The Atlanta Braves made a move that raised some eyebrows this week, trading Nick Allen for Mauricio Dubón-a deal that, on paper, doesn’t exactly scream “perfect fit,” but speaks to a front office looking for ways to bolster its roster heading into 2026.
Let’s be clear: Dubón is a solid player. He’s versatile, brings playoff experience, and has shown he can contribute in multiple roles.
But the question isn’t whether he’s better than Allen. It’s whether he fills the specific gaps the Braves are trying to address this winter.
And that’s where things get a little murky.
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos acknowledged as much when speaking with reporters. He didn’t sugarcoat the fact that Dubón isn’t a seamless addition. But he also made it clear that shortstop was one of the few realistic areas where the Braves could try to add a bat.
“There’s some things we’ve explored in terms of bats,” Anthopoulos said. “It’s not the cleanest of fits, because we have some commitments to guys we like. But if you want to add a bat, the one area where you could do so is clearly at shortstop.”
That’s a telling quote. The Braves aren’t just looking to make moves-they’re looking to make impact moves.
And shortstop, despite being a tough spot to upgrade, is one of the few places on the roster where that kind of addition might be possible. Still, Anthopoulos admitted that even this move comes with some positional awkwardness.
“It’s kind of the same thing with everything you do,” he continued. “You want it to be an impact addition, right?
It’s harder to find that at the shortstop position. There’s some guys at other spots, but like I said, it’s not the cleanest fit for us.
That doesn’t mean we’re not brainstorming and trying to find a way, if there is a fit.”
That’s the balance the Braves are trying to strike: staying aggressive in the market without compromising the roster’s overall structure. They’ve got players they believe in, and they’re not looking to make changes just for the sake of it. But they also know the National League isn’t getting any easier, and standing pat isn’t an option.
There’s also been some chatter around the possibility of reuniting with Ha-Seong Kim, but that path comes with its own complications. Kim is expected to draw solid interest on the open market, and with Scott Boras representing him, you can bet he’ll be looking to maximize his value. That’s not a knock-Boras does what he does-but it does mean the Braves would have to be ready to spend if they want to go down that road.
For now, the addition of Dubón gives Atlanta a bit more flexibility, even if it doesn’t fully answer the shortstop question. He’s a capable defender, can move around the diamond, and brings a contact-oriented bat to a lineup that already has plenty of power. But if the Braves are serious about contending for another World Series, this probably isn’t the final piece of the puzzle.
There’s still time this offseason, and Anthopoulos made it clear the front office is far from done exploring. But if Dubón is the Opening Day shortstop in 2026, it’s fair to say that won’t be the outcome many Braves fans were envisioning when the winter began.