This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.
“We may nonetheless do one thing at shortstop; we’re very open there,” Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos stated. “We may nonetheless do issues with a [starting pitcher]; we’re nonetheless very open there. Bullpen, we’re nonetheless very open there.”
Anthopoulos is clearly very open to extending the progress he made on Wednesday, when he signed Iglesias to a one-year, $16 million deal and likewise traded Nick Allen to the Astros for Dubón. However his to-do checklist nonetheless appears to be like very like it did in the beginning of the offseason. Nicely, type of.
Securing a better – one who posted a 1.25 ERA over his ultimate 45 appearances this previous season – was vital. However who’s going to function Iglesias’ prime setup man? The highest present choice is Dylan Lee. Different inner candidates embrace Daysbel Hernández and Aaron Bummer. Grant Holmes would possibly fill a bullpen spot if he’s in a position to keep away from proper elbow surgical procedure. However there’s nonetheless uncertainty about Joe Jiménez’s surgically repaired left knee, which value him the 2025 season.
Nonetheless you take a look at it, I believe it’s protected to imagine the Braves will attempt to add at the very least two extra relievers and sure three earlier than the beginning of Spring Coaching.
As for the Dubón acquisition, it’s finest to attend till the top of the offseason to undertaking the worth of this transfer.
From a right away standpoint, this can be a win. Allen’s worth is proscribed to the good protection he gives at quick. For about $4 million extra, the Braves have gained a two-time Gold Glove Award winner who can present plus protection at each infield and outfield place.
How is Dubón offensively? Nicely, let’s simply say he’s ok that I gained’t be utilizing the identical Rafael Belliard comp that I gave to Allen heading into final season.
Will Dubón be the Braves’ main shortstop in 2026? This seemingly relies on a number of totally different variables. If the value for Ha-Seong Kim proves to be proper, then it’d make sense to signal him and have Dubón fill a super-utility function.
Until you’re among the many few who could be prepared to place Bo Bichette’s glove at quick each day, Kim is the one engaging shortstop on the free-agent market. There is likely to be commerce prospects. If the Yankees transfer on from Anthony Volpe, he may gain advantage from a change of surroundings.
But when the Braves don’t discover a shortstop, Dubón appears able to filling the function each day.
Dubón has gained a Gold Glove Award as a utility participant two of the previous three seasons. The 31-year-old veteran was tied for the sixth-highest fielding run worth (17) amongst all MLB gamers this previous season.
Possibly extra impressively, Dubón had the sixth-highest FRV (6) amongst all MLB shortstops in 2025. Why is sixth-best spectacular? Nicely, this can be a cumulative stat, and Dubón performed simply 206 innings as a shortstop. That’s 856 fewer innings than Astros beginning shortstop Jeremy Peña, whose FRV was additionally 6.
Too small of a pattern dimension? Nicely, Dubón is tied for the Fifteenth-highest FRV (11) amongst all shortstops going again to 2021, regardless of 55 gamers logging extra innings on the place throughout this span.
Dubón can be greater than able to taking part in shortstop if that’s the route the Braves go. Will he hit sufficient to be an on a regular basis participant? He was practically a mean offensive performer in 2023, when he had a 97 OPS+. That quantity has slipped to 87 and 78 the previous two seasons.
If Michael Harris II lastly places a full season collectively, and Ozzie Albies and Sean Murphy bounce again, and Ronald Acuña Jr. additional distances himself from his second ACL tear, and Austin Riley will get again to being a 30-homer hitter, then the Braves might need sufficient firepower to have a bat like Dubón’s of their lineup each day.
However the Braves entered final season understanding that offensive manufacturing on the shortstop place is likely to be an issue. Orlando Arcia had produced a 73 OPS+ in 2024, and there was by no means cause to suppose Allen would hit. Nonetheless, it was high quality as a result of they might be a part of a lineup that might get 30-plus homers and a .900-plus OPS from Marcell Ozuna once more, proper?
So if Dubón is the shortstop, is there nonetheless a necessity for one more bat? And if the medical employees says Ozuna’s hip is wholesome, would it not make sense to additionally deliver him again for yet one more season?
