The Braves are still in the middle of a postseason push, so the offseason talk can wait a bit. Still, MLB Trade Rumors has already rolled out its 2027 arbitration estimates, and that gives us a useful early look at which Atlanta players might be in line for raises - and which ones could be vulnerable to a non-tender.
Bryce Elder and Dylan Lee sit at the center of that discussion. Both come with real questions attached, and both could technically be cut loose.
Lee, though, has a strong enough track record that Atlanta may not spend much time debating a $4.2 million salary. He was lights-out for much of the first half, but after July 2 and through the end of the regular season, he put up a 5.90 ERA.
Even so, the Braves are thin on left-handed relief, and Lee still owns a 2.89 ERA across 269 relief appearances with the club.
Elder’s case is trickier. He bounced back with a 4.11 ERA in 26 starts, and there’s a real argument that Atlanta wouldn’t be where it is without him.
At $4 million, a starting pitcher of any kind is hardly an extravagant spend, even if he’s only functioning as an innings eater. The bigger question is whether he fits on the Opening Day roster next season.
That decision will probably hinge on the health of the Braves’ injured starters and how ready some of their prospect arms look. Elder feels likely to stick around in 2027, but nothing about it is locked in.
Beyond those two, the rest of the group doesn’t appear likely to shape the Braves’ 2027 plans in any major way, no matter how the non-tender decisions shake out.
Luke Williams has been with the organization for several years and brings speed plus defensive versatility. At $900,000, he looks like a reasonable candidate to keep around as depth.
James Karinchak also made a brief impression, pitching in nine games for Atlanta and posting a 1.86 ERA. That line makes him look like a solid $1.1 million option on paper, even if the Braves’ limited usage made it pretty clear they never fully bought in.
In Other News...
Braves Fans Have Every Reason To Mock What Dodgers Crowd Did
Game 2 of the NLDS had the kind of tense, one-run feel that usually keeps a crowd planted in its seats, but a lot of Dodgers fans headed for the exits before the finish. Atlantas bullpen did its job in support of a narrow lead, and the game stayed close enough that every pitch carried real weight. For Braves fans watching from home, it was the sort of scene that invites a little side-eye.
Atlanta crowds have long had a reputation for sticking with their team through uncomfortable October moments, so seeing the home sides opponent clear out early only sharpened the contrast. It was a reminder that playoff baseball can turn quickly, and that the final innings often say as much about a crowd as they do about the score. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Changed The Feel Of This Dodgers Series
A tense October night in Los Angeles ended with the Braves getting exactly what they needed, a 3-2 win over the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS to even the series at one game apiece. Atlanta got timely offense from Mauricio Dubn, who delivered an RBI infield single, and Michael Harris II, who came through with both a triple and a double as the Braves kept finding just enough against a Dodgers team that had controlled the tone early in the matchup.
Raisel Iglesias closed it out to give Atlanta a much-needed split before the series shifts to Truist Park for Game 3, where the atmosphere figures to tilt sharply in the Braves' favor. After dropping the opener, Atlanta avoided heading home in a hole and instead turns the series into a best-of-three with momentum suddenly back in its corner. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Sent The Dodgers A Message With This NLDS Response
The Braves answered their Game 1 setback the way October teams have to, with a narrow win that changed the feel of the series in a hurry. Atlantas 3-2 victory over the Dodgers in Game 2 evened the National League Division Series, and it came with Michael Harris II setting the tone at the plate with three hits while the lineup did just enough to support a staff effort.
Atlanta pieced the rest together on the mound, using six pitchers to hold Los Angeles to two runs. Ray Kerr handled important work in the middle, and rookie Didier Fuentes also logged significant innings, giving the Braves a needed bridge through a game that stayed tight throughout. After the way the series opened, this was the kind of response that reminded everyone Atlanta is not going quietly. [Read more 🡒]