The Atlanta Braves made the easy decision to pick up Ozzie Albies' option for the 2026 season. Despite his struggles with performance and health in 2025, the Braves believe he's still valuable. It's hard not to bring him back when his option is an affordable $7 million. Atlanta wouldn't find very many replacement options at a rate better than that. Not to mention his buyout was worth $4 million. The decision to keep him was relatively straightforward after considering these things.
Albies is a great leader, and when he's healthy, he's one of the best on the field. He has really struggled to perform at a high level over the last two years, but a good chunk of those struggles stems from a slew of injuries that prevented him from playing a full season.
Now, the team will still have concerns about whether Ozzie will be able to produce in 2026 as he is healing from his left hamate fracture. It was an easy risk to take, considering that if things go sideways, they aren't on the hook beyond this season.
Ozzie Albies' injury history casts a long shadow on the 2026 season
Albies' injury occurred towards the end of the season, allowing him to appear in 157 games. Not as bad as 2024, when he only played in 99. Unfortunately, it still ended up being one of his worst offensive seasons.
He batted .240/.306/.365 with 16 homers, 74 RBI, and an 87 wRC+. To add to his struggles, he continued to be well below average defensively as well. However, to give him some credit, his strikeout, whiff, and squared-up percentages were excellent.
Atlanta's second baseman is only two years removed from an All-Star season where he also received MVP consideration. There's a good reason why the Braves were quick to pick up his option despite the injury concerns. However, there is a real chance that this is Albies' last chance to show he can stay healthy. Yes, he is cheap when it comes to salary, but you still have to be on the field and perform. If recent history is any indication, the "staying on the field" part could prove problematic.
This is one of the easiest decisions of the offseason for Atlanta's front office. However, everyone will be watching closely to see how this season will impact his future with the organization. If he stays healthy, things could work out well for each side. If the injuries continue to pile up, Albies could be playing elsewhere come 2027.