4 former Braves players that may have to call it quits after the 2025 season

With the 2025 MLB season winding down, countless players across the league are getting ready to play their final big league game, whether they know it or not. Some players who played during the 2025 season, like Atlanta Braves legend Jesse Chavez, have already called it quits, while others may have already been cut from a team for the final time.

There are four former Braves who have likely reached the end of the line, from a former face of the franchise to a World Series hero.

4 former Braves who are likely retiring after the 2025 season

Jason Heyward

When Jason Heyward broke onto the scene in 2010, Braves fans likely thought they were seeing the start of a future Hall-of-Fame career. Instead, Heyward spent the next four seasons as a Brave as simply a good outfielder, before being traded to the Cardinals. His 2015 was impressive enough to score a huge deal from the Cubs, where he never lived up to his full potential.

Since 2023, the outfielder has bounced around as a fourth outfielder and was fairly productive for the Dodgers and Astros, but was horrible for the San Diego Padres. Heyward was cut in June and never latched on to another team.

It's safe to say that Heyward has probably already played his final MLB game.

Shelby Miller

Some Braves fans might be surprised Shelby Miller is still technically an active MLB player. After all, after being traded to the Diamondbacks in one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory, the righty was among the worst pitchers in baseball. From 2016 through 2019, Miller's 6.89 ERA was the worst in baseball among pitchers with at least 150 innings.

After opting out in 2020 and only making cameos in 2021 and 2022, Miller managed to stick around as a decent reliever.

This year, his 1.98 ERA with the DBacks was impressive enough for the Brewers to take a flyer on him, even though he was on the IL at the time. Unfortunately, 11 games and six earned runs later, Miler suffered a UCL sprain, which will likely require the second Tommy John of his career.

Less than three weeks away from his 35th birthday, Miller faces a huge uphill battle if he ever wants to pitch in the bigs again.

Charlie Morton

Charlie Morton's 2025 has been a rollercoaster. After spending the first month as the worst starting pitcher in baseball, the 41-year-old was moved to the Orioles bullpen. He pitched well enough in that role to be moved back into the rotation, and then pitched well enough to be a trade deadline acquisition.

However, Morton was a disaster for the Tigers, with the longtime Brave putting up a 7.09 ERA in nine starts with Detroit. Morton's final start against the Braves was the nail in the coffin, as he was designated for assignment. Unless Morton somehow finds a team for the last week of the season, he'll finish his age-41 season with a 5.89 ERA in 140.2 innings, which might make it tough for him to find a team if he does want to play in 2026.

Craig Kimbrel

Kimbrel has also had a wild 2025. The former All-Star closer signed with the Braves late into spring training. Because of the late start, the 37-year-old essentially took an extended spring training in the minors, with the expectation that he would eventually join the Braves bullpen.

The Braves however, kept him in Gwinnett until early June. Kimbrel had decent run prevention numbers with a 2.02 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A, but had some command issues. Still, the Braves brought him up in June, where he had a scoreless outing in San Francisco.

Then, the Braves immediately DFA'd him. Kimbrel would catch on with the Rangers organization, pitch 24 games in Round Rock, before opting out and joining the Astros. He's pitched well enough for the Astros, but his peripheral numbers will likely scare away teams next season.

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