A barrage of pitching injuries and some underwhelming offensive performances resulted in Atlanta's first losing record and non-playoff season since 2017. The Braves can't rely just on better health to improve next year, as the club will at least explore upgrades at multiple roster spots.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Austin Riley, 3B: $155MM through 2029 ($20MM club option for 2030)
- Matt Olson, 1B: $88MM through 2029 ($20MM club option for 2030)
- Spencer Strider, SP: $69MM through 2028 (includes $5MM buyout of $22MM club option for 2029)
- Michael Harris II, OF: $54MM through 2030 (includes $5MM buyout of $15MM club option for 2031; Braves also have $20MM club option for 2032 with $5MM buyout)
- Sean Murphy, C: $45MM through 2028 ($15MM club option for 2029)
- Jurickson Profar, OF: $30MM through 2027
- Ronald Acuna Jr., OF: $27MM through 2026 (includes $10MM buyout of $17MM club option for 2027; Braves hold $17MM club option for 2028)
- Reynaldo Lopez, SP: $22MM through 2027
- Aaron Bummer, RP: $9.5MM through 2026
- Joe Jimenez, RP: $9MM through 2026
Option Decisions
- Chris Sale, SP: $18MM club option for 2026
- Ha-Seong Kim, SS: $16MM player option for 2026
- Ozzie Albies, 2B: $7MM club option for 2026 ($4MM buyout); Braves also hold $7MM club option for 2027
- Pierce Johnson, RP: $7MM club option for 2026 ($250K buyout)
- Tyler Kinley, RP: $5MM club option for 2026 ($750K buyout)
2026 financial commitments (if all options are exercised): $204.5MM
Total long-term financial commitments (if all options are exercised) = $561.5MM
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Jake Fraley (5.097): $3.6MM
- Joel Payamps (4.117): $3.4MM
- Jose Suarez (4.064): $1.5MM
- Alek Manoah (4.063): $2.2MM
- Dylan Lee (3.150): $1.9MM
- Eli White (3.140): $1.2MM
- Vidal Brujan (3.014): $800K
- Joey Wentz (2.166): $1.1MM
- Nick Allen (2.164): $1.5MM
- Non-tender candidates: Suarez, Fraley, Payamps, Manoah, Brujan, Wentz
Free Agents
- Marcell Ozuna, Raisel Iglesias, Carlos Carrasco, Charlie Morton, Sandy Leon, Jarred Kelenic, Alexis Diaz, Dane Dunning, Luke Williams
At the time of this post's publication, the Braves still haven't settled on a new manager. The team's hope was that Brian Snitker would return for an 11th season as manager, but Snitker will instead move into an advisory role for his 50th season in the organization. Snitker's decade in the manager's chair included six NL East titles and the 2021 World Series championship, but this outstanding run ended on the down note of a 76-86 record in 2025.
It is hard to imagine any manager could've shepherded this year's Braves team to glory given how nearly the entire rotation was lost to the injured list. Even with their season slipping away due to an 8-17 record in July, the Braves were one of the more active buyers (to some extent) leading up to the trade deadline just because the team was in such need of short-term rotation help.
Bryce Elder (and his 5.30 ERA) led all Atlanta pitchers with 156 1/3 innings, with Chris Sale finishing in second with only 125 2/3 frames. Sale missed over two months due to a ribcage fracture, but naturally his club option is still a lock to be exercised. Spencer Strider's recovery from internal brace surgery and a hamstring strain limited him to 125 1/3 innings, and he understandably didn't look nearly as dominant as he did in his All-Star 2023 season. Reynaldo Lopez made just one start before arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder ended up sidelining him for the rest of the season. Spencer Schwellenbach (fractured elbow) and AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) were each pitching well before their seasons were ended in June. Grant Holmes' season was ended by a partially torn UCL in late July, and his status remains a question mark since Holmes is trying to rehab the injury without surgery.
Assuming no more offseason health woes, Sale, Strider, and Schwellenbach have places assured in Atlanta's rotation. Former top prospect Hurston Waldrep pitched well in his first extended taste of MLB action and put himself in line for a starting job in 2026. Holmes and Lopez are both tentatively penciled into the rotation for now, with the caveats of Holmes' health and the possibility that Lopez could be transitioned back into a bullpen role. Back in September, Anthopoulos stressed that the club still views Lopez as a starter, "but what if we have a bunch of starter trades that present themselves and so on? It would be a great problem to have."
Needless to say, the Braves are planning to bring at least one new addition into the starting mix. The fact that Anthopoulos mentioned trading for a starter first and foremost might hint at his preferred plan, which makes sense given how Anthopoulos has traditionally shied away from big-ticket free agent signings during his front office career. Anthopoulos has swung several creative trades over the years, and as we'll explore later, some players on the current big league roster could be trade chips just as easily as members of the Atlanta farm system.
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Typo on Riley’s contract, he’s signed through ‘32
This is already a great team. AA will always keep powder dry. The issues are 2b and ss and sp and closer which is a lot. For 3 m Brendan Donovan would give you a slow but high BA guy to play all OF and 2B to rest RAJ and Oz. Brett Wisely at ss until deadline. SP pray and make them do yoga. Spend money on RP!! That’s what he’ll do.
Then with the 45 million he’s going to do something none of us has dreamed of. B3cause he’s paid to do tgat. Maybe Devon Williams to start with. Raisel is way too much drama so good riddance.
Luis Castillo and J.P Crawford to Atlanta with Albies and whatever going to Seattle.
That would have to be a huge “whatever” since Castillo and Crawford are the two best players in the proposed trade.
Castillo’s contract is the issue. I don’t think anyone would give him $75 million over three years on the open market. Teams would look at his declining peripherals and factor in his home/road splits. Atlanta would be taking on an underwater contract to acquire Crawford.
The trade would help the Braves way more than it would help Seattle. Other teams aren’t sitting around thinking of how they can help the Braves.
Not true. Seattle needs $40 in payroll space more than they need Crawford and Castillo. This is a bigger picture move. Trying to win the trade isn’t going to move Seattle closer to their larger goal.
Seattle needs $70-75M in payroll space for this offseason?
They signing Tucker, Bichette, Naylor & Kelenic for old times sake?
That’d really knock the socks off Mariner fans!
With that estimate/trade proposal your ignorance is showing.
It’s obvious you don’t know what you think you know.
Albies for Castillo and Crawford?
There is a huge money difference you u have no prospect worth anything to send back.
Every team in baseball including the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees, could use $70-75 million in additional payroll space.
But let’s carry out a little scenario: Let’s say hypothetically the M’s did have $70-75 million to spend. And let’s say that Castillo and Crawford were free agents. With everything else being the same, would Seattle be looking to sign Castillo to a two year deal at $49 million with a vesting option that potentially locks in a 3rd year at $25 million?
The answer is no.
Would they like Crawford at one year for $12 or 13 million or whatever he is making? Of course! Several teams would.
But would they be willing to give him 4, 5, or even 6 years? No, because they have younger, cheaper options in house.
So, trading Crawford this winter in order to move Castillo’s contract is a reasonable move because they likely don’t plan to keep Crawford around beyond ’26 anyway.
It’s only 2yrs/$48.5M guaranteed. The 3rd year is a team option.
There isn’t much surplus value, but someone should happily take the contract as a stable source of solid innings.
Crawford is only making $12M next year as a 3 WAR SS. If he was a Free Agent right now, he would certainly clear whatever deal Kim gets, so far from an underwater deal. The Braves would have to give up a lot to pry Crawford away (and I just don’t see the M’s moving Crawford when they haven’t question marks at 1B, 2B and 3B already).
If the real move is Crawford, why do you want the declining underwater contract for only a 1 yr of Crawford?
Sounds like the real issue is the injury trouble the Braves suffered w/ the starters this year and you really think that declining underwater contract is more valuable than you are trying to make it out to be.
Castillo could be moved but they wont have to add anything to “sweeten the pot”
As you said, every team in baseball could use $70-75 million in additional payroll space. so we will see playoff teams ship out 2-3 starters in trades this offseason?
Not likely and even if they don’t plan to keep Crawford past ’26 why would they trade for Albies and whatever only to be replaced with unknown youngster(s)?
Seattle doesn’t need any payroll space. They just made a bundle off the playoffs and are one of the most profitable teams in MLB. Next year their attendance will go up. They have about $35M coming off the books. including $22M for players no longer on the team.
