The Braves don’t have difficult decisions to make when it comes to their club options.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has one for $17 million in 2027 and another for $17 million in 2028. It’s pretty much a guarantee both get picked up, barring something catastrophic. And while some fans would love to see the Braves field trade calls on the star right fielder after another disappointing postseason, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
This is still one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball, and he’s under control for two more seasons. The Braves’ best chance of getting back to the top of the mountain is with Acuña, and this isn’t a club interested in rebuilding. Maybe the conversation shifts next winter, but for now I don’t imagine there’s any traction there, even if several teams check in to gauge Atlanta’s interest.
Ozzie Albies’ situation is a different story, as Mark Polishuk points out for MLB Trade Rumors.
“Albies is a bit of a trickier case. He has an 89 wRC+ and a .242/.300/.385 slash line over 1785 PA since Opening Day 2024, with this uninspiring offense combining with so-so glovework to give him a total of 3.8 fWAR over the last three seasons.
“This recent track record notwithstanding, Albies’ salary is small enough that multiple teams would be interested if the Braves shopped him, and some suitors might feel he’d benefit from a change of scenery. Albies is slated for free agency next winter so the Braves could be interested in getting something before Albies leaves…”
The question isn’t really about the Braves picking up Albies’ $7 million option for next season. That much is a foregone conclusion. It’s about whether they’d consider trading him before he potentially walks in free agency next offseason.
While the Braves might be open to the idea, it’s hard to find a path that makes much sense.
Atlanta isn’t going to find a better second baseman for $7 million in free agency. Moving Albies would only open another hole that’s expensive to fill, and this isn’t an organization flush with cash — they already have a ton committed to the 2027 roster.
About the only way it makes sense is as a swap between two teams trying to compete. The Braves can only really move Albies if they fill one of their other glaring holes with a player already proven at the major-league level. Those kinds of trades are always tougher to pull off, and to dampen the scenario even further, I’m not sure the Braves believe Albies is completely cooked.
He was tremendous offensively over the first month of the season, and while those numbers plummeted the rest of the way, he still finished with 22 home runs and an OPS right around .700. That’s well worth $7 million even if he doesn’t improve at all.
The most encouraging signs, though, came during Atlanta’s postseason run. He was the Braves’ best player outside of Michael Harris II, recording six hits and five walks over 30 plate appearances, including two home runs and two doubles.
Albies will be 30 next season. It’s not like he’s pushing 40, he’s a fan favorite, and he’s on a dirt-cheap contract. The Braves would have to be blown away to move on from him — just like they would with Acuña.
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