ATLANTA — Mauricio Dubón has received a pair of Gold Gloves whereas serving as one in every of baseball’s greatest utility gamers over the previous few years. Will he now change into the Braves’ major shortstop?
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos wasn’t able to decide to a selected function after buying Dubón from the Astros in alternate for infielder Nick Allen on Wednesday night time. However Anthopoulos didn’t rule out the chance that the 31-year-old infielder can be Atlanta’s shortstop at the beginning of the 2026 season.
“His function can be decided by what else we do that winter and even in Spring Coaching,” Anthopoulos stated. “I instructed him the identical factor. I do not know what the roster goes to appear like come Spring Coaching. However figuring out he has the flexibleness and athleticism to play each place, it simply offers us so many choices this winter.”
How good is Dubón defensively? He tied for MLB’s sixth-highest fielding run worth (+17) regardless of making simply 104 begins on protection in 2025. He additionally had a FRV of +6 at shortstop, regardless of making simply 33 appearances on the place.
Anthopoulos will proceed to watch the markets totally free agent Ha-Seong Kim and different out there shortstops. However with Dubón, he has any individual who can function his workforce’s on a regular basis shortstop if different choices show to be too costly by way of cash or prospect capital.
“Our underlying information on him at shortstop is sweet and robust,” Anthopoulos stated. “However I feel he is good at second, good at third and good on the nook [outfield spots]. He can play middle discipline. We just like the contact and the pace, as nicely. So it’s only a good piece.”
Dubón received the American League Gold Glove Award for utility gamers in 2023 and 2025.
The Astros’ want to maneuver Dubón was financially motivated. He made $5 million this 12 months, his second-to-last season of eligibility for wage arbitration. Allen will enter his first arb-eligible season.
Allen was named a Gold Glove Award finalist after serving as Atlanta’s major shortstop for the primary 5 months of this previous season. His offensive shortcomings (.535 OPS) had been actually problematic. His defensive worth was additionally restricted to the infield spots.
With Dubón, the Braves gained larger defensive versatility and a greater bat. The Honduras native posted a .677 OPS over the previous three seasons with the Astros. However he has a .746 OPS in 358 plate appearances towards left-handed pitchers for the reason that begin of 2023.
“To me, it’s a profitable participant and it’s a very nice piece to have on a contending membership,” Anthopoulos stated.
If Dubón isn’t the first shortstop, his presence will enable supervisor Walt Weiss to present a number of starters common relaxation. Dubón performed each place aside from pitcher and catcher in 2025, and he made a minimum of 17 appearances at each different place, aside from proper discipline (three video games) and first base (4 video games).
“Each workforce wants a backup middle fielder,” Anthopoulos stated. “Each workforce wants a beginning shortstop or a backup shortstop. These are simply more durable positions to seek out. So when one participant can fill each, that has worth.”
