3 more Atlanta Braves who won't be back and why

Somehow, despite the myriad of injuries that the Atlanta Braves had to deal with, they made it to the postseason for a seventh consecutive season. Unfortunately, the magic would run out there, as Atlanta would fail to win a single postseason game, getting swept by the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card Series.

Braves fans can't help but wonder what if? What if virtually every star player on their roster didn't miss substantial time due to injury? Would this have been the year that they would've made some noise in October after disappointing showings in 2022 and 2023?

As annoying as this season was for Atlanta, chances are, they'll be right back in contention in 2025. For them to be the team Braves fans want, though, changes are going to have to be made this offseason. Cody Williams of FanSided listed five Braves players who won't be back in 2025, but more will join them in departing.

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3) The Braves have no need to bring Cavan Biggio back

The Braves were the fourth team to take a chance on Cavan Biggio in one way or another in the 2024 campaign. They acquired him in early September following Whit Merrifield's injury, hoping he'd add some much-needed depth. All he did in Atlanta was step up to the plate five times across four appearances, recording one hit in those at-bats.

The reason Biggio played for so many teams this season is that he struggled every step of the way. Overall, he slashed .192/.300/.321 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 34 MLB games. Not exactly good enough to stick around in the majors. He was only acquired by the Braves because they were extremely desperate for healthy bodies.

If Biggio gets an MLB deal this offseason, it almost certainly won't be with the Braves, as their infield should be healthy to begin 2025. Even if he has to settle for a minor league deal, Biggio can likely find a better opportunity to play elsewhere rather than in a Braves organization that, when healthy, is loaded.

2) Gio Urshela served his purpose with the Braves

Austin Riley's season-ending injury left a gaping hole at third base and forced Atlanta to sign the best player they could find, Gio Urshela, who was released by the Detroit Tigers.

Urshela struggled mightily in Detroit, but just as virtually every player that Atlanta picked up, stepped up his game when he put on a Braves uniform. He slashed .265/.287/.424 with four home runs and 15 RBI as Atlanta's regular third baseman. He didn't provide much power, and only drew four walks in 136 plate appearances, but Urshela provided a steady presence at the bottom of the order and was better than anyone could've realistically expected based on his lack of production in Detroit.

The Braves would likely be interested in a reunion with Urshela based on how he played in Atlanta, but with Riley returning, it makes little sense for Urshela to consider re-signing. He should get more money and playing time elsewhere.

1) Luke Jackson's return to Atlanta didn't go as planned

The Braves made one big trade deadline deal, acquiring Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson from the San Francisco Giants. Soler's glove proved to be an adventure, but his bat was a very welcome addition. Jackson, on the other hand, didn't do much at all for Braves fans to look back at positively.

In 16 appearances, the right-hander posted a 4.50 ERA in 18 innings of work. He had a solid September and was better in Atlanta than he was in San Francisco, but his 5.09 ERA overall shows that he isn't the reliever he once was.

Braves fans will always have a soft spot for Jackson thanks to everything he did for them in their 2021 World Series run, but it's not 2021 anymore. The Braves bullpen in 2025 will be better without Luke Jackson than with him. If he's interested in a minor league deal to return to Atlanta perhaps the Braves will consider it, but anything more than that should be extremely unlikely.