Losing franchise icons is never easy, but unfortunately part of business in baseball these days. No fanbase understands this more than Atlanta, which has seen players who in past eras would've been career Braves take their talents elsewhere.
Most notably among them are Freddie Freeman and Max Fried, two players who came up through the Braves system and led the organization to is first World Series since the mid-90's in 2021. Freeman left shortly thereafter for the Los Angeles Dodgers in an emotional affair, while Fried received the bag to play robin the Gerrit Cole's batman in the Bronx. Thankfully, the Braves shouldn't lose anyone that notable this winter, but there are a few players they ought to keep around at any cost.
Why did Freddie Freeman and Max Fried leave the Braves in the first place?
A history lesson is necessary before we really dive into the Braves free agency plan. Atlanta did try to keep both players, but had parameters and payroll instructions from ownership they simply couldn't move the goalposts on.
In the case of Freeman, Atlanta offered a lucrative five-year deal. Freeman wanted a sixth year, which is why he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom the Braves had just defeated in the NLCS the season prior. Freeman has served as a postseason hero in LA ever since, and a reminder that sometimes, it's worth giving in to the demands of star players, especially if they're the face of the franchise like the California native was.
As for Fried, that's a bit more complicated. The Braves didn't want to lose Fried, but believed enough in their rotation depth not to give into his demands. Fried received an eight-year, $218 million contract, the richest ever for a left-handed pitcher at the time. Fried signed that deal on the wrong side of 30 years old. Atlanta's rotation still features Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez and more promising young pitchers behind that trio. The jury is still out about whether Alex Anthopoulos made the right call on Fried, who had an excellent first season in New York.
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So, who should the Braves avoid losing this winter?
Marcell Ozuna
I've bashed Marcell Ozuna plenty on this website, but his up-and-down 2025 season could put him right in the Braves price range. The reason Atlanta lost out on both Freeman and Fried is because they were coming off excellent campaigns. This time around, the Braves could keep a powerful bat in their lineup (or on the bench when he's not performing up to par). At his best, Ozuna is a 30-plus home run bat. At this point in his career, he can only really play DH, which should limit his market and price point. Assuming he's really turned his life around, Anthopoulos shouldn't let Ozuna get away, even if he's a headache at times.
Ha-seong Kim
Per FanSided's Robert Murray, the Braves are looking for a shortstop, or at least they were at the GM Meetings. Why not stick with the in-house option and hope Kim can stay healthy over the course of a full season? Kim won a Gold Glove with the Padres in 2023 and could come at an affordable price tag. Sure, losing him won't be nearly as painful as Freeman or Fried, so that's a tough comparison to make. However, building up the middle is expensive! If Atlanta can afford Kim on a one-year deal with some incentives attached, they'd be silly not to consider it.
Pierce Johnson
The Braves declined Pierce Johnson's option just a few weeks ago, which was a puzzling decision at the time. That being said, the relief pitcher market is stacked and includes Braves closer Raisel Iglesias. If Atlanta actually liked what Johnson brought to the table, perhaps they could bring him back on a more affordable deal than his option would've paid him. Johnson had a 3.05 ERA last season pitching out of the middle of the Braves bullpen. Losing him wouldn't be the end of the world, but if the Braves don't have a suitable backup plan, they could end up regretting declining his option.