ATLANTA -- The Braves are heading into an offseason that feels bigger than the calendar says it should. Five years removed from a World Series title, and five years removed from their last trip past the National League Division Series, the club is staring at a roster that still has talent but also plenty of decisions.
And with Ronald Acuña Jr. under control for just two more seasons, the question hanging over everything is simple: how much time is left on what once looked like a run built to last?
The biggest issue may be right in the rotation. Chris Sale, Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes would project as the top three starters if 2027 began today, with JR Ritchie, AJ Smith-Shawver and Owen Murphy in the mix behind them. Didier Fuentes belongs in that conversation, too, though his case comes with a tricky wrinkle.
Fuentes, 21, logged 80 1/3 innings this year, playoffs included, and did it while thriving as a reliever. The longer-term view is that he fits best as a starter, which makes this winter the right time to begin stretching out his workload.
The problem is that even if he ends up making 20-plus starts, and even if Smith-Shawver or Ritchie takes a step forward, the Braves still look short. That’s why the idea of adding two proven starters keeps coming up.
Tyler Mahle is one name to watch, and a reunion would make sense if both sides want it. But he’ll have plenty of competition after the splitter improvement and cutter reduction fueled a strong stretch run. Even with the possibility that Spencer Strider or Spencer Schwellenbach could help in some way, maybe even from the bullpen, neither can be treated like a dependable rotation answer because of their right elbow injuries.
Elsewhere, the Braves have a more delicate call to make with Jurickson Profar. He’s owed $5 million in the final season of a three-year deal that has already been marred by two performance-enhancing drug suspensions, including the 162-game ban handed down in March. That suspension wiped out the left fielder/designated hitter the Braves expected to give them a switch-hitting bat in the middle of the order.
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said he’ll have internal conversations about Profar’s future, and the talks he has with teammates affected by the suspensions over the past two years figure to matter. Even setting the character issue aside, there’s the baseball question: what can the Braves really expect from Profar at the plate after he missed the entire season? Not surprisingly, fans are already pushing for Randy Arozarena as a possible target if Profar is out.
Then there’s Acuña, who still has the ability to look like one of the best players in the sport. He closed the regular season with seven homers and a .997 OPS over his final 26 games, a stretch that reminded everyone what he can still do. But the postseason again turned rough, and this time there was a physical explanation in the mix, too.
Acuña dealt with right knee discomfort in the playoffs, along with two left hamstring strains this season. He’s also continuing to work his way farther away from two ACL tears, which makes the health question impossible to ignore.
If he can get beyond the leg issues, there’s at least a path to two more productive seasons in Atlanta. But that might require significant time at designated hitter, a role Drake Baldwin has to handle whenever he’s not catching.
The coaching staff doesn’t sound like a likely area for sweeping change. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner delivered in his first season in Atlanta, while hitting coach Tim Hyers had to manage an offense that was already streaky and maddening before he arrived. The Braves were one of the two best offenses in baseball through the end of May, then one of the five least productive over the final four months.
Injuries to Baldwin and Acuña played a role in that collapse, but Austin Riley also carried part of the burden during what has become his third straight rough season.
When Anthopoulos met with the media on Sunday morning, he did not sound like someone expecting major changes.
That leaves one final question: which free agents are most likely to come back next year?
In Other News...
Braves Fans Still Have Every Right To Debate Chris Sale Decision
The argument over Chris Sales October usage has lingered because it touched two of the biggest issues any manager faces in the postseason: winning the game in front of him and preserving a frontline starter for what might come next. Walt Weiss had Sale available in a high-leverage spot against the Phillies, and some Braves fans have never forgiven the choice, while others point out the left-hander was prepared for the situation and the moment demanded it.
What keeps the debate alive is the contrast between the games themselves. Atlanta managed to win Game 2 without Sale, then dropped Game 3 with him in the mix, which only sharpened the hindsight scrutiny. Add in the broader playoff conversation around pitcher usage, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto part of the comparison, and it is easy to see why this one still has Braves fans split on whether the call was aggressive, necessary, or simply too costly. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Face One Offseason Decision That Could Shape Two Key Spots
Atlantas offseason list already looks crowded, but shortstop stands out as the spot that could ripple across the rest of the roster. The Braves are still living with the fallout from Dansby Swansons departure, and ESPNs David Schoenfield points to a few decisions that will help determine how well the club can keep pace with top-tier competition such as the Dodgers.
Mauricio Dubon and Tyler Mahle are among the names Schoenfield flags as important re-signing candidates, adding another layer to the Braves winter planning. There is also the matter of Didier Fuentes, whose next role could affect more than one spot on the pitching staff, leaving Atlanta with a familiar offseason task: sorting out enough moving parts to stay sharp where it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Prospect Tate Southisene Is Finally Back But One Problem Remains
The Glendale Desert Dogs are still searching for traction in the Arizona Fall League, where a 5-4 loss to the Surprise Saguaros dropped them to 1-6. For Atlanta followers, the notable development was Tate Southisene finally getting back on the field after missing time with a hand and wrist injury, even if his night was a quiet one at the plate as he finished 0-for-2 with a walk.
Isaiah Drake offered one of the brighter spots with an RBI single in a 1-for-4 effort, and the bullpen pieced together innings from Owen Hackman, Logan Samuels and Tanner Bauman. The back end of the game still slipped away, though, and for a club already short on momentum, the larger concern now is how quickly Southisene can shake off the rust and settle back in. [Read more 🡒]