The Atlanta Braves are 28-38. They are in fourth place in the National League East and 9 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot in the National League. They could be sellers at the deadline.
Even if Atlanta is a seller, they will likely not be parting ways with players like Austin Riley, Michael Harris, Matt Olson or Ronald Acuña Jr. They are all signed to long-term deals. However, they could entertain the idea of trading Chris Sale, who has an $18 million club option for 2026.
Sale is the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. He is an eight-time All-Star and is 36 years old. It’s unclear how much he has left in the tank, and the Braves could turn him into some valuable, young players if they fall out of contention this year. FanSided’s Fred Owens proposed this trade that would send Sale back to the Boston Red Sox:
- Red Sox receive: Chris Sale
- Braves receive: Jarren Duran, Franklin Arias and Mikey Romero
Arias is the Red Sox’s No. 3 overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. He will soon be their top prospect with Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony now in the big leagues. Duran was an All-Star last season and is under club control through 2028. The Red Sox may be forced to trade him thanks to their outfield logjam. Romero is the No. 11 prospect in the Red Sox organization.
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The outfield for the Braves has a question mark in left field. Duran could be the answer and a key player for the team moving forward. Arias is just 19 years old, but could be the Braves’ answer at shortstop in the future. In the meantime, Romero could potentially play there in 2026.
Sale is pitching great this season, and the Red Sox may be able to play their way back into the postseason mix. If they do that, they will need a reliable arm next to Garrett Crochet in the rotation. Sale spent seven years with the Red Sox and won a World Series with the team. If the Braves do become sellers, trading Sale for Duran, Arias and Romero would set them up to bounce back in 2026.
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