The Atlanta Braves have some important questions to answer this offseason. From the pitching staff to the position players, the team has obvious needs to address. One of those decisions will be whether Ozzie Albies should return to second base in 2027. He has a final club option worth $7 million if the Braves choose to bring him back. That's an incredibly affordable contract in today's game.
The past few years have been a bit of a disappointment for him, between injuries and underperformance on the field. However, through it all, Albies has remained an important leader in the clubhouse.
With that being said, his performance in 2026 was one of the worst of his career. He had a .237/.293/.392 slash line over 162 games, with 27 doubles, 22 home runs, 73 RBI, 46 walks, 105 strikeouts, and a .685 OPS. The slug was still pretty good, but he struggled to get on base and come through in clutch moments. It was rough to watch at times.
Ozzie Albies neeeds to show up like he did in the postseason if he wants to sign an extension with the Braves
Despite the rough season, Albies showed up big time in the playoffs. He slashed .250/.400/.667 with two doubles, one triple, five RBI, five walks, four strikeouts, and a 1.067 OPS over seven games. He and Michael Harris II were the only two consistent bright spots for the Braves in the postseason. It seems like he figured things out at the most important time. That alone probably sealed his return next season. However, he will need to do a lot to prove he should return beyond 2027.
Albies would need to return to his 2023 level of production to earn an extension with the Braves prior to reaching free agency. That would mean maintaining his respectable whiff and strikeout percentages from 2026. Believe it or not, Albies ranked in the 70th percentile in whiff rate (21.2%) and the 83rd percentile in strikeouts (15.4%) in 2026. His squared-up percentage sat at 26.1%, which is slightly above average. However, he underperformed in every other offensive metric.
That will need to change if he's going to remain with the team for a while longer. Albies will also need to have another good year defensively. He hasn't excelled in that department in a while, but he had a 1 OAA in 2026. Unfortunately. the arm strength continues to be subpar.
The main thing Albies needs to do is show he can be a more consistent hitter again. He's a bad-ball hitter, and that can work out in some moments. But it's not a recipe for success all the time. If he can be a bit more disciplined at the plate and show he can contribute more often, that's an easy extension for the Braves to sign.
However, if the decline continues, expect 2027 to be Ozzie's final year in Atlanta. With the stats telling a clear story of regression, the signs point to him not doing enough to stick around. But we hope we're wrong.
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