Don, as a Braves fan myself, I’d have to say I can’t see this deal for either side.
Seattle is the easiest “no” to this, in my opinion. I completely understand your point about the payroll space potentially being valuable to them, and it has some merit. If they deal Crawford, they could fill another need at the same cost and potentially get a prospect. Atlanta wouldn’t be the only bidder. Castillo also isn’t without his value. Seattle, if they were desperate to move him, could probably pick up a little of that contract and get a decent return.
From the Atlanta side, they’re not moving Albies. Anthopolous doesn’t give out no trade clauses in contracts, but it is almost an unspoken agreement that if a player signs a long term, team friendly deal, they won’t be traded. Even if you ignore that key point, you create a hole at 2B to fill a potential hole at SS; you’re just shuffling needs while spending budget. I also wouldn’t be in favor of trading a player that, it seems, Acuna Jr. enjoys playing alongside.
Since you seem interested in Crawford I could see Seattle trading JP Crawford and Victor Robles for Ronald Acuna, Jr. This would be a swap of injury prone RF’s and nearly equal salary swap. Seattle could use RH hitting and can replace Crawford at SS with Colt Emerson, Rivas or Young.
@Ball Four: Worst troll job in this comment section. I hope you’re trolling, because if you aren’t………..yikes.
Wow. Just…wow
I would like to see Kim resign before he becomes a free agent, let’s get it done. Looked to me he enjoyed playing with the Braves. I think we should keep Murphy, as he’s been playing hurt, plus the fact he’s one of the better defensive catchers in the game. Last year was a nightmare, starting pitchers were going down daily it seemed. I’m sure going to miss Snit, he was a good one.
Kim probably doesn’t resign with Atlanta, but I think it would be a mistake on his part. He won’t get a larger offer than the 16 million option at least for one year. Maybe he gets a 2 or 3 year deal but at a lower AAV say 24 million for 2 years. They should definitely keep Murphy. Probably would get fleeced on a trade now, if they wanted to move him. He has to rebuild his value. I think they need one or possibly two free agent starters or to trade for one or two. I will miss Snitker too, but it does seem a good time to move on.
Offseason outlook: we won’t spend money on FA and then feel sorry for ourselves when we finish in 4th place.
I’ll never not find the whole “Braves don’t spend money” argument hilarious. They’ve been above the luxury tax the last several years, a top 8(ish) payroll in baseball, just reset it in a lost season, and Braves fans complain like they’re the Pirates.
Could be worse for the Braves. They could have spent what the Mets did and still miss the playoffs. 2026 seems a good year to reset the management and tweak the roster. Maybe they can make a few good trades for a starting pitcher and a shortstop.
Dane Dunning doesn’t appear to be a free agent. He’s still arb-eligible: mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/rangers-trade-dane-dunn…
He became a free agent after he was outrighted off the roster.
mlbtraderumors.com/2025/10/braves-outright-jarred-…
Hopefully the Braves can resign Kim to a three year/15+ million per contract, but i suspect he can get more from another team equally as desperate for a starting SS. I have no clue what shortstops would be available in a trade.
I am sure any number of back of the rotation arms will be available for trade, i don’t think they’ve got the prospects to land a solid number 2 or 3. Hopefully Strider is closer to his old self next year and they’ll have better luck with arm injuries.
I would like to see them add a reliable 4th outfielder so they can rotate Profar, Acuna, and Baldwin at DH next year. No reason to pay someone to be an everyday DH.
One wild name for Braves shortstop in 2026 I have seen is Corey Seager, but I can’t wrap my head around the Braves having the prospects to entice Texas nor the desire to pay the rest of that contract. I could potentially see Javier Baez. He’s getting 24 million a year, but it’s only two more years, which might be ideal for the Braves. I just don’t know if I think his 2025 bounce back is worth ignoring the previous several years of being terrible.
The Braves are only getting Seager if the Rangers eat a lot of his contract. The Braves don’t have the money to pay that contract and don’t have the players they want to trade to get the Rangers to pay it down.
No i mean it’s definitely not going to happen. I just kept seeing bloggers and fans float it.
