When the Braves brought in Mauricio Dubon last offseason, the idea was simple enough: add a reliable super-utility piece, a safety net for all the inevitable injuries that have hit Atlanta in recent years. That part made sense then. What Dubon has done since has made him a whole lot more valuable than just a backup plan.
He was a major answer when Ha-Seong Kim went down not long after joining the club. Dubon gave Atlanta steady defense at shortstop and, during the Braves’ scorching start, he was one of the better bats in the lineup too.
His offense cooled after that, and the Braves eventually started spreading shortstop time around to Kim and others. For a while, that looked like the end of Dubon’s run there.
It may be time to rethink that.
Dubon’s bat has picked up again lately, and while the extra pop he flashed earlier in the year has not really carried over, the overall production has been enough to matter. Over his last 17 games, he is slashing .328/.354/.377. Put that together with the glove, and he has been more than serviceable in 2026.
That matters because Atlanta’s shortstop picture beyond right now is shaky. Kim looks like a bust, Jim Jarvis faded after a hot opening stretch, and the prospects who might eventually help are still at least a year away, if not longer.
The free-agent market does not offer much relief either. If the Braves want help at short in the near term, they are either looking at Dubon or a pretty creative trade-market swing before the upcoming work stoppage complicates things.
That is why keeping Dubon around feels like the cleanest answer. Even if he lands a multi-year deal, he should not break the bank, and at the very least he can handle the position defensively. If Atlanta finds a better long-term option later - through a prospect, a trade, or a signing - Dubon can always slide back into the super-utility role that brought him to the Braves in the first place.
He is not the dream answer for 2027. Bobby Witt Jr. is not walking through that door, no matter how many deities you appeal to.
But the Braves do not need a fantasy fix. They need the best real one available, and right now that starts with keeping Mauricio Dubon.
In Other News...
Craig Kimbrel's Latest Moment Is Tough For Braves Fans To Watch
Craig Kimbrels place in Braves history is already secure. Before being traded to the Padres ahead of the 2015 season, he was one of the most dominant closers the franchise has ever had, piling up a 1.43 ERA and 186 saves in Atlanta and becoming the late-inning arm fans came to expect whenever a lead needed protecting. Since then, though, his career has turned into a winding tour through baseball, with injuries and uneven performance sending him to 11 teams and keeping him on short-term deals more often than not.
Kimbrels latest milestone came in August 2026, when he earned his first save since July 2024 for the Royals and moved into fifth on the all-time saves list. For Braves fans, it is the kind of development that stirs up two feelings at once: appreciation for what he once meant in Atlanta, and a reminder of how far his journey has carried him from those days. It also leaves open the same question that has shadowed his recent stops, because every small bright spot comes with the sense that the next one may not be far behind. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Add Pitching Depth With One Big October Question
The Braves added a little more bullpen insurance by claiming Ricky Vanasco off waivers from the Tigers and sending him to Triple-A Gwinnett. It is the kind of low-risk move teams often make this time of year, especially when they are trying to keep as many arms available as possible for the stretch run and whatever comes next.
Vanasco arrives with some big-league experience from his time with the Dodgers, but he also comes with the kind of recent track record that explains why he was available. Detroit designated him for assignment after a rough five-appearance stint in the majors this season, and injuries have been part of his career path as well, leaving Atlanta with another depth option and one more October question still hanging in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Could Lock In Two Veterans For Crucial Roster Stability
The Braves have long liked getting ahead of the market with early extensions, and that approach could make sense again as they try to shore up the roster beyond this season. Two names that fit the pattern are Mauricio Dubon and Tyler Mahle, both of whom have given Atlanta useful, if different, kinds of stability. Dubon has shown the kind of versatility that lets a club cover multiple spots without losing much in the way of reliability, while Mahle has looked better since arriving in Atlanta and has started to reestablish himself as a pitcher worth keeping around.
From the Braves perspective, the appeal is obvious: the farm system has promising arms and bats, but not enough ready-made answers to fill every important hole right now. That leaves a window for a pair of veterans to become more than short-term fixes if the sides can find common ground before free agency arrives. The question is whether the Braves decide to move early again, and whether Dubon and Mahle are willing to buy into that kind of longer-term fit. [Read more 🡒]