The best way out of Braves' looming logjam doesn't involve moving Marcell Ozuna

There are a handful of things Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos needs to do to improve this team. Having manager Brian Snitker reshuffling his coaching staff a bit is a start. Outside of that, Atlanta needs to address the back-end of its rotation, add bullpen depth, figure out what to do at shortstop and then take a hard look at the logjam existing at designated hitter and in the outfield.

One possible solution would be to trade star designated hitter Marcell Ozuna for high-end prospects or some much-needed help at other positions. However, I am very much against that, as he has been one of the best hitters in baseball over the last two years. Plus, he is on a very manageable team-option contract for 2025. As soon as that offer was extended to him, Ozuna wasn't going to be dealt.

So follow me on this, if Ozuna continues to man the DH role, Michael Harris II starts in center and Ronald Acuña Jr. starts in right field whenever he works his way back from another torn ACL, that leaves us with seven or eight players occupying five or six roster spots. To get rid of a name, you obviously let Adam Duvall walk. So what about the other four Braves in question for next season?

Here is what Atlanta should do regarding Jarred Kelenic, Ramon Laureano, Jorge Soler and Eli White.

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Atlanta Braves do not have to trade Marcell Ozuna to solve DH/OF logjam

Since Laureano is entering his last year of arbitration, I would bring him back on a one-year deal to at least man one of the two corner outfield positions until Acuña is healthy enough to come back. With White still under team control, the Braves could probably move him back and forth between Atlanta and Triple-A Gwinnett for another year or so if need be. It all comes down what to do with the others.

Kelenic had one good month at the plate, but ended up being what he always was when he was with the Seattle Mariners or in the New York Mets organization: The idea of a really good baseball player. The talent is there, but he gets lost in his own head more than Dr. John Dorian in Scrubs. I would consider trading him, as he is in the final year of his contract. There is also a chance at moving Soler.

Unlike Kelenic, Soler is under contract with the Braves for 2025 and 2026. I applaud him for trying to play outfield during the postseason run after having not played a second in the outfield when he was with the San Francisco Giants. Given that he is a local legend for his time with the 2021 team, I would suggest giving him every opportunity to earn a starting outfield job until Acuña is healthy to return.

Therefore, I would field offers from other teams in need of outfield depth for the likes of Kelenic or Soler. You could conceivably put Laureano on the block as well, but as it is with Ozuna, trading a player you just extended a contract to is not done in good faith. Kelenic feels like the odd man out, but Soler would certainly fetch more on the trading block than the talented, but frustrating outfielder.

I have a feeling that Anthopoulos is going to make a series of trades this offseason to provide clarity.