The Braves are staring at a thin free-agent market, and that makes the margin for error even smaller. Atlanta needs help, sure, but this is the kind of offseason where a name can look appealing on the surface and still be the wrong move once you dig in.
Some players will tempt teams with upside, pedigree or a past peak that still lingers in the memory. For the Braves, these six probably belong on the wrong side of the board before the shopping even starts.
Jazz Chisholm is the easiest example of why a splashy name doesn’t always equal a smart fit. Not long ago, the idea of Atlanta landing him would have felt electric.
He can hit for power, run the bases like a menace and bring real talent to the infield. But the price would almost certainly outstrip the production.
The Braves don’t need a second baseman with Ozzie Albies in place, and Chisholm’s work at shortstop and third base hasn’t been especially convincing. Someone will pay for the version of Chisholm they hope they’re getting, but his bat has never been consistent enough - he has never hit higher than .256 in a single season - to justify that kind of investment.
Ian Happ fits the same basic trap in a different way. Atlanta needs offense, and on paper a switch-hitting outfielder sounds useful, especially if he can help balance the lineup from the right side.
But Happ hasn’t done that at a level the Braves should be chasing. He’s been notably worse against lefties than righties, and even in the big picture his bat leaves plenty to be desired.
His value comes mostly from defense and walks, while his offense has been light - just a .238 average over the last four seasons combined. That’s useful in a vacuum, but not enough for what Atlanta needs, especially if the price gets pushed up.
George Springer is another name that carries more weight than current production. The former Astros star is 37 now, and the wear and tear has changed him.
He’s no longer the dynamic force he once was, and the speed has faded enough that he can’t really be treated like an outfielder anymore. That puts even more pressure on a bat that posted a .726 OPS this past season.
There’s also the question of whether he even wants to keep going. After a rough 2026 season in Toronto, Springer made comments that openly flirted with retirement.
Even if he plays again, it sounds like his mind may already be somewhere else.
On the pitching side, Matthew Boyd is the kind of arm that can sneak onto a short list because of the recent rebound story. He came back from Tommy John surgery and was a useful starter for the Guardians and Cubs in 2024 and 2025 after an uneven 11-year run before that.
But 2026 looked more like the old version, and the strikeout rate doesn’t leave much room for optimism. At 35, he doesn’t make sense on a multi-year deal, and even a one-year contract only works if the price is far below expectation.
Chris Bassitt falls into a similar bucket. He built a reputation as one of the steadiest innings-eaters in the sport, and through 2023 he had three top-10 Cy Young finishes to show for it.
But the decline has been real. Over the last three seasons, Bassitt posted a 4.18 ERA across 443.1 innings, and he also had surgery in June to remove a bone spur in his back.
At almost 38, he’s the kind of gamble Atlanta should let somebody else take.
Brady Singer rounds out the list, and the concern here is the home run problem. Singer once looked like a major talent at Florida and went No. 18 overall to the Royals.
He broke through in 2022 with a 3.23 ERA and 4.5 rWAR, then followed that with two solid seasons in 2024 and 2025. But 2026 was a mess.
With the Reds, he posted a 5.85 ERA in 157 innings and gave up 32 home runs. That kind of profile is tough to trust in today’s game, and the issue only gets worse as his stuff continues to fade.
In Other News...
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The Braves bullpen depth chart took a small but notable hit with the end of the season, as Ian Hamilton and Rob Zastryzny both elected minor league free agency. For Atlanta, it is another reminder of how much turnover can come at the margins of a pitching staff, where veteran arms often shuttle between the majors and Triple-A while the organization tries to keep options available.
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According to MLB Networks Joel Sherman, Corey Seager is a player the Braves could circle back to again in the upcoming offseason after showing interest before. Seagers recent injury history and a down 2026 season make any pursuit complicated, but his track record still gives him appeal for a team that has not hidden its willingness to keep exploring big-name additions. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Keep Tweaking One Roster Spot Fans Should Start Watching
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Williams, meanwhile, has only been a brief part of the major-league mix, appearing in two regular-season games in 2026 and also spending time on the roster for the NLDS. He is expected to clear waivers and become a free agent, leaving Atlanta with another opening to monitor as the club continues to cycle through the back end of the roster. [Read more 🡒]