It is hard to figure out the best path forward for the Atlanta Braves at the upcoming trade deadline. There is the argument that Atlanta should go all-in and try to make this season work, but it is decidedly unclear as to whether or not the trade market will actually have the type and quality of players the Braves need. There is also the question of price, which matters more these days than usual now that Atlanta actually has a minor league system worth being excited about.
However, those are the usual concerns at a trade deadline. Cost, availability, and actual value are not new concepts. The problem for the Braves is that they have some of their own players that are making those decisions even more complicated and/or difficult.
These Braves players are making Alex Anthopoulos' life difficult leading up to the trade deadline
There is nuance to this discussion, and the facts can change very quickly. One well-timed hot streak, slump, or injury can dramatically change the Braves' plans, and you can bet that SOMETHING will pop up that will mess up Atlanta's best-laid plans. However, the following players are among the chief offenders that are making the front office's life just that much more difficult in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
Austin Riley
It is hardly a secret that the Braves are getting eaten alive by left-handed pitching right now. With how the offense is currently playing, as well as the specific guys who are hurt like Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta is very lefty-heavy in terms of the bats that can actually do damage. That has meant that the urgency to add a quality right-handed bat has gone up, but that need may not be as urgent if Austin Riley would just do his job.
Right now, Riley is unplayably bad, but his contract and pedigree have meant that he is getting trotted out at third base every single day. Even if his days as a premier slugger are over, Riley just being decent would be a huge boon to Atlanta's lineup and give the Braves a much-needed weapon against lefties beyond Ozzie Albies. Instead, the Braves have to go shopping looking for a righty bat, and that doesn't feel great when they already have a guy under contract that was supposed to fill that exact need.
Grant Holmes
The Braves' rotation is a mess, and Grant Holmes' regression is a big reason why. Holmes was a reliable source of starter innings last year, and it looked like the Braves had found a diamond in the rough. Unfortunately, he has not looked the same since coming back this season from an arm injury that he opted to not address with surgery.
Not only has Holmes not been the same guy, but the Braves had to move him to the bullpen, and there is not much clarity as to what his role SHOULD be going forward. Not only does that add to the need for a starter, but it also muddies the water when it comes to Atlanta's upcoming bullpen planning.
Reynaldo Lopez
Lopez is very similar to Holmes, but in reverse. Lopez struggled mightily as a starter at the start of the season after returning from his shoulder troubles, got moved to the bullpen with mixed success, and has since been moved back to the rotation out of necessity.
With how Lopez has performed this year and his ever-shifting role on the roster, how can the Braves realistically project what he is going to be? There isn't an answer to that, and that makes trade deadline planning that much harder. Lopez being a reliever would add to the rotation urgency, while Lopez the starter leaves a void/opportunity in the bullpen. Right now, it is anyone's guess as to where the Braves will settle on how to handle him.
Mike Yastrzemski
With the human toilet known as Jurickson Profar suspended again, left field has been a black hole for the Braves once again. Atlanta has gone with a platoon approach for most of the season, but Mike Yastrzemski has been given much of the runway with the left side of that platoon, and that is becoming a bit of a problem.
Yaz didn't have to be a star or even well above average to play his role well enough. The problem is that he has only managed an 82 wRC+ (that's bad) this season, and it is only that high because of one decent month in May. Now, the Braves have to add left field to their shopping list at the trade deadline after committing $23 million to Yastrzemski last offseason, and that feels bad.
Ha-Seong Kim
Finally, we come to the supposed short-term savior of the Braves' shortstop woes in Ha-Seong Kim. Most fans know the story at this point. The Braves traded for Kim last year, liked what they saw enough to give him a one-year deal for 2026, then he needed unexpected finger surgery right before the season started, and he has been one of the worst hitters in baseball since returning from the IL.
The issue now is that Atlanta can't count on Kim to factor into their shortstop plans at all. That places more strain on how they would prefer to use Mauricio Dubon on a day-to-day basis and also makes it highly likely that the Braves could try to be aggressive in trying to add a shortstop at the deadline. Whenever you have to wade into the trade market for a premium defensive position at the trade deadline when you already have a guy under contract to do the job for real money, that is not ideal.
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