Braves predicted to trade Ozzie Albies for $116M 3-time All-Star, 2X Silver Slugger, MVP finalist

The Atlanta Braves are coming off a season that can easily be forgotten. By July, it was clear they weren’t going to be competing for a playoff spot. That forced the Braves to consider which players would return and which would not. One name that came up during the season was Ozzie Albies, and GM Alex Anthopoulos made it clear that a decision would be coming.

“With all these options (on players), we always make the decision at the end of the year — you have five days after the World Series, and that’s when you make the decision. It’s just, things can happen, things change. You always wait,” Anthopoulos said.

During the offseason, it was quickly decided that the Braves would pick up the player option on Albies’ contract.

“‘The Braves are going to pick up their club option on infielder Ozzie Albies. The club hasn’t announced the decision yet, but president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos confirmed the move in a radio appearance, per Mark Zinno of 92.9 The Game,’” MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams wrote.

Now, FanSided’s Zachary Rotman suggests the Braves could swap Albies for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte.

“‘Ketel Marte's name appearing on the trade block has all 30 fan bases interested. I mean, this is the best second baseman in the game we're talking about here. For the Atlanta Braves in particular, Marte makes a lot of sense on paper. Not only would he make an already stout lineup when healthy nightmarish, but his contract ($102.5 million for six years) is an absolute bargain. There isn't a team with more team-friendly contracts than Atlanta. Marte would be a massive upgrade over Ozzie Albies, and Albies could even be an intriguing piece in Arizona's minds, given his cheap contract and strong second half from this past season,’” Rotman wrote.

This would be a significant move for the Braves—exciting on one hand, bittersweet on the other. Marte appears to be an upgrade over Albies, but fans would hate to see a beloved player leave.

Albies has struggled with staying healthy, so adding Marte would also provide an upgrade in durability. However, the contract swap wouldn’t be all smooth sailing for Atlanta. If this trade were to go through, Anthopoulos would continue to demonstrate a masterclass in offseason roster management.

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