ThatBravesBlogger
The Braves didn’t just finish 2025 with the worst offensive production from the shortstop position in baseball — they cratered. Bottom of the league in OPS, total bases, and slugging. That kind of black hole doesn’t fly when you’re trying to win a pennant.
So with Ha-Seong Kim opting out and the free agent market heating up, Alex Anthopoulos is in a position he doesn’t usually love: needing to spend big or swing even bigger.
Here’s a breakdown of the real shortstop options the Braves might chase — and one wild card that makes more than it should.
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Free Agent Splash: Bo Bichette
The Fit: This is the dream scenario. Bichette is the best offensive SS available — career .294 hitter, still only 28, and built for Truist’s gaps. He immediately upgrades the top of the order.
The Connection: AA helped draft and develop Bichette back in Toronto. If anyone can sell him on Atlanta’s core, it’s the guy who watched him grow up in pro ball.
The Timing: He’s hitting free agency in his prime. The Braves’ competitive window is now. A 7-year deal north of $200M might hurt in 2032, but it could win you a title in 2026.
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Big Trade Energy: Corey Seager
Yeah, it sounds nuts. But hear it out.
Why It Could Happen:
• The Rangers are over budget and underachieving.
• Seager still has over $180M left through 2031.
• Anthopoulos has shown he’ll take on money to avoid overpaying in prospects — see: Olson, Sale, Murphy.
Why It Works:
You’re not just buying a bat; you’re buying October. Seager is a two-time World Series MVP and one of the most clutch postseason hitters of the last decade. Add his glove and lefty bat to this infield and you’ve got stability for the next six years.
The Risk: You’re likely giving up both Cam Caminiti and Hurston Waldrep to get Texas to eat enough money to make it palatable. That’s a big price — but flags fly forever.
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The Underrated Pivot: Marcus Semien
This is the Anthopoulos special.
Semien isn’t on most fans’ radar as a shortstop target, but:
• He played shortstop full-time early in his career.
• He’s a Gold Glover, durable as hell, and still bangs the ball around the yard.
• He’s signed for 3 more years at big money, but not Seager money.
Why it tracks: Texas is shopping salary, and Semien offers flexibility. Slide him in at short, let Allen be the utility man, and buy yourself time to develop Nacho Alvarez Jr. or figure out your real long-term answer.
This would be the Matt Olson model: pay for a guy with proven tools, locked in at a number you can stomach, without emptying the farm.
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The Bottom Line:
The Braves have to do something at short. They’re built to win right now, and you can’t have a contender dragging a .620 OPS at a premium position.
If AA wants the sure thing, it’s Bichette.
If he wants the big swing, it’s Seager.
But if he wants the AA-style “buy-low, stay good” move?
Don’t be surprised if Marcus Semien is wearing a tomahawk by March
ThatBravesBlog 