The Braves may have more trouble than expected keeping Mauricio Dubon around, and that could leave a hole right where they least want one.
Atlanta doesn’t have a long list of free agents, but the ones it does face losing matter. Tyler Mahle is the biggest headline name after what he showed following the trade deadline deal this year, and there has already been plenty of conversation about what his next contract should look like. Dubon, though, might be the more delicate case for the Braves to handle.
That’s because Dubon is not the kind of player who fits neatly into one box. He swings early and often, but he makes enough contact for it to work. His glove is the easier part to evaluate, and even that comes with a wrinkle: he can handle just about any spot on the field, which is exactly what makes him valuable and exactly what makes him hard to price.
For Atlanta, the need is narrower than that broader skill set suggests. The Braves don’t just want Dubon as a movable chess piece. They need him at shortstop, especially since there is no world they are bringing Ha-Seong Kim back after his dumpster fire of a season, and the open market does not offer many appealing alternatives.
That leaves Atlanta with a tricky decision. Do they pay Dubon like an everyday shortstop to make sure he stays, or do they treat him like a super utility option and risk losing him to a stronger market?
The demand figures to be real. In today’s game, a player who can bounce around the field and keep the lineup flexible has clear value, even if the bat is more steady than spectacular. Dubon fits that mold, and he also brings enough contact ability to stay in the mix.
The Braves would prefer to get something done in their exclusive negotiating window after the World Series ends, but there’s no guarantee that happens. Dubon knows exactly how much he matters to Atlanta’s shortstop situation, and if he reaches free agency, the competition could get complicated fast.
With the impending lockout, some teams will be looking to raise payrolls for optics, others will chase versatility, and some may simply want to keep the Braves from landing an obvious solution. That puts Atlanta in a race against time, and it will show quickly whether the front office is ready to pay what it takes to solve shortstop in the short term.
In Other News...
Braves Have A Shortstop Decision That Could Bring Back A Familiar Fit
Mauricio Dubn became a useful late-season answer for the Braves after arriving from Houston in the Nick Allen trade, giving Atlanta the kind of defensive versatility teams always seem to value when the stretch run gets tight. The two-time Gold Glove winner fit a need almost immediately, shuffling around the infield before settling in as the starting shortstop down the stretch and bringing a steady glove to a position the Braves have been sorting through.
Now the question is whether that short-term solution turns into something longer. Dubns defense and clubhouse value have given Atlanta reason to think about keeping him around, and there is at least some sense that a reunion could make sense if the price is right. For a Braves team that likes flexibility and reliability, the offseason decision at shortstop could end up being about more than just filling one spot on the lineup card. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Could Turn One Bad Contract Into A Risky Upgrade
The Braves are still weighing ways to reshape their roster, and one speculative idea floating around would turn Jurickson Profars contract into a chance to land a more proven bat. The framework is simple enough on paper: Atlanta would be trying to convert a shaky financial commitment into a player with a stronger recent track record, while also looking for a better fit in the middle of the lineup.
Teoscar Hernndez is the name attached to that conversation, but any move of that size would come with obvious risk and a cost beyond salary. Even if the Braves found a willing partner, the deal would not be a clean one, since it would likely take more than just swapping contracts to get it done and there is still no indication either club is actually close. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Could Lose A Rising Front Office Piece To Houston
The Astros search for a new general manager has put a familiar Braves name on the radar, with Houston considering several front office candidates as it looks to reshape the top of its baseball operation. One of those names is Ben Sestanovich, Atlantas assistant general manager, a rising executive who has drawn outside interest as the Astros continue sorting through their options alongside other candidates such as Matt Kleine, Josh Barfield and Randy Flores.
There is also a separate move in Houstons baseball department that could matter for how the rest of the front office takes shape. The Astros are bringing in Spencer Medick as director of pitching, giving the organization another piece focused on development as it works through this transition. For the Braves, the bigger question is whether Sestanovich stays in place or becomes the latest young executive to get pulled into a larger opportunity elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]