Former MLB GM believes Braves should target Randy Arozarena

After another underwhelming postseason, a significant chunk of Braves Country is ready for sweeping changes to the team’s core. Maybe this is the year it finally happens. But more than likely, Alex Anthopoulos will be staring down the same two holes in the lineup that have haunted Atlanta for half a decade.

The Braves haven’t had a legitimate shortstop since Dansby Swanson walked in free agency after the 2022 season. Orlando Arcia gave them one good half and then cratered. Nick Allen was a glove and nothing else. And Ha-Seong Kim might go down as one of the worst free agent signings in franchise history — which is almost impressive, considering it was only a one-year deal.

The trouble with finding a replacement is simple: shortstops cost a fortune, and nobody trades a good one once they have him. So Atlanta has been left scraping the bottom of the barrel. But the Braves actually have a solution sitting right in front of them in Mauricio Dubon. He’s an elite defender who was more than adequate at the plate, and bringing him back on a two- or three-year deal — a bridge until one of their prospect shortstops is ready — makes all the sense in the world.

That leaves left field as the one spot where Atlanta can upgrade on offense. And if there’s a blemish on Anthopoulos’ résumé, it’s how he’s handled this position since 2021. Jarred Kelenic was a horrendous whiff. Jurickson Profar was somehow worse. Mike Yastrzemski was just average this past season. Left field is where teams get to hide a shaky defender in exchange for offense — and the Braves have gotten next to nothing out of it since their World Series run.

That has to change in 2027, and making it happen will require Anthopoulos to write a bigger check. Former MLB GM Steve Phillips thinks he knows the perfect target: Randy Arozarena.

@StevePhillipsGM believes Randy Arozarena could be a fit for the Braves this offseason in free agency — should Atlanta make him the answer to its left field void? pic.twitter.com/Dt8KNKB5Vl

— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) October 8, 2026

The version of Arozarena we saw in Seattle this year would fit any team in need of a left fielder. He posted 5.7 WAR, hitting 26 home runs with an .865 OPS — and arguably the two best seasons of his career have come in his last two with the Mariners, earning All-Star honors both times.

He’s also built for October. Over 45 career postseason games, Arozarena is hitting .292 with a .946 OPS, and the fact that he isn’t a home-run-or-bust bat should be especially enticing for a Braves lineup starving for guys who hit for average and get on base.

It’s a match made in heaven — but the price and the age could force Atlanta to pivot. Arozarena will be looking for at least a three-year deal this offseason, and probably could land four after the year he just had. Set to turn 32 next season, that’s a hefty commitment for a player who could fade early into the contract. That’s exactly the kind of risk the Braves have historically avoided, and as much as I love the fit, I’m skeptical they’ll do what it takes to get it done.

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Photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire