Could Ozzie Albies’ future with Braves be decided at the trade deadline?

Alex Anthopoulos didn’t hesitate a few weeks ago when talking about the Braves potentially selling at the trade deadline, especially when it comes to players under contract for multiple years.

“We are not selling, especially players with club control beyond the current year,” Anthopoulos said. “Will not happen. I never make definitive statements unless I’m going to stick to them. So, once you make definitive statements, and then you go back on them, you’re a liar and you’re done. So, WILL NOT HAPPEN!”

Those words are about to be put to the test in the coming weeks, and it’s not as if Anthpoulos doesn’t have a recent history of “lying.” The club said at the end of last season that no coaches would be fired, only to fire three of them a few days later. Anthopoulos also said this past offseason that payroll would continue to rise, only for it to fall by nearly $30 million.

The Braves are now 9.5 games out of a playoff spot, and their top four starters from Opening Day are on the IL. This team is closer to the worst team in baseball than they are a legitimate contender. Selling feels like the only option, and with the way this team has struggled, they shouldn’t just be looking to move guys on expiring contracts. The futures of several other players must be considered, especially Ozzie Albies, who is amid the worst season of his career.

Typically, the market for a second baseman hitting .221 with a .604 OPS would be non-existent. I don’t exactly imagine teams will be lining up for Albies’ services. However, there might be a club willing to take a gamble, given his track record as a three-time All-Star and more than palatable team options of $7 million for 2026 and 2027.

That’s a gamble the Braves might want to take themselves, hoping he can turn things around in the second half. But with Nacho Alvarez showing he’s ready for a full-time opportunity at the major-league level and other potential upgrades available in the offseason, it might be worth shedding the salary now, instead of deciding whether to buy Ozzie Albies out in the offseason for $4 million.

Alex Anthopoulos may look like a “liar” if he ends up trading players with multiple years of control ahead of the deadline, but he’d be a total moron if he didn’t consider all of his options. The Braves need a major makeover. Anthopoulos cannot just sit on his hands and hope this thing fixes itself.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

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