The Brewers just showed the league how far a lineup can go without living and dying by the long ball. Milwaukee reached the 2026 playoffs with the second-fewest home runs in baseball during the regular season, then turned around and powered its way through October with an offense built on getting on base, drawing walks, hitting for average and running the bases. They finished second in the league in runs, led baseball in walk-rate, batting average and OBP, and ranked fifth in stolen bases.
That style stands in sharp contrast to the 2026 Braves, who had no trouble going deep but ran into plenty of trouble reaching base. So as Atlanta heads into 2027, the question becomes simple: who can help nudge this roster a little closer to the formula that carried Milwaukee to the top?
Jake Bauers is the cleanest bridge between those two worlds. He was the NLCS MVP for the Brewers in 2026, and while he mostly handled first base, that spot is already spoken for in Atlanta by Matt Olson. Still, Bauers has plenty of outfield experience, including 286 innings there in 2026, which gives him some flexibility if the Braves want to find a fit.
The offensive profile is what makes him stand out. Bauers led National League first basemen in wRC+, finishing 43 points above league average.
He also hit 26 home runs, but the real separator was his 16.3% walk-rate, exactly the kind of skill the Braves have been missing. The Athletic projects him for four years and $56 million, and if he’s willing to split time between the outfield and DH, he could help an on-base-starved lineup without creating too much of a defensive problem.
Seiya Suzuki brings a different kind of value, but the same basic idea. The Brewers’ postseason run was fueled by relentless at-bats and pressure on opposing pitchers, and Suzuki fits that mold. In 2026, he saw the sixth-most pitches per plate appearance and posted a .270/.368/.473 line with a 131 OPS+.
He may be more expensive than Atlanta wants to get involved with, though. Suzuki is expected to land $120 million over five years this offseason. Even so, he would give the Braves a level of reliability in left field they have not had since Chipper Jones moved to the outfield in the early 2000s.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the wild card in the group. Ozzie Albies has owned second base for the Braves since 2017, so Chisholm would not be the obvious fit on paper. But his skill set lines up neatly with what Milwaukee just used to overwhelm teams.
Chisholm had a rough year with the Yankees, finishing with a 98 wRC+, but he still ended the season third in steals and posted a 10.5% walk-rate. Among Braves hitters with at least 100 plate appearances, that walk rate would trail only Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim. Atlanta finished fourth-worst in walk-rate and eighth-worst in stolen bases, so Chisholm would help in both areas right away.
His contract situation could get messy, since the soon-to-be 29-year-old is likely aiming for a big payday. But the production suggests a shorter term and a more team-friendly number might make sense. If his market comes in lighter than expected, and if he’s open to playing multiple positions in 2027 after saying in the past that he loves playing at Truist Park, the Braves could decide it’s worth kicking the tires.
In Other News...
Braves Face A Tough 40-Man Squeeze With Intriguing Prospects At Risk
The Braves are staring at one of those early-winter roster decisions that can shape the next few seasons as much as the next few weeks. With the Rule 5 Draft approaching, Atlanta has several minor leaguers who are eligible to be taken by other clubs unless they are protected on the 40-man roster by mid-November, which puts added pressure on a front office already trying to balance immediate depth with long-term upside.
Among the names in that mix are David McCabe, Davis Polo and Drue Hackenberg, a group that gives the decision some real bite because these are the kinds of prospects teams do not want to lose for nothing. There is also a wrinkle hanging over the whole process, though, because the draft itself may not even happen this winter if MLBs expected lockout leads to another cancellation, leaving the Braves to manage a squeeze that could end up looking very different once the calendar turns. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Rotation Search Could Lead Anthopoulos Back To A Familiar Bet
Alex Anthopoulos has never been shy about betting on a pitcher he thinks can help the Braves on a short-term deal, and this offseason could present another familiar kind of gamble. With Atlanta still looking at ways to reinforce a rotation that has been tested by injuries and inconsistency, the profile of a left-hander like Kris Bubic fits the general managers usual lane: a one-year contract, some upside, and a chance for both sides to reset the market later.
Bubics appeal is rooted in the same mix that makes him tricky to project. He is coming off injuries and a recent stretch of uneven results, but he also has the kind of rsum that can make a pitcher attractive to a club willing to trust its development staff and its own pitching infrastructure. Nothing is finalized, and no negotiations have been reported, but the Braves have shown before that they are willing to take a calculated swing on a starter who needs to rebuild value. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Bring Back A Familiar Name With Big Draft Stakes
The Braves are bringing back a familiar front-office voice as they strengthen their draft and scouting operation. Dana Brown is returning to Atlanta as a Senior Advisor in Amateur Scouting, adding a seasoned evaluator to a department that has long been central to the clubs roster-building approach. Brown previously spent time with the Braves before moving on to Houston, where he eventually became general manager.
His path back to Atlanta comes after his stint with the Astros ended in August 2026, when the two sides mutually parted ways. For the Braves, the move restores a name with deep scouting experience to a role that can matter a great deal when draft season arrives and every decision in the amateur market carries extra weight. [Read more 🡒]