MLB trade rumors: Braves unlikely to trade Julio Teheran, Matt Adams

Days after Buster Olney of ESPN reported the Braves were “very open” to dealing young starter Julio Teheran, it looks like they’ll be holding onto him for a little longer. According to reports from our own Chris Cotillo and ESPN’s Olney, the Braves are unlikely to trade either Teheran or first baseman Matt Adams before the deadline.

Teheran has posted a 4.69 ERA over 109.1 innings this season, striking out 80 and walking a not-so-sparkling 44. It obvious he’s not having his best year, but it’s also hard to look at his past two All-Star years (3.21 ERA in 2016 and 2.89 in 2014) and his Rookie of the Year contention season and say that the 26-year old has run out of gas in the tank. He’s controlled through 2020, making him attractive to all clubs, including the Braves.

Adams was acquired from the Cardinals at the end of May for minor-league infielder Juan Yepez. He proved to be beyond vital to Atlanta when Freddie Freeman went down for a broken wrist. Thought of originally as only a temporary solution, Adams was so beneficial for the Braves that Freeman was shifted over to third base upon his return. He’s currently slashing .284/.332/.596 for the Braves with 14 home runs 36 RBIs. Unless the package was good enough, it was hard to see Atlanta parting with someone they literally redesigned their infield for just to keep them in the lineup (and have under control for next year).

If the Braves were to move either or Teheran and Adams, there’d almost undoubtedly have to be another starter at the opposite end of that deal with some pretty important prospects to boot. Some have speculated that the Braves would be willing to deal Teheran for Sonny Gray, but that deal seems like an unlikely match.