Braves keep Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies in-house, exercising 2027 club options

Atlanta also restored several starters from the 60-day injured list to the 40-man roster, preserving depth as the postseason break turns into roster planning.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Atlanta Braves exercised club options on Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies, keeping the star duo under team control for at least one more season. MLB’s official team announcement said Acuña’s $17 million option and Albies’ $7 million option were both exercised on Thursday.

Acuña’s contract includes an additional $17 million option for the 2028 season, while Albies is set to become eligible for free agency following the 2027 season. The Braves indicated it had long been assumed both options would be picked up for the upcoming year.

On the pitching side, the Braves reinstated starting pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz from the 60-day injured list. The move matters immediately because, after the World Series, Atlanta needed to place those players back onto its 40-man roster, which was listed at 35 players at the time of the announcement.

Atlanta’s decision set in motion longer-term roster questions that go beyond 2027. The team noted there is a possibility that Strider, Schwellenbach, Waldrep and Wentz could begin next season on the injured list, even after their reinstatements.

The Braves’ roster housekeeping also came with multiple free-agent departures. MLB’s report said utility man Mauricio Dubón, right-handers Tyler Mahle, Raisel Iglesias and Joe Jiménez, left-handers Martin Pérez and Brent Suter, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, outfielder Lane Thomas, and designated hitters Dominic Smith and Rowdy Tellez all became free agents on Thursday.

Why It Matters

Exercising both options answers the immediate question of whether Atlanta will retain its core position players for 2027, rather than pivoting to an in-season rebuild.
The club’s reinstatements keep its starting pitching group available for roster planning, even if some pitchers may still open the year on the injured list.
With the 40-man roster and free-agent departures shifting simultaneously, Atlanta’s offseason decisions will hinge on how the reinstated starters and the remaining internal arms fit together.
Keeping Acuña and Albies reduces uncertainty in the lineup construction and lets the Braves allocate resources elsewhere as they reshape roster depth.

Sources

Key Facts

The Braves exercised Ronald Acuña Jr.’s $17 million club option for the upcoming season.
The Braves exercised Ozzie Albies’ $7 million club option for the upcoming season.
Acuña’s deal also includes a $17 million option for 2028, and Albies would reach free agency after the 2027 season.
Atlanta reinstated starters Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz from the 60-day injured list.
The Braves said the 40-man roster requirement following the World Series drove the reinstatements (roster listed at 35 players).
The report listed multiple players who became free agents on Thursday, including Dubón, Mahle, Iglesias, Jiménez, Pérez, Suter, Kim, Thomas, Dominic Smith and Rowdy Tellez.