth inning since June 5. Pierce Johnson and Dylan Lee have filled in, but neither has locked down the job. A back-end arm like Félix Bautista or another proven closer could change the entire tone of late innings.
Why the Braves Are Still in It
On paper, seven games back of the Wild Card isn’t insurmountable — especially when teams ahead of them, like the Giants or Padres, have also shown inconsistencies. The Braves have over 90 games left to play. They’re not out of it by a long shot.
Plus, the starting rotation has stabilized, and Spencer Strider and Chris Sale are trending up at the right time. If the offense can reawaken and Anthopoulos adds the right piece or two, a second-half surge isn’t out of the question.
The Takeaway on the Braves
The 2025 Braves aren’t dead — and Alex Anthopoulos wants everyone to know it. Whether they’re 13 games back in the division or not, Atlanta is holding the line.
For now, the plan is to reinforce, not retreat. No fire sale, no prospect haul. Just a front office still betting on October, with a growing list of upgrades to chase before the deadline clock runs out.
And if the roster responds the way Anthopoulos believes it can? The Braves might just turn this thing around — again.
