Atlanta Braves: 2 Glaring Needs This Offseason

The Atlanta Braves had a spectacular second half of the season, winning 101 games to steal the NL East Division from the New York Mets. Plenty of their young stars are locked up for years to come. But yes, the team still has a couple of glaring questions to address this offseason. Not the least of which is the status of their hometown star. 

Find a Way To Keep Dansby Swanson

Born in Kennesaw, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta, Swanson has spent his entire 7-year major league career with the Braves. He broke through as an All-Star in 2022, and the 28-year-old has now established himself among the growing list of the shortstop elite in baseball. 

But with that, he's put himself in the $100M contract category, and whether the Braves, who've shelled out many hundreds of millions in the past couple of years to lock up so many other of their young stars, can afford another nine-figure contract is up for debate. 

The thing is, other teams who are in the market for a big-time shortstop but perhaps can't afford the $300M price tag of the likes of Trea Turner and perhaps Carlos Correa, could be shopping in the Swanson $100M bin. So there will be competition.

If he doesn't return, it would certainly leave a huge hole, both on the field and in the clubhouse.

Swanson 🙋🏻‍♂️🍺🫶🏼#braves pic.twitter.com/3llDfbvLN4

— Amy McCann (@amymccann) October 22, 2022

Unload Marcell Ozuna

With $37M still owed the troubled outfielder over the next two years, the Braves are going to have to find a way to unload him. He's made himself persona non grata not only in Atlanta but seemingly everywhere else as well after two consecutive years of serious legal trouble and a lack of production when he has played. 

We already got an idea of how difficult it's going to be to move him after it was revealed this month that they couldn't even trade him for one of the worst pitchers in baseball.

Photo: Larry Robinson-USA TODAY Sports