The Braves enter the offseason with a left-field problem hanging over their lineup, and one proposed fix would bring in one of the market’s most intriguing bats.
Atlanta won the NL East last season and came close to 100 victories, but the year was also defined early by injuries and a suspension that helped shape the roster picture. Jurickson Profar, signed two offseasons ago, never gave the Braves the return they needed. The impact has been especially harsh, with Profar having missed 243 games because of suspensions, including a year-long ban in 2026.
“Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time in the last year, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Profar, 33, is the sixth player to receive a 162-game ban for PED use since Major League Baseball increased the penalty for two-time offenders to a full season in 2014. He will forfeit the entirety of his $15 million salary," ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote.
With that situation unresolved, left field becomes one of Atlanta’s biggest offseason questions. As Harrison Smajovits noted, the Braves have lineup uncertainty to sort through after the bats went quiet in October. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Michael Harris II are locked in as everyday outfielders, but left field was handled as a rotating spot, with matchups and the club’s needs at shortstop affecting who got the nod.
That’s why Sports Talk ATL’s Chase Irle thinks Atlanta should go after Seiya Suzuki.
“He’s done nothing but mash since coming over from Japan, posting an .823 OPS across five seasons with the Chicago Cubs - and like Arozarena, he’s coming off a career-best campaign,” Irle wrote.
Suzuki would bring a major upgrade to the Braves’ lineup. He is coming off the best season of his career, with his power bat showing up in a big way, and he also finished as a Gold Glove Award finalist.
For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: a needed left-field answer who can hit and defend. Put Suzuki alongside Acuña, and the Braves would have two outfielders with some of the strongest arms in baseball.
In Other News...
Braves Just Got A New Reason To Watch San Diego Closely
Michael Kings decision to opt out of the final two years of his deal with San Diego has created an immediate bit of offseason intrigue for clubs in need of rotation help, and the Braves fit that description. After a strong 2026 season and a postseason run that only added to his value, King suddenly looks like the kind of starting pitcher who can draw plenty of attention if he reaches the market.
For Atlanta, the next few days matter because San Diego still has a window to keep him from getting there. The Padres hold exclusive negotiating rights through Nov. 2, so the situation is far from settled, but the possibility of King becoming available gives the Braves another name to monitor as they look for pitching upgrades. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Prospect Is Finally Showing Why This Lost Season Was Worth Watching
Owen Careys fall has started to look like the kind of run the Braves were hoping to see when they sent one of their top prospects to the Arizona Fall League. After getting promoted to Double-A Columbus during the season, Carey is using the extra at-bats to sharpen his game and make up for time lost while he worked back from a heel issue that interrupted his year. The early results were uneven, but the bigger takeaway for Atlanta is that he is beginning to look more comfortable at the plate and more willing to let the game come to him.
Careys adjustment has centered on a quieter, more selective approach, with less chasing and more consistent contact as he tries to reestablish the rhythm that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place. For a Braves system that has had to live with the frustration of a lost season, this is the sort of development that still matters: not a finished product, but a young hitter showing why the organization wanted him in the pipeline to begin with, and why these fall assignments can still carry real value. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Still Have One Rotation Need Sonny Gray Could Solve
The Braves are still sorting out their pitching picture for next season, and the market has already offered a familiar name who could help. Sonny Gray is now available after his mutual option was declined, leaving one of the more proven starters on the board as teams around the National League weigh how to shore up their rotations.
Atlanta is among the clubs that make sense for Gray, alongside the Cubs and Padres, because each has reasons to keep looking for stability on the mound. For the Braves, the appeal is obvious enough: a rotation need remains, and a veteran arm like Gray fits the kind of move that could help close the gap without forcing a complete overhaul. No deal is in place yet, though, so this one stays in the category of fit rather than finished business. [Read more 🡒]