The Atlanta Braves have had a very disappointing season. They were expected by many to be a clear contender in the National League, challenging the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East and potentially even threatening the Los Angeles Dodgers' pursuit of back-to-back World Series titles. It did not turn out that way, as the Braves are now 59-71 and 17 games back in the NL East entering play on Monday.
Atlanta is also 10 games back in the Wild Card race. By all accounts, they are out of postseason contention. They didn't sell at the trade deadline, instead hoping to bounce back into contention in 2026. But in order to do that, they'll have some moves to make in the offseason.
Marcell Ozuna is a free agent at the end of the year, and the Braves will need to replace his offensive production. Two-time All-Star Bo Bichette is a free agent. Perhaps he could be what the Braves are looking for this winter. They have money to spend, and he could be the right guy to spend it on.
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Braves could target Bo Bichette to bolster offense for 2026
Bichette was not extended last winter by the Toronto Blue Jays. They chose to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. instead, giving him a 14-year, $500 million contract to keep him in Toronto for the rest of his career.
Reading between the lines, it's likely that Bichette will be available this offseason. His contract expires at the end of the year, and the two-time All-Star has put together yet another solid campaign. He is hitting .304/.348/.471 with 16 home runs, 83 RBI a 3.0 WAR and an .819 OPS (124 OPS+).
Atlanta doesn't exactly have a clear-cut shortstop moving forward. They could use Nick Allen or even young Nacho Alvarez, but it might be best to have somebody more established if they want to bounce back into postseason contention in 2026. Bichette brings elite contact ability from the right side of the plate and can fill the shortstop hole, even if his defense has taken a step or two back in recent years.
The Braves still need to spend some money if they want to be back in the mix. Ozuna's contract is coming off the books, so there should be some money available for them to spend if they are hoping to make a push towards October next year.
It will be interesting to see if they decide to spend on a guy like Bichette.