The Atlanta Braves have already been making moves this offseason, re-signing closer Raisel Iglesias and trading away shortstop Nick Allen for infield depth. Atlanta followed this up with another bullpen move, bringing back veteran reliever Joel Payamps to a one-year $2.2 million deal. For Atlanta, it's not a bad addition considering the potential upside of the reliever. Payamps was productive during the 2022-24 seasons, offering an ERA below 4.00 while pitching in a high-leverage role.
Payamps fell out of favor with the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2025 season and became a late-season addition for the Braves. The reliever would make only two appearances for the Braves, pitching 2.2 innings and giving up one earned run. With all of this in mind, opting to bring Payamps back isn't a bad idea; the issue is the fear that this is a sign of things to come.
Over the last two years, the Braves have attempted to patch the bullpen by focusing on overlooked players and reclamation projects. Atlanta cannot continue to employ this offseason strategy if the team is serious about returning to viable contention in the 2026 season. Atlanta's current bullpen simply isn't going to get the job done.
Braves Cannot Continue Bargain Shopping to Fix Concerning 2026 Bullpen
One current fix the franchise could explore is moving back starter Reynaldo Lopez into a relief role. However, even after this, the Braves need to be willing to spend for one or two high-leverage options as well. There is reason for concern with Iglesias, who was only a reliable closer after the All-Star break in the 2025 season.
The Braves must understand they are stuck in the same National League as the Los Angeles Dodgers, who already have a 2026 payroll of over $240 million, per Spotrac. For Atlanta not only to have a chance to return to contention, but to have a chance to compete with the back-to-back World Series champs, there must be a willingness to spend what it takes to patch obvious holes.
Near the top of this list is the bottom of the rotation, and adding high-leverage options in the bullpen. Iglesias, Joe Jiménez, and Aaron Bummer currently project as Atlanta's top options out of the 2026 bullpen. Opting to move Lopez back to the pen goes a long way towards fixing this group, but with the obvious injury and age concerns, it still leaves the Braves needing to make impact additions.
Contentment cannot creep in for a front office that has hopefully learned its lesson from how the 2025 season ended. The Braves need to be willing to make high-impact moves consistently, and this includes a bullpen that helped set the tone for a dumpster fire of a 2025 season.