The Atlanta Braves have another important offseason ahead of them and need to navigate it correctly, as there are still several areas where the team needs to improve. Not only will they have free agency decisions to make, but they will also need to determine which players to bring back before allowing others to test the market.
Atlanta didn’t end the season the way it wanted to, losing two consecutive home games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. One of the players who had the toughest time was Ronald Acuña Jr., who was booed by fans. Despite all of that, he made it clear that he wanted to stay in Atlanta.
“I want to stay here, that hasn’t changed. But I can’t control that,” Acuña told the media.
The futures of Ozzie Albies and Acuña are in the Braves’ hands, as the team recently had to make decisions on both players. Each had a club option for 2027, and Sports Illustrated’s Harrison Smajovits believed exercising them should be an easy decision for Atlanta.
“It’s now officially the offseason, and the Atlanta Braves can get to work, for at least the next month, getting their roster assembled for the 2027 season. Two moves to ensure continuity can be made pretty quickly. They have two club options to exercise this offseason: one for Ozzie Albies and the other for Ronald Acuña Jr. Albies would be due just $7 million. Acuña would get a $17 million check. Both numbers are according to Spotrac. All the Braves have to do is make the obvious decision on both. Yes, these are two very easy calls to make,” Smajovits wrote.
The Braves made the easy decision Thursday night, exercising the club options for both Acuña and Albies.
“The Braves today exercised options for OF Ronald Acuña Jr. and INF Ozzie Albies for the 2027 season,” the Braves posted.
This was a no-brainer for Atlanta, as both decisions were relatively inexpensive and made sense for the organization. Next season, however, could be when the Braves have to decide whether to offer Albies a new contract or move on.
The duo consists of two of the Braves’ longest-tenured players and two of the few remaining members of the World Series team. At the very least, Atlanta will have both players back for the 2027 season.
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