The Braves are climbing back after their 0-7 start, but they’re still stuck in the NL East basement.
Every MLB season has that surprising playoff miss — a team everyone expected to contend suddenly watching October baseball from home. Atlanta is desperately trying to avoid becoming this year’s cautionary tale. Their offense has struggled to find consistency while the rotation faces mounting injury concerns.
The odds still favor Atlanta recovering in time to make a playoff push. But what if this nightmare season continues? Could the Braves actually become sellers at the trade deadline?
If that scenario unfolds, they’ve got a red-hot trade chip who could bring back a serious prospect haul.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer identified Braves DH Marcell Ozuna as a trade candidate whose stock is soaring after his blistering start to the season.
“Should the Braves continue to lag behind in a tough NL East, Marcell Ozuna would be an obvious piece to offload at the deadline. He’s a pending free agent, after all, and a potential impact bat for a market that could be desperate for all it can get,” Rymer wrote.
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“Ozuna also has 23 walks against 18 strikeouts, amounting to confirmation that the improved discipline he showed in 2024 has only gotten better. He’s one of the true professional hitters in MLB today. Stock: Up”
Ozuna has been nothing short of exceptional. In just 20 games, he’s already accumulated 1.1 bWAR thanks to his remarkable plate discipline. His 1.040 OPS ranks eighth among all qualified MLB hitters, and no one in baseball has drawn more walks.
The financial picture makes things interesting. The Braves exercised Ozuna’s club option, bringing his total deal to five years, $81 million. That makes him a somewhat expensive rental, but his current performance as one of baseball’s elite hitters would command a premium prospect package from any contender looking for offensive firepower.
That’s where the dilemma comes in. The Braves built this roster to win now, and trading Ozuna would signal a dramatic shift in their 2024 approach. But if they’re still languishing in July, cashing in on his hot start might be the pragmatic move to strengthen their future outlook.
