The Atlanta Braves are getting ready for a series with the Philadelphia Phillies, but fans cannot help but begin to look towards the offseason and the biggest questions facing the franchise. While the hope is that a World Series run will delay upcoming decisions. With this in mind, let's fast-forward and look at the biggest questions facing the Braves in the 2026-27 offseason.
Starting with a player who has a chance to spend the next month showing the Braves why an extension must be accomplished before the start of next season. While team control remains, the clock is very quickly running out.
1. Will the Braves extend Ronald Acuna Jr.?
The Braves are in an interesting position with Acuna, in the fact that they hold $17 million team options for each of the next two seasons. Team control remains, and yet there is no way around the fact that the longer you wait on a potential extension the more expensive it will become. Acuna is one of the last faces of the franchise that has a chance to be a Brave for his entire tenure, as Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson both walked away after winning a World Series.
Acuna is coming off a down season, and the price might be a bit more reasonable, while still being a clear top of the market contract. Whether the Braves are going to continue to be cheap with their own stars or pay what it takes to keep Acuna.
2. How Aggressive will Braves be Adding to Top of Rotation?
The Braves chased Tarik Skubal and Jacob deGrom ahead of this year's trade deadline and clearly were interested in adding to an injury-plagued rotation. Both Martin Perez and Tyler Mahle are slated to hit free agency, and there are injury questions around nearly every young contributor the Braves are expected to consider as a piece of next year's rotation.
It will be interesting to watch how Atlanta chooses to operate in the offseason and whether the franchise opts to rely on depth or is going to be aggressive in chasing a top option as Chris Sale ages and Spencer Strider continues to disappoint.
3. What is the Plan at Shortstop?
The Braves are getting ready to lose both Ha-Seong Kim and Mauricio Dubon in free agency. Neither is an easy decision, with Kim's fate likely being decided by postseason performance after an incredibly uneven season. For Dubon, this is an outlier of a season in every way, putting up career numbers that signal a higher free agency price in comparison to career norms when it comes to production.
With this in mind, the Braves have a difficult decision to make, one that has existed since the 2022 season when Orlando Arcia was plugged in and failed to reach lofty expectations.
4. What Happens in Left Field?
Jurickson Profar is under contract for one more season, and the Braves cannot escape it unless they are willing to eat the money or find a team willing to take a flyer on Profar. There is also Mike Yastrzemski to consider, who remains under contract for an additional season. It is easy to argue the Braves should attempt to dump both contracts and spend the money on one more reliable option to anchor the position.
No matter how you feel about this, there is no denying that how the Braves choose to navigate the position will be a defining story. Nearly every other spot is anchored by an established veteran or a talented young player.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleLoading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations