After their dominating win over the Tigers on Friday night, the Atlanta Braves have just eight games left in the 2025 season and, in a lot of ways, that is welcome news. The Braves have just been trying to survive until the end of this dumpster fire of a season and are still having to make waiver claims just to have a fully functioning roster. While getting this season in the rearview mirror will be nice, it does mean that there are some Atlanta players that are playing their last few games with the team.
Here are some of the Braves players whose days are numbered with the team
The goal here isn't to identify every Braves that could get traded, nontendered, or let leave in free agency. Think of this more as a preview of the types of players that Atlanta is likely to look to part ways with at the end of the 2025 season. There is going to be a lot of changes to this Braves roster this offseason, so lets take a look at some players and why their days with the Braves are numbered.
Nick Allen
All season long, it has been extremely clear that the Braves need a real solution at shortstop. Orlando Arcia flamed out and while Allen is a great defender, his lack of offensive upside is a real problem and is precisely why Atlanta went out and claimed Ha-Seong Kim. Kim staying is not a certainty, but that doesn't change the fact that the Braves know Allen isn't the guy.
Allen is about to enter his first year of arbitration, so there is an argument to keep him as a bench option for another year while he is cheap. However, it feels more likely (or at least better) that the Braves move him to another team that may need a cheap starting shortstop and get something of value back for him before his value depreciates further.
Marcell Ozuna
No surprises here as Ozuna is a classic pending free agent who is aging and is clearly in decline. Ozuna was losing playing time in the second half and there is no arguing that he just is not the bat he once was. With the Braves having multiple internal DH options to rotate in and out of that lineup spot, there just isn't much merit to carrying a full-time designated hitter like Ozuna. All indications are that the Braves will let him leave and frankly, it feels like time.
Nacho Alvarez Jr.
Nacho Alvarez is a strange case for this list because he is a young player with real upside and who is among the Braves' better position "prospects". The problem is simply that he isn't going to have much in the way of opportunities for him in Atlanta going forward. Austin Riley's injury should be healed up by spring training, Ozzie Albies should return, and if Atlanta thought Nacho was an answer at shortstop, they would be playing him there right now. Look for the Braves to include Alvarez in a trade this offseason to address other roster holes.
Joey Wentz
The Braves reuniting with Joey Wentz with a waiver claim was a fun story for a little while as he was quite good to start with. Unfortunately, Wentz seems to have turned back into a pumpkin with a 6.32 ERA over his last eight starts. Wentz feels like a guy that could get nontendered as a first year arbitration guy as Atlanta looks to build a rotation they can count on in 2026. Even if the Braves decide to keep him in the short-term, Wentz is an obvious trade candidate.
Vidal Brujan
Now we come to the obvious type of player to cut loose: those that are just not good enough for a season-long roster spot and Brujan is a great example. Brujan has had a couple moments with Atlanta, but the bat just doesn't impact the ball enough and his .615 OPS with the Braves so far doesn't move the needle. There are just better options for that utility spot on the bench and given Brujan's inability to stick with any team at this point in his career, the Braves will likely come to the conclusion that he was only a short-term fix.