Tuesday, October 14

ATLANTA -- Instead of dwelling on all that went wrong dating back to last year’s offseason, it’s time to look ahead with five questions surrounding the Braves as they prepare for what they hope to be a rebound season in 2026. 

1) Who will be Atlanta’s shortstop in 2026?

Time will tell whether the Braves gain a long-term benefit from the $2 million recruiting visit they created for Ha-Seong Kim during this season’s final month. Kim is expected to decline his $16 million option for the 2026 season and become a commodity on what will be a thin free-agent market for shortstops. The Braves could attempt to strike a multi-year deal with the former Gold Glove infielder before or after the free-agent market opens.

Scott Boras clients are nearly as rare as Super Bowl trophies in Atlanta. But with Trevor Story possibly staying in Boston and Bo Bichette being a defensive liability, the Braves have no choice but to make Kim their top priority.

In a perfect world, they would gain resolution regarding Kim early this offseason. This would allow them to know how much they have to spend on all of their needs, none of which seems greater than upgrading at the shortstop position. 

2) How should the Braves fortify their starting pitching depth? 

It wasn’t as if they didn’t attempt to acquire starting pitchers last offseason. They had visions of making Jeff Hoffman a starter before he failed his physical. Had the Braves acquired Hoffman or any other starter, it likely wouldn’t have been enough to overcome six starting pitchers missing at least six weeks (five were on the 60-day IL) this past season.

Atlanta’s projected rotation for 2026 could be: Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo López and Hurston Waldrep.  Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, Grant Holmes, Alek Manoah, highly-regarded prospect JR Ritchie (Braves’ No. 2 and No. 86 overall per MLB Pipeline) and Didier Fuentes (No. 7) could all supply depth at some point.

But president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos confirmed adding at least one starting pitcher is high on the priority list.

López is a wild card as he returns from shoulder surgery with some believing he might be better suited for the bullpen. Holmes’ hope to avoid UCL elbow surgery could diminish at any point next year. Waldrep’s durability should be fine as he completed 148 innings between the Triple-A and big-league levels this year. But you still like to have insurance for young pitchers like him and Schwellenbach. 

So, coming off a year like he just experienced, expect Anthopoulos to do whatever he can to fortify his rotation via free agency or a trade.

3) Who will be the team’s next manager?

When considering Walt Weiss, Eddie Perez or Fredi Gonzalez as candidates for the Braves' vacant managerial job, you have to ask, if the Braves wanted to stick with a similar approach, why wouldn’t they have persuaded Brian Snitker to keep the job? 

Atlanta has had Bobby Cox, Gonzalez or Snitker as its only three managers all the way back to the middle of the 1990 season. Will the team opt to move in a new direction? 

Mark DeRosa has been mentioned as a candidate, but some have questioned whether he should be a top candidate. John Gibbons’ decision to resign from the Mets’ coaching staff has fueled expectation he could be the Braves’ next manager or bench coach. Gibbons was Anthopoulos’ manager in Toronto from 2013-15. 

Anthopoulos could also go with an up-and-comer like Tigers bench coach George Lombard, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann or Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty. Gibbons could be a bench coach option for any of these three potential candidates.

4) How should the Braves fortify their bullpen?

When Atlanta didn’t trade Raisel Iglesias this season, some fans wondered if this was a sign the closer would stick around beyond this year. Well, he could have been traded and still re-signed this offseason. But now, he could just be re-signed.

Iglesias and a healthy Joe Jiménez would give the Braves a solid back end of the bullpen. Pierce Johnson, Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer will be back to add experience. But if López is staying in the rotation, there’s seemingly still a need to add at least one high-leverage arm.

5) Are there any injury concerns?

Much of last offseason’s focus was on the fact the Braves would begin the season without both Ronald Acuña Jr. and Strider. Both exited inconsistent return seasons in encouraging fashion. As for Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies, their power dip seemed to be a lingering effect from the hand/wrist injuries they sustained during the second half of 2024. 

Albies exiting this past season with another left hand ailment isn’t comforting. But a broken hamate bone might not be as problematic as a broken wrist. The Braves are also hopeful that Riley (sports hernia surgery), Sean Murphy (labral tear right hip), López (shoulder surgery), Jiménez (left knee surgery) and Schwellenbach (fractured right elbow) will come to camp without any limitations.

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