The Braves head into another offseason with a familiar problem: too many free agents, not enough obvious answers. A handful of those calls are straightforward, but most of them come with some version of the same question - can Atlanta get enough value to make a reunion worthwhile?
Start with the easiest one. Ha-Seong Kim is not getting a second shot in Atlanta. That signing flopped hard enough to land in franchise-infamy territory, and the Braves will have no appetite to bring him back after a one-year deal that went sideways.
The bullpen conversation is trickier, and Raisel Iglesias sits right in the middle of it. He opened the year like a hammer, carving through the first month and carrying a 1.32 ERA through June while earning his first All-Star nod.
Then the late-season version showed up: the home run problem returned, just as it had for much of 2025, and he finished the final three months with a 3.58 ERA. Even so, the full line still looks solid at 2.55 ERA, and teams around the league will notice.
At 37, though, Atlanta could decide it’s time to turn the page. The Braves already have Robert Suarez, who has real ninth-inning experience, but they would still need another high-leverage reliever in the mix.
Tyler Mahle is the toughest case of the bunch. He was one of the best stories from Atlanta’s 2026 season after coming over for almost nothing at the deadline and then dealing a 1.99 ERA over his final nine regular-season starts.
If anyone wondered whether that run was real, he answered in the postseason with two excellent outings against the Phillies and Dodgers. With the rotation full of questions, keeping Mahle should be a priority.
The catch is that Alex Anthopoulos usually avoids bidding wars for starting pitching, and there will be clubs ready to pay. The Braves may not be the highest bidder.
Martin Perez presents a different kind of decision. He arrived on a minor-league deal, got designated for assignment early, and somehow stayed in the picture long enough to become one of the season’s most important arms.
Atlanta might not have made the playoffs without him, and he finished with a 3.04 ERA across 142 innings. His stuff won’t wow anyone, and he’ll be 36 next season, which makes a multiyear market unlikely.
That kind of deal fits the Braves’ comfort zone, and a return feels more likely here than with Mahle.
If there’s one free agent Atlanta should be most eager to keep, it’s Mauricio Dubon. Shortstop remains a problem, and the other available options don’t move the needle much.
The Braves could chase an upgrade through a trade, but they’ve never shown much interest in paying premium prices for a premium position. Dubon gave them strong defense at short, enough offense to hold up, and a clubhouse presence that mattered.
With shortstop prospects on the way in a couple of years, he makes sense as the bridge.
Lane Thomas is the one who lands in the gray area. He came over at the deadline and never found his offense, then missed a month with an intercostal strain.
On pure performance, the case for moving on is pretty clear, especially with left field still needing an upgrade. But Atlanta’s bench depth has been a problem for a while, and that part of the roster deserves more attention.
Losing Jurickson Profar for the full season was a hit no one saw coming, but that kind of excuse won’t hold forever. If the Braves want better depth, Thomas on a cheap one-year deal is a reasonable place to start.
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 Face A Costly Mauricio Dubon Decision They May Not Like
Mauricio Dubon has put the Braves in a familiar offseason spot, weighing fit against cost at a position where stability matters. His versatility has value across the roster, but Atlantas interest appears tied to a more specific need as the club looks ahead and tries to sort out its infield plans.
The complication is that the market rarely prices a player like Dubon as a simple utility piece, especially when teams see a dependable defender who can move around the diamond. For the Braves, the question is whether they can keep him in the fold without bidding against a free-agent market that may treat him as something more than an extra glove. [Read more 🡒]