Drake Baldwin<\/a>, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, and Ronald Acuna Jr. are all on track to return to their regular positions in 2027, plus Mike Yastrzemski will probably be part of the corner outfield picture in a platoon capacity.\u00a0 The Braves are surely going to exercise Acuna\u2019s $17MM option and seem likely to pick up the affordable $7MM sum on Albies despite his third straight middling offensive season.<\/p>\nAcuna was excellent in 2025 after his return from a torn ACL, but the 2026 campaign saw the former NL MVP\u2019s numbers dip to .255\/.345\/.451 with 20 homers over 469 plate appearances.\u00a0 Most players would happily take this kind of 120 wRC+ \u201cdown year\u201d any day, and Acuna\u2019s production might\u2019ve been better if he weren\u2019t limited to 107 games by a pair of left hamstring strains.\u00a0 He also battled a sore right knee during the playoffs, which partially explains his lackluster postseason performance.<\/p>\n
Even if Acuna replicates this modest season by (his high standards) in 2027, that is still well worth the $7MM difference between his option price and the $10MM buyout, not to mention the remaining club option Atlanta holds on his services for 2028.\u00a0 There have been a few whispers that the Braves might consider trading Acuna while his value is still so relatively high, but as Acuna\u2019s 2025 production indicates, he still has All-Star level upside even after tears of both ACLs.\u00a0 Even if Acuna\u2019s health might have to be maintained by a few more DH days in 2027, the Braves would surely prefer that if Acuna is able to return to anything close to peak form, it happens in their uniform.<\/p>\n
Albies is a bit of a trickier case. \u00a0He has an 89 wRC+ and a .242\/.300\/.385 slash line over 1785 PA since Opening Day 2024, with this uninspiring offense combining with so-so glovework to give him a total of 3.8 fWAR over the last three seasons.<\/p>\n
This recent track record notwithstanding, Albies\u2019 salary is small enough that multiple teams would be interested if the Braves shopped him, and some suitors might feel he\u2019d benefit from a change of scenery.\u00a0 Albies is slated for free agency next winter so the Braves could be interested in getting something before Albies leaves.\u00a0 On the flip side, Atlanta might just prefer sticking with a familiar face at second base for one more year, especially given the more glaring hole on the other side of the middle infield picture.<\/p>\n
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