Braves hypothetical trade for Corey Seager
The Braves have had a couple of glaring holes in the lineup for around a half-decade, none more damaging than shortstop. Mauricio Dubon was serviceable at the position in 2025, but he’s a free agent and is undoubtedly better served as a super-utility piece than a full-time starter at shortstop. The Braves should be looking […]
The Braves have had a couple of glaring holes in the lineup for around a half-decade, none more damaging than shortstop.
Mauricio Dubon was serviceable at the position in 2025, but he’s a free agent and is undoubtedly better served as a super-utility piece than a full-time starter at shortstop. The Braves should be looking to upgrade. The problem is that the free agent market at the position is essentially non-existent. The trade market, however, features some really intriguing names that could fix shortstop in Atlanta for the foreseeable future.
This continues a series where I focus on some of those marquee names, moving on to one of the more intriguing candidates of any position group, Corey Seager.
If you missed the first parts of this series, follow the links below:
Braves hypothetical trade for Corey Seager
Braves receive: Corey Seager, $20 million cash
Rangers receive: Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Owen Murphy, Luke Sinnard
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It’s already been reported by numerous sources that the Rangers will try to trade Corey Seager this offseason, which shouldn’t really come as a surprise. Any club would be trying to get out from under the remainder of the $155 million owed to him over the next five years, especially given his injury history. Seager has not played in more than 123 games since 2022 and is entering the offseason after minor elbow surgery.
The only way the Rangers are going to be able to move this contract is if they eat a large chunk of change, which is part of why the Braves make such an intriguing trade partner. Texas can take on the contract of Spencer Strider to start. He’s owed $44 million over the next two seasons, and the Rangers can also absorb the final year of Reynaldo Lopez’s deal, which is set to pay him $8 million. Add on $20 million in cash, and Seager’s deal is essentially cut in half, which would make this a much more affordable gamble for the Braves.
There are a couple of other aspects that must be taken into consideration. Seager will be 33 years old next season. The odds of him playing shortstop for the entirety of his contract are basically zero. However, that actually kind of works for the Braves. They have some talented potential shortstops coming up through the farm, and Ozzie Albies is set to become a free agent a year from now. Seager could move to second base after just one season and eventually shift into a DH role if needed, still providing value now that his contract has been cut in half.
There is one more issue, though. Seager has a full no-trade clause. If he doesn’t want to play for the Braves, there’s nothing Alex Anthopoulos can do about it, similar to what happened with Jacob deGrom at the trade deadline.
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IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
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