Howdy.
Frustrating end to the season, but we’re moving on with a fun “pick your own offseason adventure” type survey. Right after a point of personal privilege from our favorite beat writer.
A RACE WELL RUN
By Chad Bishop
The question that was thrown my way most over the past eight months was some variation of, “How do you like it? How are things going? What has the first year on the beat been like?”
And, generally, my answer has been, “Well, pretty sweet.”
Now, to be fair, it helps the Atlanta baseball club won 94 games and a division title in 2026, my first season on the beat. It helps the Braves were led by a first-year manager. It helps that I write for a media outlet that values day-to-day beat coverage and allowed me to travel to most every road game (I covered 71 of the 81 away games this past season).
Because of those factors, and perhaps coupled with my love for the game and fervor for the assignment, the daily grind never felt like that at all. There always seemed to be a storyline somewhere, whether it was a minor roster move or major injury or offhand anecdote that turned into a full-fledged feature story.
I think I also undervalued the learning aspect of it all. Every day brings a new lesson, whether it’s about how a pitcher throws his particular sinker, or how the Braves (or other clubs) manage the roster, or proper clubhouse etiquette (keep your coffee out, don’t sit in the chairs at the lockers). There were also some new pieces of information to store away for later use.
Finally, the most enjoyable part for me was getting to develop so many new relationships while learning the backstories of so many different folks involved with the Braves — the players, coaches, staff, etc. There was a real we’re-all-this-together feel, i.e., trying to survive the 162-game schedule.
All that to say I can’t wait to do it all over again in 2027. Thank you for being alongside for the ride in ’26 and we’ll see you next season!
🙏 Thanks for a great season, brother. Grind or not, go take a nap.
OK, TO BE CLEAR …
There’s plenty more Braves coverage to come. The Braves Report itself will, at some point, enter semi-occasional offseason mode — but not sure exactly what that looks like yet.
Stay tuned. And get those general manager hats on.
SHAKE IT OFF OR SHAKE IT UP?
So here’s the deal: I’m gonna lay out a bunch of info on free agents and other offseason decisions Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos will have to make.
Then you’re gonna give him some advice.
Sound good? Let’s go.
Free agents: Notables include shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (no thanks), Mauricio Dubón (yes, please) and closer Raisel Iglesias (pair him with Robert Suarez again? Let him walk?).
Postdeadline mound magician Tyler Mahle hits the market, too. He made $10 million in 2026, but his Atlanta turnaround figures to raise the asking price.
- Other free-agents-to-be include starter Martín Pérez and reliever Brent Suter, plus bench bats Lane Thomas and Dominic Smith.
More detailed look here, from the AJC’s Gabe Burns.
Options available: Second baseman Ozzie Albies struggled much of the season but was Atlanta’s second-best playoff bat. The Braves have a bargain-basement club option ($7 million) for 2027.
Then there’s Ronald Acuña Jr.
It wasn’t his best season. Across seven playoff games, he, Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin combined for 10 hits (and 24 strikeouts) in 78 at-bats. He got booed at Truist Park on Wednesday.
Acuña (who also maybe sorta stepped in it on his podcast) got emotional afterward, didn’t blame the fans and said he still wants to play out his career in Atlanta.
For now, that’s in the hands of Anthopoulos — who must decide on the first of two $17 million club options, or possibly offer an early extension.
It’s complicated: We’re certainly not making any predictions yet re: Atlanta’s gaggle of injured and/or recently recovered pitchers, but Spencers Strider and Schwellenbach could return next season. AJ Smith-Shawver made the NLDS roster, and Bryce Elder would’ve been ready for the NLCS.
Hurston Waldrep seems like a long shot for 2027. Reynaldo López has another year.
A few other things worth knowing …
- Third baseman Austin Riley tacked a career-worst year onto two earlier seasons of mounting mediocrity. He remains under contract through at least 2032. At $21.2 million a year.
- Catcher Sean Murphy is signed through at least 2028.
- Jurickson Profar (remember him?) still has one year and 15 million bucks left on his Braves deal.
So, uh … what’s the move? Stand pat and hope for better luck next time? Add a more formidable left fielder? Move on from part(s) of the once-untouchable core and try to find more bat-to-ball type hitters? Keep begging for another bona fide ace or two?
Sabotage Profar’s next drug test?
✅ OK, OK, keep it between the lines. But be a dear and share some thoughts with the fancy form.
NUMBER OF THE DAY: $22,216,667
It gets a little wonky here. We’re assuming club options are exercised for Albies and Acuña, no free agents are re-signed and Profar gets all his dough. Plus guesstimating some arbitration numbers.
But the invaluable website Spotrac figures that’s how far below the luxury tax threshold the Braves could find themselves to start the offseason.
Maybe.
It’s gonna be a weird offseason.
THE POTENTIAL LOCKOUT, EXPLAINED IN 173 WORDS
Free agency begins shortly after the World Series, but Dec. 1 is the real date to hurry up and wait for (connotation: negative).
That’s when the current collective bargaining agreement between players and owners expires — and folks in the know fully expect a lockout.
Which is the one where the owners do it.
Anyway …
- The two sides have been talking since May without finding much common ground. The owners released their latest proposal Thursday.
- It calls for trimming the regular season to 154 games, making playoff division series best-of-seven affairs and, um, letting top seeds choose their opponents.
- Also a salary cap.
That last part’s a big ol’ no go for the players union.
Lots of other issues (revenue shares, draft stuff, on and on) being debated too, and they’ve got until the early part of next year to avoid affecting actual baseball games.
The 2021-22 work stoppage lasted 99 days, and a new CBA was signed on March 10. The season started eight days later than planned.
Godspeed to all involved.
Thanks for reading Braves Report. Tell a friend — and maybe give the Win Column a shot, too.
Until next time.