3+ week, 3+ day ago (282+ words) This obviously isn't the case for some pieces, as Chris Sale and Ozzie Albies both already have had their team options exercised for the 2026 season. Two obvious decisions that keep two key starters on the team. However, that isn't the case for much of the roster, with three key players standing out as pieces who are no longer a fit. There should be zero consideration of bringing back a pitcher who appears to be heading for retirement. Even if the starter opted to make a surprise return, it shouldn't be in Atlanta. Morton's story with the Braves has come to an end, one that will be forever remembered for his role in the 2021 World Series run. There were times when Williams was legitimately Atlanta's best emergency relief option. This speaks to just how awful the bullpen truly was when your…...

3+ week, 4+ day ago (320+ words) The Atlanta Braves made a predictable move earlier this week, opting to exercise the player option on Ozzie Albies for the 2026 season. It doesn't come as a sur Braves Make Obvious Decision Bringing Back Infielder Ozzie Albies for 2026 Season It was only the 2023 season that the second baseman hit .280 and drove in 109 while playing above-average defense. There is a reason to wonder if Albies can still find this version of himself. Perhaps a healthy offseason will prove to be the missing piece to turn back the clock. The infielder is only 28, leaving every reason to believe that great seasons are still in front of the undersized slugger. With this in mind, Atlanta made the obvious choice in hopes that Albies would turn back the clock. If this were to happen, the lineup overnight looks drastically different with the second baseman…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (400+ words) Even if Cousins were to play at a high level, you still would have the opportunity to consider the signing with Willis poised to become a free agent at the end of the year. The quarterback could be enticed to return home with a chance to start, with Penix's path back remaining very much in question. Willis is the perfect bridge starter in the fact that he is an unknown with possible upside. The starter hasn't had enough reps since joining head coach Matt LaFleur's team to fully know his ceiling. It would be a cheap investment with high upside for the Falcons. The veteran signal-caller has played in two Super Bowls and offers a level of stability, even if there is a clear ceiling at this stage of his career. The Falcons are in such an odd position, not…...

4+ day, 20+ hour ago (289+ words) Much of this will be determined by how healthy London can get ahead of a trip to New York to take on the Jets. Still, it makes sense to elevate Osborn even if London is able to return to the lineup. With Michael Penix Jr. slated to miss the rest of the season, Kirk Cousins is the starter and has a level of familiarity with the pass catcher. Osborn and Cousins played together on the Vikings, where the receiver was consistently a secondary target that had his veteran quarterback's trust. As Cousins attempts to settle back into a starting role, there should be a level of comfort in bringing back a familiar target. Osborn's best season was in his second year in 2021 when the pass catcher totaled 655 receiving yards. This was followed up by solid performances in both the 2022 and…...

3+ week, 1+ day ago (388+ words) The Atlanta Braves' choice to move on from star first baseman Freddie Freeman has aged as poorly as any decision in recent franchise history. Opting to allow a National League rival to steal your most consistent hitter shockingly hasn't aged well, and now Freeman is a three-time World Series champion after winning back-to-back championships with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Atlanta fans are facing the difficult reality that a former cornerstone of the franchise has cemented a legacy with the Dodgers. It very much calls into question how his career will be remembered. No longer is it clear whether Freeman will be going into the Hall of Fame as a Brave. There is a real argument to be made that his MLB career will be defined by his time with Los Angeles. A difficult truth that is simply unavoidable when you…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago (383+ words) Wednesday was a busy day for the Atlanta Braves, as the club completed two transactions that addressed relevant areas of need on the roster. Just before 8 P.M. Eastern Time, the Braves announced that Raisel Iglesias would return on a 1-year, $16M deal - presumably to continue as the team's closer. Even after announcing the Iglesias, the Braves were not finished reconstructing the roster. At 9:05 P.M. Eastern Time, the team announced that it had traded infielder Nick Allen to the Houston Astros in exchange for Infielder Mauricio Dub'n. Dub'n's potential at the plate is also much higher than Allen's. While his career wRC+ is only 85 (15% below league average), he accrued a wRC+ of at least 94 in 2019, 2020, and 2023. His ceiling seems to be a league-average bat - a pinnacle that neither Orlando Arcia nor Nick Allen ever attained while playing shortstop for the Braves. In Dub'n, the…...

4+ day, 19+ hour ago (289+ words) This is a piece of who Ozuna is. Look back at the 2021 season when the slugger struggled to hit above the Mendoza line and wasn't anything close to reliable at the plate. It was a year cut short by suspension that bled into the 2022 season, where the Braves remained patient, yet frustrated, with continually dipping numbers. It was patience that was rewarded over the next two years with the previously mentioned RBI numbers and an average reflective of incredible improvement. Still, the story of Ozuna's time in Atlanta will be one of incredible inconsistency with high highs and low lows that the Braves cannot afford to bring back for the 2026 season. Ozuna's days in the field are far behind him, limiting the veteran's value to the energy he brings in the clubhouse and production at the plate. These two things…...

1+ week, 20+ hour ago (434+ words) It seems the Atlanta Falcons have very few recent decisions that aren't aging poorly. Across the league and throughout the Falcons roster, there is no shortage of examples of Atlanta mistakes. One recent example is linebacker Nate Landman, who has become a star for the Los Angeles Rams. The defender was rewarded with an in-season extension, with NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reporting the deal. Rapoport detailed the extension: "Nate Landman agreed to terms on a 3-year, $22.5M deal with $15.6M guaranteed, source said. He was playing under the veteran minimum deal of $1.1M this year." This points out the fact that the Falcons could've easily returned the defender to the current lineup and had a clear upgrade over their current starting options alongside Kaden Elliss. This would be far easier for Falcons fans to overlook if it were an outlier and not the…...

4+ day, 15+ hour ago (288+ words) Atlanta jettisoned Blewett off the roster for Craig Kimbrel, who made one scoreless appearance before being taken off the roster himself. It was a move that indicated where the Braves' season was heading and told of how lost the front office had become. Taking Blewett off the roster was always an odd decision with the right-hander showing a surprising penchant for coming up in the clutch. Twice in his time with Atlanta, the Braves threw the righty on the mound in extra innings with a ghost runner at second, and each time Blewett found a way to extend the game and give Atlanta a chance at the win. For Blewett, it had to be a frustrating tenure, and a reason why signing a minor league deal with Atlanta was unlikely to be highly considered. It would've been a great depth…...

1+ day, 22+ hour ago (275+ words) The Atlanta Falcons appear likely to be without star receiver Drake London against the New York Jets in Week 13. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's D. Orlando Ledbetter, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters on Wednesday that London is "doubtful" to face the Jets on Sunday due to his knee injury, which obviously isn't ideal this close to the playoffs. The Jets are an extremely beatable opponent, but nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. The Falcons still have a great shot at winning this weekend, but being without their No. 1 wide receiver won't make things easy. With this in mind, it seems very probable that Osborn is elevated from the practice squad and active for Sunday's game in New York. This is obviously dependent on the early reporting around London's injury status being correct. It makes sense for the Falcons to…...