Braves predicted to replace Marcell Ozuna, Ozzie Albies with $24M 2-time All-Star veteran

Hunter Cookston

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Braves predicted to replace Marcell Ozuna, Ozzie Albies with $24M 2-time All-Star veteran image

The Atlanta Braves have a lot of roster questions to address this offseason, and it’s going to be interesting to see how things unfold. Their biggest priority is the shortstop position. After that, they’ll need to determine whether Marcell Ozuna will be brought back. Last season, Ozuna vetoed three trades at the deadline.

“It’s possible that while Anthopoulos was discussing trades, he couldn’t agree on a deal that Ozuna’s agent could also sign off on. Just because Ozuna is leaving the deadline out of his hands doesn’t mean the 10-5 rights go out the window. He could have simply handed over those rights to his agent for the discussions,” SI’s Harrison Smajovits wrote.

If the Braves decide to move on from Ozuna, they could potentially acquire a player who would serve as both an Ozuna and Ozzie Albies replacement.

“Here, I’m going to make a proposition for a trade (or maybe as a free agent) to acquire the next DH on the team: Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe. Here, at Atlanta Braves on SI, Lowe has been named as a candidate to take over his primary position if they move on from Ozzie Albies. That could still be an option in theory, but this acquisition makes sense even if Albies sticks around. Lowe is coming off one of his better showings, proving what he’s capable of when he stays healthy. In 134 games, he batted .256 with a .785 OPS, 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. Both of the latter two stats are his best since 2021,” Smajovits wrote.

Lowe is an intriguing name to watch, and with GM Alex Anthopoulos’ previous comments about Albies’ future, he could end up being an everyday second baseman for the Braves. Pulling off a deal like this would certainly be a twist.

The Braves need to make moves that will get them back to the promised land, and Lowe is a strong option to help them do that. For Anthopoulos, it will come down to the details needed to make the deal happen.

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Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.