Braves get nightmare shortstop update as Rangers make Corey Seager's future crystal clear

Hunter Cookston

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Braves get nightmare shortstop update as Rangers make Corey Seager's future crystal clear image

The Atlanta Braves are still working to finalize several moves this offseason, despite already having one of their strongest winters in recent memory. The team has added veteran experience at key positions, but there’s still room for improvement. One area that remains unresolved is the shortstop position, and GM Alex Anthopoulos knows a move needs to be made.

“Anthopoulos said shortstop, bullpen and rotation are among the areas they'll discuss addressing this winter. The hope is still to retain Ha-Seong Kim, but lots of factors there,” AJC’s Gabe Burns reported.

The Braves traded for Mauricio Dubon at the start of free agency, but that doesn’t guarantee he will be the everyday shortstop. A name that has been circulating is Corey Seager, a two-time World Series champion who has been heavily linked to Atlanta.

“While he’s going to require shipping off some talent, the Braves should be able to leverage the salary they would be taking on to give up fewer players. They could also leverage assets to get the Rangers to retain some salary to avoid taking on all of it,” SI’s Harrison Smajovitts wrote. “Seager is a two-time World Series MVP, winning his first with the Dodgers in 2020 and his second with the Rangers in 2023.”

However, the Texas Rangers’ President of Baseball Operations Chris Young has shut down any hope of a trade for Seager.

“We are not shopping Corey Seager,” he said. “We want Corey Seager to help us win our next championship...I want to make that very clear.”

This development thins the market for the Braves, leaving only a few viable candidates. There’s no cause for panic if Atlanta can’t find the right fit, as Dubon remains a solid option, though the team envisions him in a utility role.

Seager would be an ideal fit in Atlanta and is among the top players in the game today. Ha-Seong Kim is still on the table, as is Bo Bichette, along with other options, but the Seager scenario was too appealing not to consider.

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