The Atlanta Braves and Ronald Acuña Jr. are at a crossroads. The uber-talented outfielder went ice cold in the playoffs, hitting 3-for-24 (.125) with five walks and zero extra-base hits. That was good for a .425 OPS, lowering his already ugly career numbers in October. Acuña now approaches the penultimate year of his $100 million contract, which for so long felt like the best bargain in baseball.
Acuña remains an immense talent, but his production this season — .796 OPS and 118 OPS+ — did not live up to the expectations associated with a five-time All-Star in his prime. In fact, Acuña has not put together a fully healthy campaign with superstar impact since his historic MVP campaign in 2023. Given all the uncertainty around Acuña's future after another abbreviated Braves postseason run, it's worth wondering if he could end up in trade conversations.
What should the Braves look for in a Ronald Acuña Jr. trade?
An Acuña trade is ... complicated, to say the least. Not only is he beloved in Atlanta, but he's a nuclear talent. At his best, Acuña is a top-five player in the sport. He has also suffered multiple injury setbacks, with knee problems that threaten to flare up at any moment. As one MLB executive told FanSided's John Perrotto, the Braves' high asking price could bump up against skeptical front offices.
“When you see how this postseason went, you have to at least check in with the Braves and see if they’ve softened their stance on trading him,” the executive said. “I don’t think they’ll trade him, and you’d have to pay a king’s ransom for him if he did, and I’m not so sure anyone wants to give up a bundle for a player with two bad knees who gives, shall we say, inconsistent effort.”
There's a lot of baggage wrapped up in the Ronald Acuña Jr. experience at this point. He thrills with loud hits and uncommon feats of athleticism, but he will also jog to first base on ground balls and make baffling mistakes in the outfield. He's undeniably capable of greatness, but his body continues to betray him and there are red flags in his profile. After his marvelous 2023 season, Acuña's strikeouts are back up. His defense, long a point of weakness, has declined to alarming levels of late. There are just two team options remaining on his current deal, and this is not the sort of profile teams will be thrilled about paying into his late 30s.
And yet, all it takes is one team willing to throw caution to the wind. Even if re-signing Acuña in 2028 isn't really an option, the Braves still have two years left to see how things go; they don't have to move him this winter, and would therefore need some combination of multiple top-100ish prospects or established MLB contributors to feel good about the trade-off. He's too special to sell for cheap. Plenty of teams could use a right-handed outfielder with thump and dynamic base-running and a cannon-powered arm. Here are some teams who might, if the stars align, muster up the necessary courage to engage with Atlanta on a league-altering blockbuster.
Which teams could be interested in Ronald Acuña Jr.?
Kansas City Royals
Pressure is mounting in Kansas City. The Royals can't waste too many MVP-caliber campaigns from Bobby Witt Jr. before his own future becomes a topic of conversation. The Royals can put together a competent rotation, but their lineup is woefully lopsided. Witt and Jac Caglianone are bright stars, but who can Kansas City earnestly trust behind them? Salvador Perez's best days are behind him, unfortunately. Even if it's a two-year rental, the Royals must weigh the benefits of a talent infusion of Acuña's magnitude.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Braves probably won't trade Acuña in the division, if at all. His longstanding rivalry with the Phillies further complicates things. Then again, Acuña's younger brother is already in the organization and — better yet — the Phillies are desperate. Other teams have more to trade, but don't put it past Dave Dombrowski to push his chips in with his back against the wall. Philadelphia would need to empty out its stores, to an extent most fans aren't comfortable with; but on paper, Acuña's is the right-handed slugger this lineup so desperately lacks.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays were in the World Series a year ago. What happened in 2026? Injuries, aging, regression. There are endless excuses. This is an expensive roster, however, with a front office geared toward winning at almost any cost. Toronto can safely bank on more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. next season, while Dylan Cease and José Soriano should anchor a solid rotation. There are upgrades to be made, however, and Acuña adds pop and fire to a team that desperately needs both.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles finally acted the part of a serious organization in free agency last winter, but the Pete Alonso signing did not move the win-loss needle enough. Might Baltimore continue its excavation of NL East icons? The O's are loaded with talented, controllable position players, with prospect depth besides. Baltimore clearly wants to catch up to the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays in a competitive division. Acuña could serve as the spark plug Baltimore needs to get back to the postseason.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners are loaded in the farm system and desperate to recapture the rousing success of 2025, when Seattle came one heartbreaking loss shy of an AL pennant. This past season was a dizzying fall back to earth, with frustrations abound. Cal Raleigh completely fell off the map. Seattle always had the talent, even the underlying metrics, but it never came together. The Mariners could use a jolt, and pairing Acuña with Julio Rodríguez and Dominic Canzone in the outfield sure qualifies.
New York Yankees
The Yankees are the Yankees; so many stars eventually find their way to the Bronx. New York does not, on the surface, need another outfielder. The Yankees do, however, need right-handed thump and a meaningful vibe shift. It's fair to question Acuña's fit in an organizational culture that does not seem to prioritize simple things like "effort" or "execution," and such a move would require the Yankees effectively giving up on Spencer Jones and Jasson Domínguez. Still, it's hard to rule the Yanks out of a blockbuster like this.
Which team can offer Braves the best trade package for Ronald Acuña Jr.?
The Mariners feel like the right trade partner. Between Seattle's urgency to contend, their surplus prospect capital and their somehow too-deep rotation, no other team can offer Atlanta the same blend of immediate and long-term value — at least, not without too steep a risk.
Bryce Miller has been hit or miss so far in the Majors; he made 21 starts last season with a 4.17 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, with 119 strikeouts in 118.2 innings. The 28-year-old has seven pitches in his arsenal, however, and he's under club control through 2030. The Mariners already have six quality starting pitchers with the Kade Anderson promotion, and consensus top-20 MLB prospect Ryan Sloan should join him at some point next season. Trading a quality arm for a quality bat is the logical next step.
Atlanta has a strong track record of pitcher development; there's reason to believe Miller can take a meaningful leap with a few slight tweaks. He leans primarily on his four-seam fastball and his splitter, which are two great offerings. The slider and cutter can get Miller in trouble, but if he can alter his approach, perhaps going away from the breaking stuff, the Braves might have their go-to No. 2 starter behind Chris Sale.
Lazaro Montes, who's about to turn 22, made his MLB debut late last season after a dominant campaign in the Minors. He posted a .786 OPS with four home runs in 52 at-bats for the Mariners. In 123 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Montes cranked 38 homers with a .927 OPS.
At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Montes is a fearsome presence in the batter's box. He gets in trouble with strikeouts and it's unclear if he can field everyday, or if he winds up as a DH long term. Regardless, the Braves can invest in his special power tool and hope Montes replaces at least some of Acuña's production near the heart of the order.
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