The Atlanta Braves are one of the bigger surprises in baseball this season. The Braves are nine games under .500, and they have lost eight of their last 10 games heading into Tuesday's tilt with the Milwaukee Brewers.

However, the Braves are not as bad as their record suggests. In fact, Atlanta is one of just two teams with a losing record to have a positive run differential. Their lineup has scored the 10th-fewest runs this year, so it has been the pitching holding the team together.

One of the biggest problems with the team is they are 9-19 in one run games this year. Their pitchers have been able to keep the Braves in games all season, but the hitters are failing to back them up. Along with that, Atlanta has really struggled on the road this year. They are just 11-23 in away games.

With the losing record, there have been some trade ideas floating around. However, Atlanta needs to refrain from making any big decisions regarding their team for the time being. There is one player specifically that the Braves should hold on to for the season.

The Braves should not trade Chris Sale

With the Braves well under .500, and 13.5 games back in the National League East division, there is a chance they become sellers at the trade deadline. Now, there is more of a chance Atlanta tries to right the ship rather than selling off, though.

Still, with their losing record, there is going to be plenty of interest in Chris Sale and some of the other pitchers on the staff. But, the Braves should not be looking to trade their ace.

Sale is the reigning National League Cy Young, and he is having just as good of a season in 2025. On the year, the left-hander has 2.79 ERA through 14 starts, and 80.2 innings pitched. With that, the Florida Gulf Coast product has 107 strikeouts to just 25 walks, and opponents are batting .241 off him.

The reason Sale is enticing is he is a free agent after next season. Per Spotrac, Sale is owed $22M this year, and his club option for 2026 is worth $18M. The club control is something teams would want, and the money is not terrible for the quality arm.

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With Spencer Strider struggling in his return to the mound, the Braves will be relying on Sale to lead the pitching staff. If the team is going to turn the season around, and make a playoff push this summer, it will be on the back of their ace.

Trading Sale would be a mistake if the Braves are looking to make a run.

Do the Braves still have a shot to make the playoffs?

As mentioned, the Braves are nine games under .500. They are 13.5 games back in the division, and nine games back in the Wild Card race. They have a lot of ground to make up, but it is not going to be impossible for them.

In 2019 when the Washington Nationals won the World Series, they started the season 19-31. Just last year, the Detroit Tigers started the season 37-44. There have been plenty of teams in history to start the season slow, but still make the postseason.

The point being, the Braves still have a chance to turn things around this season. They have the lineup, and the pitching to still be good. Keeping the team intact is going to be important moving forward.