Braves exercised 2027 options on Ronald Acuña Jr. ($17M) and Ozzie Albies ($7M), and reinstated Schwellenbach, Strider, Waldrep and Wentz from the 60-day IL. Otto Lopez and Jeremy Peña are reportedly linked as shortstop trade candidates. 🧾
Braves could kick tires on free agent Ian Happ, who hit .218/.326/.412 with 24 homers and 189 strikeouts in 2026. A fit only works if the Cubs skip the qualifying offer; $23 million plus a lost pick is steep for that line. 🤔
Braves exercised Ozzie Albies' $7 million option, but one view argues they should still add a second baseman. Albies posted the worst xwOBA and wRC+ of his career despite an All-Star nod, and Arraez, Torres and Chisholm are possible cheap free-agent fits. 🔍
Braves Today's Friday Mailbag tackles whether Jurickson Profar is on the 2027 Opening Day roster. His tradability, clubhouse fit and salary are all in question, and the mailbag also covers Atlanta's shortstop timetable, Drake Baldwin's lineup spot and Matt Olson's iron-man streak.
Braves No. 21 prospect Owen Carey is hitting .435 (10-for-23) with two triples and seven walks during a six-game Arizona Fall League streak. Cutting his swing rate from 56% to 46% has him toned down, locked in, and far less jumpy. 🎯
Former Braves lefty AJ Minter, 33, is a free agent after Minnesota removed him from the Twins roster as of Oct. 29. He spent 8 years in Atlanta, then signed with the Mets before landing in Minnesota. A familiar bullpen arm is back on the market. ⚾
The article is a postseason roundup, but it includes a Braves-over-Phillies Wild Card Series section. The snippet only says "A Riley clutch blast" in a series that went to a decisive Game 3, so I'm keeping the summary to that. Braves beat the Phillies in a Wild Card Series that went to a decisive Game 3. A Riley clutch blast is singled out as the series' defining moment. 💥
Braves exercised Ozzie Albies' $7 million option for 2027, keeping the longtime second baseman after a career-low .237 average but 22 homers, 73 RBI and 85 runs in all 162 games. Reliability won the vote. Acuña's option was also exercised. ✅
Braves wrapped the offseason paperwork: options exercised on Acuña Jr. and Albies for 2027, and Schwellenbach, Strider, Waldrep and Wentz reinstated from the 60-day IL. Iglesias, Kim, Dubón and Mahle hit free agency. Reinstated ≠ healthy. 🩺
Braves exercised 2027 options on Ronald Acuña Jr. ($17M) and Ozzie Albies ($7M). Acuña played 107 games, hitting .255 with 20 HRs. Albies played all 162 (.237, 22 HRs). Core stays intact. 🔒
Braves exercised Acuña's $17M and Albies' $7M options, keeping the pair together for 2027. Acuña hit .255 with 20 homers in 107 games; Albies posted a .685 OPS. Schwellenbach, Strider, Waldrep and Wentz also came off the 60-day IL. 🔒
MLB Trade Rumors (Braves): Braves Exercise Options On Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies
A year ago, the Braves signed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to a one-year, $20 million deal, and HEAVY now calls it a mistake as he hits free agency. The contract didn't sink Atlanta's 94-win, NL East-title season, but the price still looked steep. 💸
Jesse Chavez, the longtime reliever who earned a World Series ring with the Braves in 2021, has retired. Over 18 MLB seasons, he reportedly earned $24+ million, a solid payday for a reliever who kept finding new bullpens. 💍
Braves lead MLB with 11 free agents as the market opens: Iglesias, Kim, Mahle, Pérez, Lane Thomas and others. Atlanta can negotiate only with its own players until 5 p.m. ET Nov. 2. A looming CBA expiration Dec. 1 adds pressure. ⏳
Shortstop is the Braves' hole, and MLBTR links them to Marlins' Otto Lopez and Astros' Jeremy Peña as speculative trade targets. Peña is the more intriguing fit but would reportedly cost a hefty return. Nothing is close to done. 🔍
José Suárez's 2026 Braves stint ended after eight appearances: a 6.60 ERA, a 15.2% walk rate and a ninth-inning meltdown against the Tigers on April 30. Atlanta DFA'd him May 1. He's now a free agent, and his Braves chapter looks closed. 🚪
Braves could be a trade suitor for Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe, per an MLBTR idea. Shortstop is a glaring need with Dubón and Ha-Seong Kim set for free agency, leaving Jim Jarvis in-house. Volpe is floated as a cheaper option, nothing more. 🤔
A proposed trade pitch, not a done deal: Braves could send Ronald Acuña Jr. to Toronto for Andres Gimenez and prospects Nolan Perry and John King. Gimenez would address the middle infield need. Purely speculative, and a big "if." 🤔
Offseason calendar is set: Braves face club-option calls on Acuña Jr. and Albies five days after the Series, a Nov. 20 non-tender deadline (Elder, Grove, Karinchak, Lee, Wentz), and a Dec. 1 CBA expiration with a lockout looming. 🗓️
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