Braves Make Final Decision on Future of Ozzie Albies in Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga – The Atlanta Braves have several major decisions on their hands this offseason after missing the postseason for the first time since the 2017 season. Two of those have now been put to rest after the club opted to promote Walt Weiss to be its next manager and subsequently picked up Ozzie Albies’ $7 million club option.

Braves President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, Alex Anthopolous, confirmed the team’s decision in a radio interview on Sports Radio 92.9 The Game in Atlanta on Tuesday.

“We’re going to exercise [the club option] on Ozzie [Albies],” Anthopoulos said. “We’re in the habit of just waiting, but Ozzie’s a core guy. Probably one of my favorite Braves as a human being, and he’s aware of that, too.”

The future of the All-Star second baseman was in doubt after his struggles on the field this season, and later, a fractured hamate bone in his left hand cost him the final weeks of the year.

Albies, 28, had played in all 157 of Atlanta's games last season. He batted .240 with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs, but had started to surge in the second half of the year. In September, the veteran slashed .282/.326/.462 with 14 RBIs, three home runs, and just six strikeouts.

“I know he was inconsistent last year, and he got off to a real slow start,” Anthopoulos explained. “Him and Harris did. But in the second half of the year, he was back to himself. [In] July, August, September. He set the bar so high because of All-Stars and Silver Sluggers, that when he scuffles… And look, him and Harris were, at the All-Star Break, top-10 lowest OPS in the game. Those guys are so talented. I would never have thought, not in a million years, that they could even be in that conversation. But they did both turn it around in the second half of the year. The goal is to get it back together for six months, and Ozzie’s done that for a while.”

Albies has been with the club for nine seasons and has been a cornerstone piece of the Braves’ organization. He has been to three All-Star games in that period and played a major role in their run to the 2021 World Series title.

The Braves have another club option for $7 million for the 2027 season before Albies would become an unrestricted free agent in 2028.

“He’s a core guy and one of the leaders on this team,” the Braves general manager finished. “We’re really fortunate, as an organization, to have him be a part of this place.”