Atlanta Braves

The 2014 MLB trade deadline is closing in, and teams are scrambling to put together rosters that will keep them atop the standings and into the postseason.

The Atlanta Braves currently sit one game back from the Washington Nationals. What do the Braves have to do to take the lead in the NL East and have success in the postseason?

After an especially painful season in the batter's box for Dan Uggla, the Atlanta Braves have released the struggling second baseman.

The team's official Twitter account confirmed the news:

The Atlanta Braves (47-38) are currently riding a season-best seven-game winning streak as we hit July.

Despite their hot streak, the Braves hold just a half-game lead in the division as the Washington Nationals have also improved their play.

You can bet general manager Frank Wren will be looking to improve the roster as the July 31 trade deadline nears in order to give the Braves a leg up over the Nationals.

The second half of the season officially begins for the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. In the slides ahead I’ll look back at the numbers put up by each player in the Braves lineup during the first half, then I’ll offer up a prediction for what each player might do in the second half.

Predictions are a tricky business, but that’s what makes them so fun. Begin the slideshow to see my predictions for the second-half Braves, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

The MLB international signing period begins on July 2, and the Braves could make a splash by signing some high-dollar talent. This, despite being constrained by MLB regarding how much they can spend.

The Atlanta Braves have already signaled they would like to add a reliever or two to their bullpen. General manager Frank Wren was clear about that when he spoke with SiriusXM radio host Jim Bowden earlier this week:

The Atlanta Braves announced on Tuesday night that outfielder Justin Upton strained his left hamstring. He's listed as day to day:

The two-time All-Star was removed after the first inning, making way for Jordan Schafer, per Kevin McAlpin of 680 The Fan in Atlanta:

After a disappointing week, the Atlanta Braves (33-29) find themselves in a tie atop the National League East division with the surging Washington Nationals.

The offense still hasn't consistently clicked, but the major reason for the Braves' recent struggles has been the performance of the bullpen.

A year after leading the majors with a 2.46 bullpen ERA, the Braves bullpen has slipped to a 3.35 ERA, which puts them sixth in the National League.

It was another good week for Atlanta Braves prospects. The two hitters at Triple-A, Tommy La Stella and Christian Bethancourt, are really starting to swing the bat.

Meanwhile on the mound, the organization’s top prospect seems to have righted the ship, and several other pitchers on this list are doing better than the basic stats seem to indicate. We’ll use advanced stats to find the truth behind the numbers.

The Atlanta Braves will look to bolster their farm system and find future help at the MLB level in a few weeks when the 2014 MLB draft gets underway.

The Braves could go a number of different directions with the No. 32 overall pick in the compensation round acquired from the Brian McCann deal.