The Atlanta Braves' mission at this year's trade deadline was relatively simple. They needed to shed a good chunk of their pending free agents given that this team isn't going anywhere and they could also entertain adding some players that could help them next year and beyond. As long as they ended up doing at least one of those things, their trade deadline strategy would be more that defensible.
However, that's not what happened. Not only did the Braves not trade Marcell Ozuna or Raisel Iglesias who were the more expensive guys they would have liked to move, they didn't do anything else at all after trading Rafael Montero the night before the trade deadline.
#Braves are done for the deadline.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 31, 2025
Braves essentially standing pat at the trade deadline was absolutely not the play
It is inconceivable that the Braves didn't trade any pending free agents outside of Montero or add a bullpen arm with some team control (of which there were many flying around all day long). Neither Ozuna nor Iglesias can receive the qualifying offer as they have already and the Braves probably couldn't do that even if they were eligible as they have played poorly enough lately that they would inevitably just sign the offer.
Instead, the Braves are left with a dysfunctional roster and will have to let those guys leave in free agency for nothing. The one benefit of being as bad as the Braves have been is that you can take advantage of what is almost always a seller's market at the trade deadline and Atlanta fumbled the bag.
Sure, it is possible that every buyer thinks that Iglesias is completely washed and the rumors that Ozuna's market was shrinking due to his no-trade rights and legal issues were true. However, it is hard to believe that the Braves couldn't find ANYONE to make a real deal with and now the team is lesser for it.