Before the 2019 season, teams could still strike trades after the trade deadline if the players getting moved cleared waivers first. It was this system that allowed for the Tigers to trade Justin Verlander way back in 2017 despite it being the end of August when that deal went down. While the new system doesn’t allow the Atlanta Braves to swing big league trades anymore, that doesn’t mean that they can’t still use the waiver wire to their advantage.

The Braves were roasted (and rightly so) for their inaction at the trade deadline. Marcell Ozuna should have been traded, but his market didn’t develop like Atlanta thought and there was little to no indication that other teams were interested in taking Raisel Iglesias off their hands.

However, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller floated an intriguing possibility that the Braves could still place Ozuna and Iglesias on waivers and see if any playoff contenders snatch them up and save Atlanta some cash.

Bleacher Report names Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias as prime waiver wire candidates

The logic here is pretty straightforward. Both Ozuna and Iglesias are set to become free agents after the season, the Braves are out of the playoff hunt, and letting one or both of them would save Atlanta some money which, in theory, the Braves could reinvest this coming offseason. Given that neither player would get the qualifying offer and the Braves didn’t trade them, this would be essentially the only way to get anything of value in return for their departure.

However, there are a couple potential problems with this plan. Beyond the fact that other teams being interested in taking Ozuna and/or Iglesias and their contracts is far from a sure thing, Atlanta has already stated that they want to continue to put a quality product on the field and both pending free agents, in particular Iglesias, have been playing better lately. It isn’t completely outside the realm of possibility that Atlanta could try to bring at least Iglesias back if they think he is fixed and cutting him loose now would hinder that possibility.

That is a lot of “ifs” and, as of now, it seems unlikely that Atlanta will bring back either player given their declines and likely costs. “If” that is the case, then the Braves would do well to at least try and see if they can get any bites by putting Ozuna and Iglesias on waivers. They may already be under the luxury tax, but that doesn’t mean saving some money couldn’t be helpful down the road.