The Braves are heading into an offseason where the shopping list is obvious, and the pressure is real. Free agency is open, trade chatter is already loud, and with a lockout expected to loom after what could be a busy month, Atlanta has every reason to move early. That’s usually how this front office likes to operate anyway.
The biggest priority sits at the top of the board: starting pitching. Atlanta needs at least one proven starter, and two would make the rotation picture look a lot cleaner. A high-leverage reliever is also on the to-do list, especially with Raisel Iglesias now a free agent and Didier Fuentes expected to move into the rotation.
Left field is another spot that has to be fixed, and shortstop remains the longest-running problem on the roster. Jurickson Profar cannot be back after a second PED suspension, and the Braves still need a real answer in the middle infield.
The rotation is where the uncertainty starts to pile up. Chris Sale, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, Didier Fuentes, JR Ritchie, A.J.
Smith-Shawver, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach and Owen Murphy are all part of the picture, but that doesn’t mean the Braves are set. They only have three proven starters, and two of them are not the kind of arms you want leaning on in October.
There is hope that Fuentes can carry over his bullpen success to the rotation. Ritchie and Smith-Shawver both have upside, but neither has established himself yet. Smith-Shawver, in particular, looks more like a reliever than a starter.
Strider and Schwellenbach are even harder to project. Neither has been ruled out for all of 2027, but both have barely pitched over the last 18 months.
The Braves can’t plan around them. If they contribute, great.
If not, that’s exactly why another frontline starter is a must.
Jacob deGrom is a name to watch. The Braves are expected to be in on plenty of the top free-agent starters, but deGrom could be especially interesting if he changes his mind about leaving Texas. Atlanta already had a deal lined up with him at the trade deadline.
The bullpen also needs work, even if it doesn’t require a massive splurge. Iglesias leaving and Fuentes shifting to the rotation take two of the team’s better relief arms off the board. Re-signing Iglesias on a one-year deal would be the cleanest fix, and the Braves would still need more help around him.
Behind the plate, things look steadier. Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy are both in place, and that probably doesn’t change.
Murphy could draw trade interest if Atlanta wants to free up money for other moves, and there would be a market for him because quality catchers are hard to find. His contract is manageable, and there’s still upside if he can stay healthy for a full season.
Shortstop is where the Braves need the biggest swing. If the season started today, Jim Jarvis would likely be the starter there, which tells you everything you need to know.
Mauricio Dubon is a possible return option, but Atlanta should be aiming higher. Gunnar Henderson, Zach Neto and Jeremy Peña headline the list of possible trade targets, and this is the spot where a blockbuster makes the most sense.
Free agency doesn’t offer much.
Elsewhere in the infield, the Braves don’t appear to have many changes coming. Ozzie Albies at $7 million is a bargain they aren’t going to beat.
Matt Olson remains one of the best first basemen in the game. And while Riley may be the most-hated man in Atlanta after a dreadful 2026 campaign, there likely won’t be much of a market for him.
In the outfield, Ronald Acuña Jr. is not going anywhere, and Michael Harris II isn’t either. The real issue is left field, where Profar’s place on the roster should be over. The Braves cannot keep him after what happened in back-to-back seasons.
The free-agent outfield market doesn’t offer many clean solutions. Randy Arozarena, Jake Bauers and Seiya Suzuki all received qualifying offers, which likely pushes them off Atlanta’s radar. Ian Happ is one name that makes some sense, but the Braves may need to look harder on the trade market again if they want a real upgrade.
In Other News...
Braves Are Betting On The Same Coaches To Fix A Lingering Problem
The Braves are keeping their coaching group intact for 2027, a sign they believe continuity still matters after the changes that came with Walt Weiss taking over as manager. Tim Hyers, whose contract expired after the 2026 season, is back on the staff, and the same goes for Jeremy Hefner, Tony Mansolino, Antoan Richardson, Tommy Watkins and the rest of the group.
For a club that has leaned on recent success while trying to smooth out lingering issues, the decision suggests Atlanta sees the answers as internal rather than structural. The front office is betting the same voices in the dugout and on the field can keep pushing the team forward, even as the pressure remains to turn that stability into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Double Down On A Formula Fans Still Arent Sold On
Walt Weiss first season in charge has already put him in the National League Manager of the Year conversation, and the Braves run to another NL East title has given the organization plenty of reason to stay the course. According to a team source cited by Jesus Cano of The Athletic, Atlanta is keeping its full coaching staff in place for the 2027 season, a sign the front office sees continuity as a strength rather than something to tinker with.
The decision also keeps attention on the broader direction of the club, especially the offense and the way it is being taught. Tim Hyers has drawn scrutiny in some corners for how the lineup has looked under his watch, and the Braves are still leaning into a philosophy that asks for a lot of damage when contact is made. For a fan base that has not fully embraced that approach, the next stretch will be about whether the results can keep matching the confidence behind the plan. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Are Suddenly Tied To A Blockbuster Shortstop Swing
The offseason market around Baltimore is already getting loud, and the Braves have found themselves mentioned in one of the more eye-catching possibilities. The Orioles are said to be open to moving just about anyone while they look to upgrade their rotation and outfield, and Atlantas need at shortstop has naturally put them in the conversation as clubs start gauging what might be available.
For the Braves, the appeal is obvious, but so is the cost. Any serious pursuit would almost certainly mean paying a steep prospect price, the kind that would force Atlanta to weigh present-day certainty against the long-term value of its farm system. For now, it remains only a speculative link, but it is the sort of rumor that can quickly reshape how a winter is viewed if the market keeps moving in this direction. [Read more 🡒]