Did Kim decline his player option? Or am I missing something…
He can’t formally make a decision until after the World Series ends. Of course, he could announce his intention, as Cory Bellinger has done, but he hasn’t done so. I think everyone is expecting he will decline because he’s a Boras client. To me, it would make more sense for him to accept and treat 2026 as a pillow contract, and then have a better platform year for 2027.
They would probably have to go at least 3/60mil for Kim .
End of day, I just need them to be the Atlanta Braves! Decimated by injuries past 2 seasons, and there is too much talent on this team. Hope Ronald comes back hungry like he did in 23 and is that instant spark they were missing all year. Entire Rotation on the 60 IL, you ain’t winning a ton of games. I said it all year even at Truist, Hyers needs to go. With Snit retiring I fought that staff is remaining the same. Keep Kranitz and Perez, bring EY back for 1st or 3rd and fill in the rest. As Always Go Braves, Chop on!
All I know is if Nick Allen is the starting shortstop I will no longer watch the Braves.
Allen is 2026’s Raphael Belliard. I have no problem with him at SS if everyone else is healthy.
Comparing their career numbers, Allen’s actually been a bit better hitter than Belliard was. But Belliard played in an era when a lot of shortstops were poor hitters. That’s not the case anymore. You can certainly live with a good-glove shortstop who can hit a wRC+ in the 80s, but not 55, which is what Allen hit last year.
Nick Allen was the best defensive SS in baseball last season. If everyone else performs like they should, a team can get by with a player that has defense only. The Braves hope Kim comes back, but they arent getting Bichette. I have no problem going with Allen if the other two arent choices.
If the Braves could sign Cease, re-up Iglesias and add another quality reserve at OF and a UT guy, I’m perfectly fine with Allen at SS. As others have said, you can live with an offensive hole in the batting order, you just can’t have more than one.
Health is the biggest key for the Braves, though. It won’t be a huge talking point, but I want to see them be proactive on that front by giving guys more days off and examining the training staff practices.
I just don’t know which injuries I’m supposed to blame on the training staff. Schwelly’s fractured elbow? Sale cracking rib diving for a grounder in a blowout? Smith-Shawver and Holmes tearing their UCL? Murphy hiding an injury for 3 seasons? Ronnie tearing his ACL? Guys breaking their hands or wrists getting hit by pitches? I’m just not sure what anybody expects the training staff to do about any of that.
Sure, if you want to cite the freak accidents, they’re blameless. There have been some guys with soft tissue injuries though, which are extremely preventable. Can we also ask the question: was Ronald’s return from injury managed properly? Why was Ozuna even playing with the hip?
I know a training staff can’t prevent every injury, but I think it’s more than fair to ask some questions about the work they’re doing, given the rash of injuries for two straight seasons now.
Part of it is on Snitker. As a “player’s manager”, he’d put a guy in the lineup if the player said he could play, even if he had just been run over by a train. Few players will voluntarily take themselves out of a lineup if they aren’t in a hospital bed, because everyone remembers Wally Pipp. Managers and trainers have to be more discerning and be willing to put their foot down when necessary.
If soft tissue injuries were preventable, they wouldn’t happen to every team every year. What makes you believe Ronald’s injury was poorly managed? The training staff has zero authority over Ozuna playing. Pulled muscles didn’t ruin either season. I don’t have stats in front of me, but I’s be willing to bet the Braves haven’t had a disproportionately larger number of soft tissue injuries than any other team. People just need to be able to point the finger at someone when things go wrong.
I don’t believe in throwing people’s livelihood under the bus unless you have some proof of incompetence. Literally nobody from the team who actually knows what’s happened behind the scenes has questioned the training staff. Using the number of injuries as proof of incompetence barely qualifies as circumstantial. What if some outsider who has zero context or evidence started saying the same things about your job?
So what would be the point of claiming Manoah just to non-tender him before using him?
Low cost acquisition that allowed their coaches and trainers to work directly with him. If they think he is fixable they keep. Otherwise, they gave up a small amount of cash.
That said, unless he turns out to be completely hopeless over the offseason, they will carry him into spring training at least.
Braves got any aaa ready starters waiting in the wings!
JR Ritchie is the closest to being ready. They also have Fuentes and Braun in AAA. Luke Sinnard finished at A+ but I could see him rising quickly through the minors in 26.
