The Atlanta Braves have had a productive offseason thus far, especially in a division like the NL East, which is sure to be competitive throughout the 2026 season. Atlanta kicked off their offseason spending by bringing back closer Raisel Iglesias on a one-year, $16 million contract.
After that, the Braves made a big splash by landing reliever Robert Suarez on a three-year, $45 million deal, which should help with the back-end of the bullpen problems the Braves had last season. Atlanta then reached an agreement on a two-year contract with outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. Finally, the Braves signed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to a one-year, $20 million. While they could certainly do more, this is a great start to the offseason for the Braves.
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Braves Offseason Signings Grades Revealed
In a recent article by Sports Illustrated’s Harrison Smajovits, the Braves writer grades out each move made by Atlanta this offseason.
Focusing on the biggest signing, Robert Suarez, Smajovits believes this is an A+ signing:
“Since Iglesias is on a one-year contract, if he retires, Suarez just becomes the closer in 2027. For now, they will have elite-level arms coming into shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings. It doesn’t get better than this for a move.”
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As for some of the other contracts Atlanta has handed out this offseason, Raisel Iglesias gets an A-, Mike Yastrzemski gets a ‘B’, and Kim received an A-.
Smajovits also included some of the other small signings the Braves have made, like Joel Payamps, which received a ‘C’ grade.
All-in-all, it’s been a good offseason thus far for the Braves, but they might remain aggressive and think about adding more value on smaller deals. Atlanta is also awaiting the decision of free agent Marcell Ozuna, which will also have an impact on how the Braves’ offseason turns out.
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What Else Should Atlanta Do This Offseason?
The Atlanta Braves could go a variety of ways this offseason in terms of making their roster better. Signing a guy like Zac Gallen would get the Braves an inning-eater starter, which is what GM Alex Anthopoulos is shopping for.
However, they could also trade for an arm like Mitch Keller or Pablo Lopez to achieve that. The bottom line is the Braves should consider adding another formidable starter, and if they miss out on Ozuna, another impact bat may also be needed.
With the Mets and Phillies certainly going to continue their aggression, it’s important for the Braves to match that energy. Anthopoulos and the rest of the front office have shown a strong likeness to certain players, so it’ll be interesting to see how linked the Braves will be with other top free agents.
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