Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos will have a busy winter before the 2027 season. While the club won the National League East and reached the Divisional Round, changes are coming. The Braves have several pending free agents on the roster, including Mauricio Dubon and Tyler Mahle. They could also face a major decision regarding Ronald Acuna Jr.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter has now named the star slugger as the top trade chip in all of baseball. According to the reporter, the outfielder’s subpar 2026 season, including the playoffs, could make Atlanta look to make a move. Reuter also points out that the star recently scrubbed the Braves from his Instagram account.
If the Atlanta Braves ultimately trade Acuna, the deal would obviously fall into the blockbuster category. After all, the slugger is a five-time All-Star selection, three-time Silver Slugger, MVP winner, and has a career .895 OPS. His relatively modest annual salary for the next two seasons should also be very attractive to potential suitors.
The superstar outfielder previously signed an eight-year, $100 million contract at the age of 21. He became the youngest Major League Baseball player in history to sign such a deal. As a result of the agreement, Atlanta has team options to secure Acuna for just $17 million in 2027 and 2028. The annual salary is a steal compared to other players at his position. In fact, 17 MLB outfielders earned more than this in 2026.
Atlanta Braves Could Strike a Deal as Ronald Acuna Jr. Struggles
As Reuter points out, Acuna particularly struggled down the stretch for the Atlanta Braves. In fact, he was just three for 24 (.125 batting average) with zero RBIs during the 2026 playoffs. His poor showing when it mattered was met with boos from the home crowd following his final postseason at-bat. After the game, the superstar was visibly emotional.
“To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement,” Acuna told media members, as reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. “I’m particularly frustrated with myself. I feel like I did nothing to help the team this series. I’m supposed to be a spark plug for my team out there, and I never lit that fire… Frustrating. I didn’t do anything for the team. That’s it.”
While he claimed that he was healthy during the Atlanta Braves playoff run, he has unfortunately endured several significant setbacks in recent years. In fact, the star has only managed to play at least 120 games in a season just twice in his career. The last time he reached this figure was in 2023, his MVP-winning campaign. The slugger has averaged just 84 games per year over the last three combined seasons.
Atlanta Expected to Receive Trade Calls About Superstar
Despite these struggles, the Atlanta Braves would set a high asking price for Acuna if they were to trade him. When healthy and on his game, the outfielder is considered one of the best hitters in baseball. Whether Anthopoulos truly wants to make such a major move remains to be seen, though. Nevertheless, several teams, including the Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, and New York Yankees, have already been named as potential landing spots for Acuna.
$100 Million Braves Star Named Top MLB Trade Candidate