The Atlanta Braves haven't done a great job of keeping fan-favorite players around in the last few years. It started with Freddie Freeman after the 2021 season, and was then followed by Dansby Swanson and then Max Fried last offseason. We have an idea of why Freeman didn't return, but there has been no official confirmation on why Swanson didn't return to the Braves. The most likely answer is money given that Swanson's new deal was objectively insane, but it has cost Atlanta a good bit on the field since his exit.
Orlando Arcia did a good job for Atlanta in 2023 after the team lost Swanson to the Cubs. However, Arcia's luck ran out starting in 2024, and the Braves have been searching for a good shortstop since.
While Swanson's contract was risky at $177 million over seven years, it only equates to an AAV of $25 million per season. There's certainly some risk involved with that long of a contract, but now the Braves have been and are still without a sure thing at shortstop.
Letting Dansby Swanson go has left a void at shortstop the Braves are still struggling to fill
Ha-Seong Kim could exercise his player option and solve that problem for one more season. But it's more likely he chooses free agency, and that will make things even more difficult for them to bring him back.
That's the first consequence of the Braves letting Swanson walk, despite the hefty price tag. The second is that he's been fairly productive for the Cubs since joining them in 2023. His WAR is 13.6 over his first three seasons with Chicago, and he's continued to provide excellent defense with a 7 DRS, which is third-best in the NL in 2025.
Swanson's offense has been about the same with a slash line of .243/.313/.408, including 62 homers, 76 doubles, 223 RBI, and a .721 OPS. He's not blowing anyone away offensively, but he's remained fairly consistent.
The cost of keeping him in Atlanta for seven years probably felt too risky at the time. But it has highlighted the horrible depth the Braves have at shortstop. This is largely why they drafted so many shortstops in the 2025 draft, although none of those guys are locks to make a difference in the big leagues yet.
Who knows how long it will be until any of those players can take over shortstop or if they'll have to move to a secondary position. If Kim signs a two or three-year contract with the Braves, it will be a great stopgap until an internal option becomes available.
Swanson not being in Atlanta has been tough, as he was a great leader and player. Unfortunately, that's the nature of baseball being a business. It was already rare for a player to remain with one team their entire career, but in today's game, it never happens.