The Atlanta Braves have little reason to start over, but keeping their championship aspirations alive means holding on to the stars who make it possible. After a promising 2026 campaign ended with an NLDS defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta is already making moves to ensure its core remains intact.
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Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies have been central to the team’s success, but uncertainty surrounding their futures threatened to complicate the road ahead. Now, with the Braves making their latest move, the two superstars have fresh reasons to look forward to another season together as Atlanta prepares to chase a deeper postseason run in 2027.
“The Atlanta Braves are keeping Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies for the 2027 season! The team exercised their contract options, securing Acuña for $17 million and Albies for $7 million,” Everything Georgia shared via X.
Acuña’s regular season was shortened to 107 games due to two separate stints on the injured list for left hamstring strains. While his numbers were down from his historic 40/70 MVP campaign in 2023, he caught fire late in the year, posting a blistering .997 OPS over his final 26 regular-season games. Yet, he again dealt with right knee soreness during the NLDS but managed to play through it.
When Acuña signed his 8-year, $100 million contract extension in 2019, it was incredibly team-friendly. Paying $17 million to exercise the club option for a player of his calibre is a massive bargain in modern baseball, coming in roughly $6 million cheaper than the standard MLB qualifying offer. Acuña proved that again this year.
Even though hamstring strains limited him to 107 games in 2026, he showed glimpses of his MVP-level self by flashing a scorching .997 OPS over the final 26 games of the regular season.
So, despite the Braves having internal concerns about his long-term health following multiple knee surgeries, declining the option was never realistic. Picking up the option preserves his immense value, allowing Atlanta to either plug an elite bat back into their lineup or control a highly coveted asset if they decide to explore the trade market this winter.
However, the Braves keeping Acuña for another year may not be a fan-favorite move. During the NLDS Game 4 loss to the Dodgers, Acuña was booed loudly by the home crowd, suggesting the fans’ view.
Albies is another name the Braves would not have to lose. A $7 million salary for a four-time All-Star second baseman is incredibly cheap, especially when a standard MLB qualifying offer hovers around $23 million.
While his regular-season average plummeted to a career-low .237 with a severe second-half slump (.194 average), Albies reminded the front office of his true ceiling in October. He was the Braves’ best postseason hitter, producing an elite 1.067 OPS during the playoffs.
So, retaining Albies gives Atlanta’s front office an extra year to evaluate their long-term plans at second base while allowing secondary prospects in Double-A and Triple-A more time to mature before he hits free agency after the 2027 season.
However, while the Braves may have made their offense strong by securing Acuña and Albies, their need for starters still remains.
The Braves need to make pitching moves
The Braves cannot responsibly lock in their young core for the start of 2027. Hurston Waldrep underwent Tommy John surgery, Spencer Schwellenbach required surgery for a chronic elbow fracture, and Spencer Strider’s timeline remains highly uncertain after missing the bulk of 2026 with elbow inflammation.
Moreover, key depth pieces Tyler Mahle and Martín Pérez are hitting the open market. While Mahle was fantastic down the stretch, his strong performance means he could easily price himself out of Atlanta.
Hence, behind Sale, only Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder are healthy, established options. Reynaldo López struggled immensely in 2026 when shifting between starting and relieving. Young prospects like Didier Fuentes and Ray Kerr are being stretched out in Spring Training, but they carry significant workload and role limitations.
A few new names from the offseason could thus make the Braves’ rotation stronger and complementary to their offense.