This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman's Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ATLANTA -- Will Ha-Seong Kim return to Atlanta? If so, who will be his manager? And what offseason acquisitions might Brian Snitker’s successor be welcoming to Spring Training in February?
Here are answers to some of the questions you might have about what should be a key offseason for the Braves, who entered this past season as World Series hopefuls and exited it with their first losing record since 2017.
What are the key dates?
First day after the World Series: Eligible players become free agents. Also, the trade freeze is lifted and Major League players may be traded between clubs.
Fifth day after the World Series: The deadline for teams and players to make decisions on contract options, the deadline for clubs to reinstate all players on the 60-day injured list and the deadline for clubs to tender qualifying offers (5 p.m. ET). Also, the “quiet period” ends and Major League free agents are free to sign with any club as of 5 p.m. ET.
Nov. 10-13: General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas.
Nov. 18: The deadline for players to accept a qualifying offer is 4 p.m. ET. Also, the deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft is 6 p.m. ET.
Nov. 21: Tender deadline. By 8 p.m. ET on the Friday before Thanksgiving, teams must formally tender a contract to all unsigned players, including their arbitration-eligible players. If a player is non-tendered, he becomes a free agent.
Dec. 8-11: Winter Meetings in Orlando, including the MLB Draft Lottery on Dec. 9 and the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 10.
Dec. 15: End of the 2025 international signing period.
Jan. 8, 2026: Eligible players and clubs exchange arbitration figures.
Jan. 15, 2026: Start of the new international signing period.
Which key players will become free agents?
Marcell Ozuna’s market, or lack thereof, seemed to be seen when Atlanta was unable to trade the designated hitter before the July 31 Trade Deadline. Still, even at a reduced rate, the Braves could strengthen the versatility of their roster by not employing a full-time DH in 2026. As for Raisel Iglesias, there’s reason to argue re-signing him would be beneficial.
Will the Braves extend any qualifying offers?
No. Ozuna and Iglesias are both ineligible because they previously received a qualifying offer from a former team.
Which players have options, what’s the dollar figure and impact on payroll, and when does it need to be decided upon?
Left-hander Chris Sale ($18 million), right-hander Pierce Johnson ($7 million) and righty Tyler Kinley ($5.5 million) have club options that will be exercised.
There’s also reason to assume the Braves will exercise Ozzie Albies’ $7 million option ($4 million buyout). The veteran second baseman struggled during this past season’s first half, but he improved during the second half as he distanced himself from a 2024 left wrist fracture. A late season left hamate fracture does at least give the Braves to pause and question whether this ailment could limit Albies’ production in ‘26.
The 30-year-old shortstop Kim has until five days after the conclusion of the World Series to decide whether to exercise his $16 million player option. While this would be the optimal outcome for the Braves, Kim would be one of the most attractive shortstops on this year’s free-agent market.
Who might be a non-tender candidate, and when does the club have to make that decision?
Some late-season additions left the Braves with nine arbitration-eligible players:
OF Jake Fraley
INF Vidal Brujan
OF Eli White
INF Nick Allen
RHP Alek Manoah
LHP Dylan Lee
LHP Joey Wentz
RHP Joel Payamps
LHP Jose Suarez
Teams have until Nov. 21 to decide whether to tender a contract to their arb-eligible players. With Jared Kelenic opting for free agency after being removed from the 40-man roster in early October, there aren’t any obvious non-tender candidates. But there would be a need to clear the 40-man roster for any offseason acquisitions.
Lee seems to be the only member of this group who will almost assuredly be tendered. It also seems highly likely White, Wentz and Allen will be tendered.
Atlanta will have some wiggle room with these decisions. Using Manoah as an example: If the Braves tender the former All-Star pitcher and don’t like what they see from him during Spring Training, they could cut ties and be responsible for just 30 or 45 days’ worth of the salary assigned or agreed to during the arb process.
What kind of help do they need and will they be active in free agency?
Kim’s decision will determine whether the Braves need to find a shortstop. Strengthening the rotation and bullpen are also at the top of president of baseball operations and GM Alex Anthopoulos’ to-do list. The offense will improve if Michael Harris II, Austin Riley, Sean Murphy and Albies have bounce-back seasons. But there may still be an attempt to add a player who is a versatile defender with an upside bat.
If the Braves look to add a free-agent starting pitcher, taking a chance on Zac Gallen having a rebound season might make sense. But Anthopoulos could attempt to satisfy his needs via trades.
Bolstered by Hurston Waldrep’s emergence and JR Ritchie’s impressive rise, the Braves now consider their organizational starting pitching depth a strength. It’s not easy to deal young arms. But it seems like the club would be dealing from a position of strength if it was to deal one of its young starters.
There have been rumors about the possibility of trading Murphy. But Atlanta would seemingly have to be blown away to deal the 2023 All-Star, who could form a strong catching duo with Drake Baldwin over the next few years. Coming off a right hip surgery, it doesn’t seem like Murphy would garner the return necessary to give up on what he provides defensively and, when healthy, offensively.