While the New York Mets had a disappointing end to their season, it’s tough to argue that the Atlanta Braves weren’t the most disappointing team in Major League Baseball.
While the Braves were derailed by injuries and some other factors, nobody expected Atlanta not to have a chance to make the postseason.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Braves have plenty to figure out. While the Braves didn’t play well, and neither did the Mets, the Braves could make things even worse for them by going out and trying to acquire someone like Edwin Diaz. Diaz has been among the top closers in Major League Baseball over the past few years, and Zach Pressnell of Sports Illustrated believes there’s a real chance Atlanta could be a top landing spot for him.
“The Atlanta Braves were one of the most disappointing teams in baseball this year, but they’re likely going to hit the offseason hard to prevent it from happening again. With Raisel Iglesias likely departing in free agency, the Braves will need to look to free agency to add a replacement.
“Stealing Diaz from a hated division rival would be the best move Atlanta could make,” Pressnell wrote.
Could Mets Lose Player to Division Rival Braves?
Seeing Diaz go from the New York Mets to the Atlanta Braves would be a bit surprising, but nothing can be counted out. Ultimately, much of this comes down to money. If the Braves are willing to give Diaz the contract he’s looking for, as he has an opt-out this offseason with the Mets, anything is possible.
However, after the Mets’ season finale on Sunday, he stated that he loves New York and would love to return.
“Yeah, of course,” Diaz said, per NJ.com. “I love this organization. They treat me really good, my family, everything. If I decide to opt out, I would love to come back.”
While adding somebody like Diaz would be a step in the right direction, it’s also fair to note that the Braves have a ton of question marks in their starting rotation. Head coach Brian Snitker addressed that, but didn’t want to blame everything on just how the team performed, but rather on the fact that they dealt with as many injuries as they did.
“I think [the 2026 rotation] has a chance to be what we thought the rotation would be going into this year,” the Braves manager said, per MLB.com. “We were really excited about it.”
“You can’t lose five starters and expect things to go well,” Snitker said. “You can lose five position players, because we proved that last year when we led Major League Baseball in pitching and got into the playoffs.”
Should Braves Bolster Their Bullpen in Offseason
Harrison Smajovits of Sports Illustrated doesn’t believe the bullpen is the most significant need for the Atlanta Braves this winter, noting that the starting pitching rotation needs to be addressed. He listed multiple arms for the Braves to pursue, which included some of the top starters in the game.
“Some notable starting pitching options who are unrestricted free agents are Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen and Ranger Suarez. They could also opt for a trade to acquire the arm they need.
“There are so many ways this could go that a prediction can’t even be made. That being said, the Braves have to do something to ease this question mark,” he wrote.
If the Braves are trying to get back to the top in the near future, it might be a good idea to go after players like Diaz and some of those starting arms.