Ozzie Albies Faces Uncertain Braves Future Amid Poor 2025 Start: Analyst

Second baseman Ozzie Albies is under contract with the Atlanta Braves for two more seasons. Yet, Forbes' Dan Schlossberg argued this week it's time for the organization to make a long-term decision with the three-time All-Star.

The Braves can keep Albies through the 2027 season. But to do so, the team would need to exercise two club options.

"The Albies contract has $7 million club options for both 2026 and 2027 but this is its final guaranteed season," Schlossberg wrote. "And it’s time for the Braves to keep him or trade him."

The second baseman also faces long-term defensive concerns perhaps in part because of a 2022 foot injury.

"No longer the Wizard of Ozzie, his range, defense, and arm strength have all declined in recent seasons," Schlossberg wrote. "Plus the Braves have potential replacements in rookie Nacho Alvarez, Jr., currently rehabbing a wrist injury, and Eli White, a fleet jack-of-all-trades filling in as the Atlanta right-fielder until Ronald Acuña returns from rehabbing a torn ACL."

Schlossberg's argument comes as Albies is dealing with likely the worst slump of his MLB career. He is hitting .233 with a career-low .657 OPS.

On April 24, I wrote about how "meh" Albies has been this season. Unfortunately, since then, he's perhaps been a little less than "meh." While still hitting around the .230 mark, Albies has posted a .588 OPS over his last 57 plate appearances.

His infield popup rate is improving, but it still sits at an unhealthy 13.3% rate this season according to FanGraphs. When Albies was an All-Star in 2023, he registered a 6.8% popup rate.

Albies' chin is pointing too far upwards toward the sky on a lot of his follow-throughs, which is causing him to get under the ball. This fact was pointed out to me Thursday night from a former professional baseball player sitting in the stands.

He told me it's difficult muscle memory to break. That's rather clear, as even last season before his wrist injury, Albies had this issue. In 2024, he posted a 16.3% infield popup rate.

Hopefully Albies can fix this issue. He's 28 years old, so he shouldn't already be past his prime. But analysis on his defense like the one Schlossberg provided is concerning that maybe his best playing days are behind him.

Now, even Schlossberg suggested it was unlikely the Braves move on from Albies when they can keep him for the affordable sum of $7 million per season. That's chump change when a veteran second baseman such as Marcus Semien, who hit .237 with a .699 OPS last season, makes nearly four times as much as Albies.

But if the Braves don't find themselves in the playoff race this summer, they could have a difficult decision with Albies in addition to designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.