GOOD NEWS: Braves Lock In All-Star Ozzie Albies on $7M Steal, Now Targeting Shortstop Blockbuster.vc

ATLANTA, GA — The Atlanta Braves have once again demonstrated their brilliance in team construction, stunning the MLB world by exercising the club option on three-time All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies for a ridiculously team-friendly $7 million in 2026. This move secures one of the most dynamic infielders in baseball at a bargain price, leaving fans and analysts wondering: what championship move explodes next in Atlanta?

General Manager Alex Anthopoulos confirmed the obvious decision to keep Albies, whose current contract remains one of the greatest steals in professional sports history. Now, with the core infield intact, the spotlight immediately shifts to the team’s most glaring weakness: the shortstop position.

The Next Bomb: Fixing the Middle Infield

With Albies locked in, all signs point to the Braves making an aggressive, potentially franchise-altering push for a high-impact shortstop. The team’s inability to find stability at the position has been a significant barrier to championship success over the last two seasons, and Anthopoulos is widely expected to break his long-held budget restrictions to fix it.

Top candidates being floated in trade and free-agent rumors include:

• Bo Bichette (Free Agent): The Toronto Blue Jays star is arguably the top shortstop on the market. While signing Bichette would require the Braves to significantly overpay (potentially up to $250 million), adding his elite, consistent offensive firepower is seen as the single biggest factor that could instantly make Atlanta a World Series favorite and balance the lineup.
• Ha-Seong Kim (Free Agent): Kim, who played for the Braves briefly after being acquired late in the previous season, opted out of his contract. While the Braves are interested in a reunion due to his solid defense and familiarity, he will command a competitive deal, and the team might prefer to save their large expenditure for an even bigger impact bat.

The AA Blueprint: Brilliant Core, Costly Finish

The move to retain Albies for only $7 million—a massive discount for a player of his caliber—gives Anthopoulos the financial flexibility and moral justification to finally spend big on an external superstar. By locking down homegrown talent at below-market rates (including Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, and Spencer Strider), the Braves are now strategically positioned to use their budget on the one missing piece needed to compete with the National League behemoth, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After confirming Albies’ stay, the question is no longer if the Braves will make a blockbuster move, but who that move will be for. The fanbase is roaring with uneasy optimism, certain that the team’s next major announcement will be the splashy, high-cost acquisition required to bring another title back to Atlanta.