MLB Insider: Braves to Make Key Veterans Available at Deadline

It's looking increasingly likely that the Atlanta Braves are in for some seller moves come the trade deadline in a couple weeks

Pending free agents are the most likely to go | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves are entering sellers territory as the MLB Trade Deadline approaches. According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and reliever Raisel Iglesias will be available at the trade deadline, along with "a few others."

The wording was certain. He's not just expecting or predicting they will be available. He is reporting that they will be. "A few others" is a vague way of saying there could be more players on the way out. However, Nightengale added that they have no intentions of selling players on multi-year contracts until the offseason.

He also noted that even though Ozuna will be available, the designated hitter has the right to block any trade because of his 10-5 rights. When a player has 10 years of MLB experience and has been with the same team for five consecutive years, a no-trade right kicks in.

Based on the current details, it's hard to pinpoint who the other potential players available could be. There are a lot of players on the roster who technically have expiring contracts. However, they’re not all pending free agents

Others are arbitration-eligible or pre-arbitration players. Sure, some could be non-tendered, and the Braves might want to move a player they might non-tender this offseason. However, that's a wait-and-see situation.

Second baseman Ozzie Albies has two club options left on his contract after this season. He's not a pending free agent, but he could be one if the Braves, or a hypothetical team that acquires him, choose not to exercise his option for 2026.

For the record, while there has been discourse on his future with the team, there are no reports, or at least no credible reports, that Albies is on the block. He could very well be one of the "few others," but Atlanta Braves on SI has no confirmation that he is. MLB Insider Jim Bowden recently said on Foul Territory that Albies was among the players he didn't see being moved.

There have been reports about interest in catcher Sean Murphy. According to Bowden, the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays want to "pry" him away. But based on this report from Nightengale, it might not happen during the season. Again, we'll know soon enough. If the right offer comes for Murphy or Ozuna and Iglesias, general manager Alex Anthopoulos might go for it.