Positions Braves Need (or Might Need) to Address During Offseason

Soon, the final out of the World Series will come, and Major League Baseball will enter another offseason. The Atlanta Braves, absent from postseason action, can plan for potential moves they could make to improve their fortunes next season. 

Some positions are on lock, such as first base, third base and center field. However, some positions could either use an upgrade or potentially need an upgrade. 

Let’s take a look at three key positions that need to be addressed or have a high chance of needing to be addressed. 

Starting Pitching 

Hands down, this needs to be the top priority for the Braves this offseason. In theory, they have more options for next season already, but going after a free agent or making a trade would help ensure they have another bona fide starting pitcher option who can provide consistent innings. 

After losing, at one point, all five starters from the Opening Day rotation were on the 60-day injured list all at once. The gaps left by Max Fried and Charlie Morton last offseason were never truly addressed, and there is a chance to remedy that. 

Middle Infield...Maybe 

Whlie these are technically two positions, the situation is similar enough that they can be lumped together.

This one depends on whether Ha-Seong Kim exercises his player option and whether the Braves exercise Ozzie Albies' option.

If both get picked up, then the team is good to go for next year. If either isn’t, especially shortstop, then it becomes a high-priority position. 

Even with Kim’s stats mixed in, Braves shortstops batted .222 with a .550 OPS. Statistically, they had the worst offensive showing at this position in Major League Baseball. The addition of Kim played a significant role in a strong finish to the season, and a strong performance by a shortstop will play a crucial role in sustaining success across a full season in 2026. 

Meanwhile, second base has a potential in-house option in Nacho Alvarez Jr. However, some potential free agents could be worth it for the Braves to look into.  

Relief Pitching 

Even if they hang onto Raisel Iglesias and Joe Jimenez returns to his old ways, it wouldn’t hurt for the Braves to add another bullpen arm. If they lose Iglesias, then it only heightens the need. They churned through bullpen options last season, using 16 more in 2025 than they did in 2024 (46 vs 30). 

Having an extra, effective bullpen arm could save the team a lot of headaches. Adding another lefty to the sea of right-handers would be a wise decision. 

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