Braves Must Fix Shortstop Hole And Pitching Depth Now

Dale Zanine-Imagn ImagesThe Atlanta Braves have a clear path to 2027, but two massive holes threaten to derail it. The front office faces hard choices before the winter meetings even start. We need to fix the shortstop spot and add real depth to the rotation. The numbers tell us exactly where the team broke down this year.MLB.com reported that the team received a 67 Weighted Runs Created Plus from the shortstop position. This stat means the offense at that spot was 33 percent below the league average. That is a huge problem for a team that wants to win another title. There’s also reason to be concerned about the production at third base (82 wRC+), left field (85 wRC+) and second base (85 wRC+). Shortstop is the most glaring issue on the roster.The Shortstop DilemmaMauricio Dubón is the obvious answer to plug this gap. When he played shortstop this year, he posted a 115 wRC+ and earned a Fielding Run Value of +3. He proved he can handle the position every day while hitting the ball well. The Braves obtained him via trade after the Houston Astros designated Ramón Urías for assignment. Now, they must decide if he stays there or moves to his usual utility role.Keeping Dubón at shortstop seems like the smartest play. It fixes the biggest offensive hole, though the team must first negotiate a new contract as he is a pending free agent. He has the skills to be an everyday player there. The team should stop shuffling him around and let him own the position. This move alone could lift the entire lineup out of the basement.Rotation Depth QuestionsThe pitching side presents challenges. Chris Sale posted a 196 Adjusted ERA, which is the third-best mark in franchise history for a pitcher with 25 starts. The only Braves to produce a better mark (min. 25 starts) in a season were Greg Maddux (271 in 1994 and 260 in 1995) and Reynaldo López (208 in 2024). Sale threw his four-seamer at 96.1 mph, his highest career average, and stayed healthy all season. The plan of giving him extra rest worked perfectly.However, the team only has three pitchers they can count on to make 25 starts. Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, and Sale are the sole current members projected to hit that number. Reynaldo López has a right shoulder issue that will likely limit him again. Spencer Schwellenbach faces uncertainty with a screw in his elbow. If the Braves want to keep Sale fresh, they need two more starters this winter.Re-signing Tyler Mahle would be a big win, but it might not be enough. The team has young talent like AJ Smith-Shawver and JR Ritchie who have great upside. Smith-Shawver is further removed from Tommy John surgery, but he is not ready to anchor a rotation yet. The front office must look outside the organization to find reliable arms.The Cost of InactionIgnoring these two issues will cost the Braves dearly in 2027. A shortstop who cannot hit will kill the lineup before it starts. A thin rotation will wear out Sale before October. The 2021 championship team had depth at every spot. This squad needs to match that standard to keep the window open.The World Series begins on Friday, but the real work for Atlanta starts right now.