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Atlanta Braves Made the Correct Decision With Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies
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- Atlanta Braves Made the Correct Decision With Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Atlanta Braves have already gotten to work this offseason, making the correct move in picking up the club options of two of their homegrown players--Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies.
Moreover, the Braves activated pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz from the 60-day injured list.
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While it is to be determined how the group will bounce back next year, keeping Acuña Jr. and Albies around was definitely the right call for Atlanta.
Albies remained a bright spot in the lineup during the postseason when the rest of the Braves' offense failed to show up, driving in a team-high five runs and launching two home runs. Meanwhile, Acuña Jr. hit a solid .255 and recorded 55 RBI in the regular-season even though his bat went lifeless in the NL Division Series.
Albies had a respectable year as well, slashing .237/.293/.392 and hitting 22 homers. He was also the only Brave other than Matt Olson to play a full season while Acuña Jr. missed 55 games due to injuries.
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With that, Albies' durability and clubhouse presence will be especially valuable in the years to come whenever the team endures rough stretches like June when they went 9-14 overall. Furthermore, he remains the team's only second baseman besides Brett Wisely who appeared in just four games last year and didn't see the majors at all this season.
However, Acuña Jr. is now a few seasons removed from earning the NL MVP Award in 2023. Furthermore, his knees are a point of concern after he tore his right ACL in 2021 and the other in 2024.
If the 28-year-old stays healthy and gets back to the level he was at before, that would make his contract look even better. The Braves should also be able to re-sign Acuña Jr. at a cheaper price point once his contract expires in 2028 given his age and desire to remain with the team.
Still, both players can't do everything themselves and Atlanta will need to see more production from guys like Olson and Austin Riley if they want a better chance at contending for a title going forward.
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Olson batted .251 and recorded an impressive .823 OPS but that obviously didn't translate to the postseason with him hitting .148. Riley struggled all year, showing flashes of improvement to finish the season with a measly .219 hitting average.
Bringing back Albies and Acuña Jr. was a start in the right direction for Atlanta but learning to string hits together when it matters most is a must.
