The Braves are staring at 2027 with one glaring hole and one familiar problem: shortstop is unsettled, and the pitching staff still needs more insulation against injuries.
That’s the big picture after Atlanta’s 2026 postseason run ended in a 3-1 Division Series loss to the Braves. The roster still has plenty of familiar anchors, but the questions around the edges are real, especially with two key free-agent infielders and another wave of arms that will have to prove they can be trusted.
On the mound, the injury bug hit Atlanta hard again. Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo López, Bryce Elder and Hurston Waldrep all landed on the shelf, leaving the rotation thin when it mattered most.
Chris Sale’s work helped the Braves get past the Phillies in the first round, but the Dodgers got to both Sale and Tyler Mahle in the NLDS. That’s the kind of October outcome that pushes a front office to keep hunting for more depth.
If Atlanta is looking for a prospect who can realistically help in 2027, Owen Murphy is the name to circle first. He posted a 3.07 ERA across 96.2 Triple-A innings in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery.
The stuff still isn’t fully where it needs to be, but his command and control improved as the year went on. With more distance from surgery, he could become an important depth piece, especially given the age and injury history in the projected rotation.
There are a few other arms who could factor into the picture, too. John Gil made noise after a late-season jump to Double-A, hitting .315/.385/.427. He’s Rule 5-eligible after the 2027 season, and with shortstop still unsettled, he could work his way into a depth role if he gets off to a strong start next year.
Tyler Uberstine, acquired from the Red Sox at the deadline, worked out of the bullpen and looks capable of filling a low-leverage role in 2027. His fastball gets swings and misses, but he still needs more consistency from his secondary pitches.
Cedric De Grandpre turned in a big strikeout total, fanning 162 in 129.2 innings as a starter. His fastball, curveball and sweeper all drew above-average whiff rates, though command and control remain the hurdle. If that sharpens up, he could eventually fit into a depth bullpen role during 2027.
Blake Burkhalter is another reliever worth watching. A back injury cost him the first few months of 2026, but he was excellent once healthy, putting up a 1.98 ERA in 41 innings with 50 strikeouts and 14 walks. He also made his major league debut in September and could push for a bullpen job in spring training.
If you want the biggest upside swing in the system, it’s Kaiden McCarthy. Atlanta loaded up on high school talent in this year’s draft, and McCarthy stands out from the group.
The 6-foot right-hander showed a premium fastball-breaking ball mix in the bridge league. He’s a long-term project, but he might have the highest ceiling of any pitcher in the system.
The free-agent list will also shape what Atlanta does next. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies are both listed with club options, while Ha-Seong Kim, Mauricio Dubón, Lane Thomas, Dominic Smith, Tyler Mahle, Martín Pérez, Raisel Iglesias and Brent Suter are all pending free agents.
Shortstop is the clearest roster need. Dubón and Kim are both set to hit free agency, and the Braves don’t have an obvious internal answer ready to step in. The market isn’t exactly overflowing, either, and the upper levels of the farm system don’t offer much help at the position.
Pitching depth is right behind it. Strider has thrown just 173.1 innings since the start of 2024, Schwellenbach’s status for 2027 is still unclear, and Sale will turn 38 in March.
Atlanta has also recently brought up AJ Smith-Shawver, J.R. Ritchie and Didier Fuentes, so the next step is figuring out where they fit and how much trust the club has in them.
That will help determine how aggressively the Braves need to shop for rotation and bullpen help.
For now, the projected 2027 lineup still looks loaded in a lot of places: Sean Murphy at catcher, Matt Olson at first, Albies at second, Austin Riley at third, Mike Yastrzemski in left, Michael Harris II in center, Ronald Acuña Jr. in right and Drake Baldwin at designated hitter. The only empty chair is at shortstop, and that’s the spot Atlanta has to solve first.
In Other News...
Braves Just Made A Desperate Lineup Bet In A Must Win Game
With their season hanging over every pitch, the Braves unveiled a playoff lineup that signals both urgency and a willingness to mix things up. Michael Harris II is at the top, Ronald Acua Jr. is back in right field, and Atlanta is clearly trying to squeeze as much energy as possible out of a game that carries the weight of a must-win night.
The Dodgers answered with their own tweaks, putting Mookie Betts in the leadoff spot and sliding Shohei Ohtani into cleanup, a reminder of just how dangerous the other dugout can be when October chess pieces start moving around. The broadcast will have a different voice as well, with Brandon Gaudin filling in for Joe Davis, but for Atlanta the louder storyline is whether these lineup choices can give them enough edge to stay alive. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Season Ended With The Breakdown Fans Feared Most
The Braves postseason ended in the kind of flat, frustrating fashion that always feels worse because it was familiar. In Game 4 of the NLDS, the Dodgers beat Atlanta 4-1 and sent the Braves home, with Michael Harris II providing the lone notable spark on offense while the rest of the lineup never quite found a rhythm.
Los Angeles did plenty of its damage by taking advantage of defensive mistakes and coming through with timely hits, the sort of efficiency Atlanta could not match on a night when the margin for error disappeared quickly. The Dodgers move on to the NLCS, while the Braves are left with the lingering feeling that the breakdown fans had been bracing for arrived at exactly the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]
Freddie Freeman Just Reopened An Uncomfortable Debate For Braves Fans
Freddie Freemans return to Atlanta brought the kind of reminder Braves fans expected and probably did not want. In Game 3, the former Braves first baseman went deep in the fourth inning to help the Dodgers move ahead in the series, and the home crowd met him with boos. Freeman, who spent 12 years in Atlanta before leaving for Los Angeles, said afterward he was unfazed by the reaction and still appreciative of his old team.
For Braves fans, the moment reopened a familiar debate about how to process one of the franchises modern icons wearing a different uniform in October. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the crowds response, but also pointed to the respect that remains for Freeman, even in a building where emotions clearly have not faded. It was the sort of postseason scene that leaves the baseball part of the story settled for the night, while the personal part hangs around a little longer. [Read more 🡒]