The Braves have already dipped into the offseason with one move, bringing in right-handed reliever Evan Phillips. But the shortstop question is still hanging out there, and if Mauricio Dubon’s return is uncertain, Atlanta may have to lean on the trade market to patch the hole.
That’s why Gunnar Henderson keeps popping up in the conversation. The Orioles may be willing to move the shortstop this offseason, and the Braves have been mentioned as a possible fit for the Alabama native.
On paper, it makes sense. In practice, it’s a tougher sell.
Henderson would give Atlanta a shortstop answer, but probably not a long-term one. His 2026 season was a step back, as he hit .225/.309/.403 with 27 doubles, 24 homers, 59 RBI and a .712 OPS.
That marked a dip from his breakout 2024 production, and the source of that drop may not be hard to trace. He dealt with a shoulder issue in 2025 and a wrist issue for most of 2026.
He still managed to stay on the field for most of those two seasons, but that doesn’t erase the concern. His range at shortstop has never been a calling card, though he did improve in 2026 and finished with a 1 OAA.
What he lacks in range, he makes up for with strong arm strength. Even so, the fit comes with real risk, especially for a Braves team that has dealt with injuries for years and would rather not add another player with that kind of medical baggage.
There is some counterweight to that concern. Fans had similar worries about Chris Sale, and that hasn’t turned into a problem. Still, Henderson would be a gamble Atlanta would have to weigh carefully.
The contract situation adds another layer. Henderson is arbitration-eligible for the next two seasons, and he avoided arbitration in 2026 by signing for $8.5 million. A raise is coming, and Atlanta likely wouldn’t be in position to extend him.
That’s where the appeal and the drawback meet. The Braves do have talent coming behind him, but a trade for Henderson would almost certainly mean sending some of that talent out the door. So while he could stabilize shortstop for now, it would be a temporary fix until someone like Alex Lodise or Tate Southisene is ready to take over.
In Other News...
Braves Add A Familiar Name With One Big Question Attached
The Braves have added a familiar name to the conversation at Gwinnett, bringing in Freeman as a possible depth piece who can move around the diamond and give the organization some flexibility. Over five major league seasons, he has shown enough athletic traits to keep getting looks, including speed, arm strength and a bat that can put the ball in play, even if the overall production has not yet matched the tools.
For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious enough at the margins: a backup option who can cover multiple spots and help fill out a roster when injuries or matchups start to pile up. The question is whether Freeman can turn those scattered flashes into something more dependable, especially with the defensive challenges that have followed him and the lack of strong performance metrics to point to so far. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Bullpen Plan May Not Be Over After Evan Phillips Deal
The Braves have already made one notable bullpen move by signing Evan Phillips to a three-year contract, but the work in the late innings may not be finished. According to reporter Francys Romero, Atlanta is also showing interest in bringing back closer Raisel Iglesias, a familiar arm who remains one of the more established ninth-inning options on the market.
Iglesias drew interest from multiple teams, including the Braves and Detroit Tigers, after a strong 2026 season in which he posted a 2.55 ERA and saved 34 games. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: adding Phillips and potentially keeping Iglesias would give the club a deep, proven bullpen core with Robert Suarez in the mix, and it suggests the front office is still weighing how aggressive it wants to be in fortifying the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Fans Have A New MVP Ballot Debate On Their Hands
The latest MVP voting brought a little extra intrigue for Braves fans, even with Pete Crow-Armstrong taking home the award for the season. Atlanta had its share of representation on the ballot, with Chris Sale, Matt Olson, Michael Harris II and, more surprisingly, Ozzie Albies all drawing votes in the National League race. For a club that spent much of the year sorting through its own highs and lows, seeing that many names surface in the conversation says something about how much talent was on the roster.
The real debate, though, has centered on Albies, whose placement from Rick Cerrone of Baseball Digest has already stirred pushback. Cerrone ranked Albies sixth in the NL MVP voting, a choice that has become the kind of outlier fans tend to circle immediately when ballots are published. It is the sort of wrinkle that does not change the final award, but it does give Braves supporters one more reason to argue over how the season should be remembered. [Read more 🡒]