Braves' 2025 struggles are not a reason to overpay for top shortstop free agent

ByChase Owens|
MLB Speedway Classic: Atlanta Braves v Cincinnati Reds
MLB Speedway Classic: Atlanta Braves v Cincinnati Reds | Jamie Squire/GettyImages

If Atlanta Braves fans were to make a list of all the players that underperformed expectations in 2025 the page would run long. However, amongst that list shortstop Nick Allen would have to be excluded from the bad company. Allen won the job early in the season, and while his bat brings near bottom of the league production, his elite defense (98th percentile in Fielding Run Value) has his Fangraphs WAR at a respectable 1.0 total.

Despite Allen's value, the lack of shortstop production is a big part why the Braves offense hasn't been up to standard the last couple years. This is why many fans are clamoring for soon to be top free agent shortstop Bo Bichette to sign with Atlanta in the offseason. However, when you take a look at Bichette's profile you quickly realize getting into a bidding war to sign him would be an ill advised move.

Braves signing Bo Bichette this winter isn't the move Alex Anthopoulos needs to make

As mentioned, improving the offense during the winter has to be high on the list of priorities for Alex Anthopoulos. The most obvious places where the Braves can improve is up the middle. Nick Allen, Ozzie Albies, and Michael Harris II all carry sub .400 slugging percentages, and seem to be the most logical choices to upgrade in the winter.

Obviously, Bichette would be a massive upgrade over Allen offensively, but his all around value isn't going to match his expected payday this winter. Bichette is a career .292 hitter and owns a career 120 wRC+. His 2025 numbers are right in line with his career norms; entering Thursday he has a .301/.340/.475 slash line and 126 wRC+. The problem with Bichette is he relies a lot on BABIP luck.

He's not a huge slugger at the plate (just 16 homers on the season), has just a 5.3% walk rate, and is both a poor defender - 16th percentile in Fielding Run Value - and poor baserunner (14th percentile in Baserunning Run Value). Pretty much his entire basis on being a productive player depends on his him hitting for at a near .300 clip, which is a hard life to sustain.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the 2026 shortstop class looks pretty dim. If Anthopoulos wants to improve the Braves offense this winter he's going to have to get creative. Given how frugal the front office was with money this past offseason, spending a large portion of their budget on Bichette would be a big mistake. The Braves have to upgrade at shortstop, but the most popular name in the 2026 free agent shortstop class shouldn't be Atlanta's target.

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