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The Atlanta Braves are once again in the thick of the National league playoff race, boasting one of baseball's deepest rosters and a front office unafraid to act when the moment demands it. But with starting pitcher injuries mounting and postseason aspirations high as ever, Atlanta may need to act sooner than usual. The MLB Trade Deadline 2025 could bring some tempting possibilities– but two names have already emerged as realistic, if very different, targets: Sandy Alcantara and Andrew Heaney.
Both pitchers bring strengths, risk, and potential upside. The decision may come down to what the Braves value more: long-term control and ace potential, or immediate stability and low acquisition cost.
Sandy Alcantara Trade: High Risk, Massive Reward
At first glance, a Sandy Alcantara trade seems like a no-brainer. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner, when healthy, is a true ace. He's under contract through 2026 at a modest $17.3 million annually, with a $21 million club option for 2027. That combination of talent and control would fit beautifully in Atlanta's long-term rotation plans.
The issue? Division dynamics.
Alcantara is a Marlin, and the Braves know all too well how complicated in-division negotiations can become. Even with a different regime in Miami now, trading a Cy Young-caliber pitcher to a division rival is rarely simple– especially one poised to help that rival dominate for years. That “in-division tax” would likely mean surrendering more top-end talent than Atlanta is comfortable with.
Still, Alcantara's potential impact cannot be overstated. He would give the Braves starting rotation a legitimate postseason weapon and form a terrifying trio with Chris Sale and Spencer Strider. The reward is enormous– but so is the risk, both in terms of health and trade cost.
Andrew Heaney Braves Link Makes Practical Sense
If Alcantara is the dream acquisition, then Andrew Heaney Braves rumors offer the far more practical solution. At 34, Heaney isn't a long-term answer, but his current form with the Pirates suggests he's among the most underrated pitchers in baseball this season.
Through five starts in 2025, Heaney owns a 1.72 ERA and a league-best 0.766 WHIP, dominating opponents while working under a $5.25 million one-year deal. He's a classic rental– affordable, effective, and expendable for a Pittsburgh team already drifting out of contention in the NL Central.
Just Baseball's Eric Treuden summed it up perfectly:
“He's on an expiring contract while suiting up for the last-place Pirates. He's elevated his game in 2025.”
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Unlike a Sandy Alcantara trade, Heaney wouldn't cost the Braves any of their top-five prospects. He also provides something the team desperately needs right now: rotation insurance. With A.J Smith-Shawver taking a liner off of his forearm earlier this week and Reynaldo Lopez battling arm fatigue, Smith-Shawver should be fine, but Lopez wont return until around the All-Star break.
The Braves starting rotation has stayed afloat thanks to young depth and bullpen flexibility. But a move for Heaney– possibly this May, well ahead of the MLB trade deadline– could stabilize the staff and buy time for internal arms to return or develop.
For a team with World Series expectations and little patience for midseason slumps, Heaney may be the difference between merely surviving and actually contending.
Braves Must Decide– Buy Bold or Buy Smart?
It's a strange position, the Braves are elite on paper but vulnerable in practice. Their offense is top-tier, led by Matt Olson, Ronald Acuña Jr., and a surprisingly resurgent Marcell Ozuna, who's slashing .313/.473/.530 with five homers and a 181 wRC+– sixth in all of MLB. Yet their pitching depth has looked fragile. One injury too many could send the rotation into chaos.
The front office's history with midseason moves is a mixed bag. They nailed the 2021 deadline with key acquisitions that led to a title, and they've since learned how to buy without mortgaging the future. This deadline, though, requires surgical precision.
If Atlanta opts in for the big swing, a Sandy Alcantara trade could signal a commitment to dominate the NL East for the rest of the decade. But if they play it smart and pick up Heaney now, they may avoid a bidding war later– and still shore up the staff in time for a postseason run.
And don't discount timing. Waiting too long could make even a modest deal more expensive. Acting now, while other teams sit on their hands, might be the Braves' best leverage point.
Ultimately, the question isn't just who the Braves should target, but how aggressive they're willing to be. The 2025 season offers no guarantees, only windows. And if Atlanta wants to keep theirs open, this deadline could define their year.
