Braves Enter 2027 with Space to Spend, It Needs to Be Done

Let the speculation for next season commence. With 2026 in the books, it's time to turn the page to what's next. The Atlanta Braves fought their way to 94 wins and a division title, but holes were exposed once the postseason arrived.

According to FanGraphs, the team's estimated payroll for 2027 ranges from $191 million to around $202 million. It varies based on club options that can be exercised or declined. Estimated salaries for arbitration-eligible players, non-arbitration-eligible players, benefits and 40-man roster players in the minors are included in this total.

Pending unrestricted free agents are natrually not included in this total since they have no contract for 2027.

The number will creep up beyond what's being estimated if some options are picked up. However, there will still be space for them to add. The question is will this be done?

It's a complex answer. To say they didn't spend last offseason would be dishonest. They made the move for Robert Suarez and Mike Yastrzemski to highlight two of their more notable additions. They made the splash to keep Ha-Seong Kim around.

However, it's fair to say that some issues didn't get addressed, or that some moves just didn't pan out. Starting pitching didn't materialize until the trade deadline, and there is a strong argument that it wasn't enough. Most of their spending on offense didn't go to plan.

Yastrzemski nor Kim met expectations. Lane Thomas didn't pan out as an addition at the deadline. Only one of those players, Yastrzemski, is guaranteed to be back next season. This opens the door to some changes.

It's clear they need another outfield bat. If you want to get technical, Jurickson Profar would be an option next season, since he's under contract. The Braves need to make the easy decision not to bring him back. They're better off having to be on the hunt for external help, rather than bringing him back into the picture.

Mauricio Dubón is a free agent. Being unable to retain him would make the shortstop question that much more pressing again. The outfield market looks to be stronger than the shortstop market, so his retention will be important.

Taking advantage of that market will be equally important. Having some platoon, matchup-helpful options is great, but they need another everyday bat. That will cost money, but it would be worth it after how the offense went quiet in the postseason.

As for the starting pitching market, having their prized deadline addition, Tyler Mahle, set to hit the open market doesn't help. It could actually get worse. Martín Pérez? Free agent. That's two key arms they have to make an effort to maintain, while still going out and actually getting help.

This is a team that, on paper, has options. Those options get hurt and miss time. Some, such as Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach, may already be poised to miss all of or much of 2027.

Spencer Strider and Reynaldo López are forever question marks. They can be tested as options, but they can't be relied on to stay healthy.

Others, such as JR Ritchie and Owen Murphy, are young and still need time to develop.

Nobody will be surprised if Didier Fuentes gets another crack at being a rotation arm next season, given how far he progressed as a member of the bullpen. He should. It's been earned.

But, even then, if he pans out, won't be enough to have a full rotation.

Get some veteran options in there. There will be free agents with a healthy track record. They may not be the can't-miss options that a Tarik Skubal could provide. But there are good options out there who can be an effective arm for 30 starts.

If we learned anything, even if pitching wasn't what broke them in the end, health and innings need to be something the Braves are willing to open the checkbook for.

We'll see what happens. The pending change to the landscape will undoubtedly impact how they approach this offseason, but there are issues that need to be addressed regardless. If anything is left to fall by the wayside again, it's going to rightfully fall under scrutiny again.

It's hard to look at a team that had the regular-season accomplishments again and say there's a problem. But when it mattered most, they didn't win. That opens the door for change, and time will tell if that change comes about.

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