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Braves Free Agents That Need to Stick Around Next Season
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- Braves Free Agents That Need to Stick Around Next Season
The Braves would benefit from retaining certain players | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Atlanta Braves head into the offseason looking to field a more complete roster in 2027. Part of that task will be keeping around players they know provide production and stability, both of which plant the seeds of success.
Let's take a look at three unrestricted free agents that would make perfect sense for the Braves to retain going forward. Any players who aren't guaranteed to stick around for next season, such as those who have club options, will be discussed another time.
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Tyler Mahle
The Braves likely can't rely on Mahle being as dominant as he was for two months. But even if he's half as good as he was during that time, they'd have a pretty good starter on their hands.
Mahle finished with a 1.99 ERA in nine regular-season starts, and a 1.35 ERA across two postseason starts. If it wasn't for his addition, the Braves rotation would've been just Chris Sale. It was clear they didn't want to use Grant Holmes in that spot, leaving just the Mahle and Sale to be used as traditional starters.
With injuries already an issue ahead of the 2027 season, adding Mahle is going to be crucial to ensuring quality innings next season.
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Keeping him around will certainly require a pay raise and a multi-year deal after the run he had, but it would be worth it.
Mauricio Dubn
There is zero certainty for who the Braves' shortstop will be this upcoming season. Dubn and Ha-Seong Kim are set to hit the open market. The latter is almost guaranteed to not be coming back.
He a utility glove, too. If someone else emerges at shortstop, then he's still valuable to jump into other roles.
Jim Jarvis looked like a solid option for a bit, but his bat couldn't keep up in the majors over a larger sample size, at least at this time.
Other shortstop talent is on the way in the system, but none of them are going to be ready next season. Dubn would provide a major safety net.
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Martn Prez
Who is being featured on this list is pretty reflective of the needs on this team.
Prez was one of those arms who entered spring training as a fringe option for the pitching staff, let alone the starting rotation. Even after the team broke camp, Prez was designated for assignment and had to be reselected to the roster.
In the end, he proved to be one of the most important starters this season. He made 30 appearances, 26 of which were starts. He was one of two pitchers in 2026 who made that many appearances and that many starts.
He had the fifth-highest bWAR of any player on the roster. The only players ahead of him are Chris Sale, Michael Harris II, Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin.
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As crucial as Mahle was down the stretch, so was Prez, and he was there for the full season. Since he came over on a minor-league contract, he's set to hit the open market.
Prez is an option that if both parties want to get a deal done, then that will likely be what happens.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/braves/onsi as Braves Free Agents That Need to Stick Around Next Season .
