Braves Pay $24M for 2027

The Atlanta Braves exercised their 2027 club options on infielder Ozzie Albies and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. on Thursday. The moves secure the core duo for the upcoming season. The team will pay a combined $24 million to keep both players under contract through the 2027 campaign.

Albies will earn a base salary of $7 million for the year. Acuña Jr. will receive $17 million. These figures were predetermined in their existing deals. The options included buyout clauses that favored the team financially.

Albies turns 30 in January. He is the longest-tenured player on the current roster. He earned his fourth All-Star selection in 2026. For the full 2026 season, he hit .237 with an OPS of .685. He played in all 162 games. However, his production dropped in the second half of the year. He hit .194 with an OPS of .575 during that stretch.

Acuña Jr. finished the 2026 season with a .252 average and a .679 OPS. He hit 17 home runs and stole 29 bases. The Braves cited his consistent success over the last two seasons as a reason to keep him. He has been a reliable presence in the lineup during that period.

Albies will enter free agency after the 2027 season. Acuña Jr. will also become a free agent following that year. Both players were expected to be exercised this year. The decision avoids the uncertainty of the free agent market for these key positions.

The team previously discussed potential future moves involving these players. General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has indicated the club expects to build around its current stars. The financial commitment for 2027 is now locked in.

The Braves will address their payroll needs in the coming offseason. The $24 million outlay is a fixed cost for the next season. Both players are under team control until the end of the 2027 season.