The Braves have to find a long-term answer at shortstop. Even if they do end up rolling with Orlando Arcia again as the starter next year, it’s a band-aid over a bullet hole. He’s not the answer; that much we know. However, the options in free agency are limited.
Willy Adames is the gem of the free agent class, but he’s in line for a massive payday. Not only is Adames an All-Star caliber talent at one of the most important positions on the diamond, but he’s hitting free agency at the perfect time, because there might not be another starting caliber shortstop in the class if Ha-Seong Kim opts into his final year with the Padres. The demand for shortstops is high, but the supply is almost non-existent, so naturally, a bidding war will ensue for Adames’ services.
That’s not something the Braves typically get involved in, and expecting that to change this offseason is nonsensical. A more realistic avenue Alex Anthopoulos might take is through the trade market, a place he frequently visits when trying to upgrade the roster.
Like free agency, there won’t be a ton of names available for trade, but there are two worth keeping an eye on.
Bo Bichette
Two-time All-Star Bo Bichette was a hot topic at the trade deadline, with the Braves being a team that was constantly connected to him. Whether there was interest or not is unknown, but it doesn’t matter because the Blue Jays ultimately ended up hanging onto him.
When it comes to what Toronto plans to do this offseason, your guess is as good as mine. A few years ago, they looked like a club that was going to be a World Series contender for the next decade. However, their talented young core fizzled out, and they didn’t make the best use of their dollars in free agency, leading to a 74-88 finish this year, good for last place in the AL East.
It’s well past time for the Blue Jays to blow things up and hit the reset button. Bo Bichette was part of the problem last year, not the solution, finishing with career-low marks across the board. With that being said, surely teams would have interest in a 26-year-old shortstop that finished in the top 16 of the AL MVP voting from 2021-2023. His contract is also more than palatable, with just one year remaining at $17 million.
The Braves could be one of those teams, but Bichette’s ability to play the shortstop position defensively might deter them. He’s regressed significantly in that area over the years, and shortstops typically don’t get better defensively with age.
Nico Hoerner
Of the two, Hoerner is the one the Braves would probably have more interest in for a couple of reasons. He’s a much better defensive player, and he also has two years remaining on his contract, owed $11.5 million next year and $12.0 million in 2026. That’s a more than team-friendly rate for a starting shortstop that has at least 3.9 fWAR over the last three seasons.
Hoerner may not be an offensive juggernaut, but he’s above average with the stick and doesn’t strikeout much. He also has 94 steals over the last three seasons, an underrated area that the Braves really struggled in this year after Ronald Acuña Jr. went down the injury.
However, there are two potential obstacles to a Nico Hoerner trade. The Cubs, while not a good team, have been aggressive in trying to get better over the last several years. Trading Hoerner isn’t going to help in that area, and even if they are willing to negotiate, he’s not going to come cheap. There will be a lot of teams interested in his services, and the Braves don’t have a very deep farm system.
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Photographer: Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire
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