Things are unraveling in Atlanta—and fast. After Thursday’s epic meltdown against the Diamondbacks, the Braves aren’t just licking their wounds; they’re staring into the mirror and asking a tough question: How did we get back here?
Because this is starting to feel like déjà vu. With the 11-10 loss, the Braves fell to seven games below .500—right back to where they were on April 4 during their home opener, when they limped into the season with an 0-7 record. It’s not just a slump. It’s a circle.
The Braves Reset Nobody Wanted
April and early May were all about the grind. The Braves fought like mad to crawl back to .500. There were flashes of the team they were supposed to be—resilient, balanced, capable.
But now, with a 3-11 skid over the past two-plus weeks, it feels like that fight was for nothing. They’re back at square one, and the emotional weight of that collapse is hanging over the clubhouse like a storm cloud.
And with a team spiraling into the standings cellar, the rumor mill has officially kicked into high gear. The vultures are circling.
Chris Sale: Braves’ Ace or Trade Chip?
Let’s talk about the biggest name on that list: Chris Sale. Last year’s NL Cy Young winner is once again dealing on the mound in 2025. He’s got a 2.93 ERA through 13 starts, has punched out 96 batters in just over 73 innings, and allowed just five earned runs over his last five starts. He’s doing everything you want from a frontline ace, which is exactly why teams are already dreaming of poaching him.
MLB podcaster Chris Rose floated Sale as a trade candidate earlier this week. Then Newsweek joined the chorus, cooking up a hypothetical deal that sends Sale to the New York Yankees. With Will Warren and Clarke Schmidt struggling, the Yankees could use a reliable lefty, and Sale would give them one of the nastiest rotations in baseball.
But let’s pump the brakes. Sale’s under club control through 2025 with an $18 million option. And Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos isn’t the kind of executive who folds early—especially not on a guy dealing like this. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman agreed.
Unless the Braves completely fall out of contention by the deadline—and stay there—don’t count on Sale getting moved.
Who Could Be on the Move?
If Atlanta does decide to sell, insiders say Marcell Ozuna is a more realistic candidate. The 33-year-old DH is on an expiring contract, and even with his pop at the plate, he doesn’t hold the same long-term value as a guy like Sale.
And look, maybe that’s where the Braves are. They’ve got the fourth-worst record in the National League. The math is what it is. Unless this club flips the script—fast—trade chatter is only going to grow louder. Sale’s name will keep popping up, fair or not, because that’s what happens when an ace pitches well for a team that isn’t.
So yeah, Thursday’s collapse was bad. But the real gut punch? It might’ve been the moment Atlanta’s season officially started teetering toward an uncertain, uncomfortable future.