I think Atlanta will do everything possible to hold onto Ritchie and let him finish developing in AAA in 2026. Unless he just blows everyone away in spring training and makes the team to start the season like Drake Baldwin did this year.
Caminiti is probably a couple years away but might be the best of the bunch. Baumann and Murphy could also rise quickly
I don’t see the Braves non-tendering Manoah. They already have questionable rotation depth, and he’s only a $2-2.5 million gamble.
Honestly this is the easiest team to fix. Doing nothing and running it back would provide better results by default when pitchers are healthy and position players aren’t playing through nagging injuries in a Murphy’s Law kind of season. If Kim opts out, call Miguel Rojas or Jorge Mateo to bridge the gap for 2 years. Entertain Iglesias/Dunning/Diaz for depth, but don’t break the bank. That’s the entire off-season needs. It would take at most a week’s worth of billable time
If you want to get really crazy, O’Neill Cruz is a better SS than CF. This is the lower end of Cruz’s price point after an underwhelming season
Much better mil options than Dunning or Diaz. Neither deserves to be on a ML roster.
I missed the Braves claiming Manoah. Nice depth move.
For 3m he’s definitely worth a gamble.
Maybe look at a club we have done business with before, like the “A”s? Trade Lopez/Elder for Jacob Wilson or Leo De Vries?
I could see this happening.
Doubt the A’s are dealing De Vries after giving up the best reliever in baseball (Miller) for him. Would take much better pitching than Lopez or Elder to get him anyway. Don’t believe the A’s would even deal him for Caminiti, Ritchie, and any other prospect arm in the upper minors.
Lol there’s no way in hell the A’s are going to trade Atlanta their best prospect.
One thing not pointed out in the article, because it wasn’t a roster or injury problem, was the hitting philosophy brought in new hitting coach Tim Hyers. The passive, contact-first approach was entirely unsuitable for most of the Braves’ hitters, Olson managed to incorporate some of Hyers’ approach, but most of the other Braves were unsuccessful at it, Albies and Harris probably being impacted the worst.
Speculation is that this hitting philosophy was actually mandated by someone in the front office, one of the holdouts from the Bobby Cox school. It looks like the Braves will be going outside of the organization for their next manager, and that AA is solidifying his control of baseball ops in the organization, so maybe that will solve that problem. Because if they’re going to be a contact-first hitting team, they need an entirely different roster..
As for catcher and DH, the approach that makes sense to me is:
* Make Murphy (the better defender) the primary catcher
* Make Baldwin (the better hitter) the primary DH
* On days when Baldwin catches, use Acuna at DH and someone else in RF. White or Fraley would be OK, but it would be a plus if they could pick up a corner outfielder who would be an at least somewhat better hitter than those guys.
This would be my ideal plan for next year. A 4th outfielder who can cover all three positions. Give Ronnie breathers at DH a few games a week when Baldwin is catching.
Braves already have a 4th of’er who fits that criteria—–Eli White. You’re obviously thinking of an upgrade, but it won’t be easy to find a better defender in all 3 outfield spots than White. He’s also got great speed and some power. Was the only guy who hit a pinch hit homer for Atlanta last season—-two of them. Low salary too.
This is right but pretty straightforward.
Why not resign Ramon Laureano to play R/F let Acuna DH. Look at Brenden Donavon to play 2nd. I’m not sure Kim will resign. I’m sure Boris will be looking at getting him more than the 16 mil he’s projected to get next yr. There’s money coming off the books, with Ozuna and Iglesia gone and others. So, there’s money to play with. Do you trade Murphy to make more room and have more money. I’m not so sure on that. But 15 mil for a part time catcher? How much trust do you have in Baldwin. The kid did show he is good. AA has made some very strange moves the last couple of yrs. Let Swanson walk, Max Freid walk. . Now both moves have come back to bite him. We have had issues in both positions. Our farm system is now pretty much depleted. This off season and moves he makes, will define the next few yrs for the Braves and AA himself.
Letting Swanson and fried walk in free agency wasn’t a “move” but a smart business decision.
I can’t see Atlanta trading Murphy. Having two good catchers is NEVER a bad problem to have.
Braves are actually an interesting candidate for Skubal in a trade.