The Atlanta Braves clearly need to address their starting rotation this offseason, but there is another position that arguably presents an even bigger need. In fact, it has been a problem for the organization for several years.
Shortstop is now a major question mark for Atlanta, and the search for a long-term answer is officially underway. It could end up being the team’s most pressing need this offseason.
“The discussion of the Atlanta Braves needing a shortstop has already come up multiple times. We’ll probably run out of fresh ways to say it by Thanksgiving. Ways to describe the issue might be as limited as the free-agent market for shortstops,” Sports Illustrated’s Harrison Smajovits wrote.
The position has been a recurring issue for Atlanta, particularly since Dansby Swanson left in free agency. Now, with both Mauricio Dubón and Ha-Seong Kim potentially departing, the Braves have another major hole to fill.
“The Braves have the most glaring shortstop need in MLB. Mauricio Dubón and Ha-Seong Kim are impending free agents, leaving Jim Jarvis as the top in-house option. There’s a decent chance they’ll re-sign Dubón on a two-year deal, but he’s ideally suited as a super-utility player,” MLB Trade Rumors’ Anthony Franco wrote.
Dubón reportedly enjoyed his time in Atlanta, but that alone does not mean bringing him back is the best solution for the team’s long-term needs. CBS Sports’ Dayn Perry believes the Braves could instead pursue a trade for Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager.
“The Braves made it to the NLDS this past season and have made the playoffs in eight of the last nine years. For much of that time, though, they’ve struggled to find a reliable presence at shortstop. This past season, Atlanta shortstops combined to bat just .222/.280/.322, which is squarely in “unacceptable liability” territory. As well, the top two turn-takers at the position, Mauricio Dubón and Ha-Seong Kim, are both free agents,” Perry wrote.
A potential deal for Seager has surfaced before, but the Rangers were reportedly unwilling to move him at the time. Now, there is speculation that Texas could be more open to moving on from one of the best shortstops in baseball.
Seager has an impressive postseason résumé, winning a World Series championship and World Series MVP honors with the Los Angeles Dodgers before doing the same with the Rangers just a few seasons later.
Consistency has been a major problem for the Braves at shortstop, and last season was another example. Dubón spent much of his time in the outfield amid Jurickson Profar’s suspension, while Ha-Seong Kim struggled offensively for much of the season before finishing stronger. Jim Jarvis also was unable to hold down the position for an extended stretch.
When healthy, Seager provides the kind of production Atlanta has been missing at shortstop. He would give the Braves an established star who can make an immediate impact on both sides of the ball. Acquiring him would likely come at a significant cost, but it could give Atlanta its most proven answer at the position since Swanson left in free agency.
Seager would also make an already dangerous lineup even more formidable from top to bottom. His offensive production would give Atlanta another major threat in the batting order, while his defensive ability would provide stability at a position that has been a weakness for the organization.
More MLB news:
