The Atlanta Braves are fully switched into offseason mode after a frustrating playoff exit left a number of clear offseason concerns. There is no shortage of potential impact additions the team could explore, including looking to free up salary space to take advantage of a number of rostered bargains.
With this in mind, let’s look at three contracts that Atlanta should explore dumping in the 2026-27 offseason. Deals that would give the team a chance to make a free agency splash and part ways with a trio of contracts that aren’t aging as hoped.
Sean Murphy- $15 Million
Murphy’s offense started to come alive at the end of the 2026 season, but there is no way around the fact that the deal has been a bust. We are three years removed from the backstop hitting above the Mendoza line consistently, and there simply isn’t a viable reason to believe that this is going to change in the upcoming season. The presence of Drake Baldwin makes Murphy simply far less important and leaves every reason to explore a potential trade.
The backstop could hold a bit of value if there is a franchise willing to accept the salary dump in hopes of finding the 2023 version of the catcher. At the very least, there are going to be conversations about Murphy’s future.
Jurickson Profar- $15 Million
Profar opting to ignore the league’s banned substance list and earn suspensions in each of his first two seasons is quite an impression to make. The only reason that Profar isn’t looking for a new team already is the fact that the Braves are on the hook for the final year of the deal. The question becomes whether there is hope to salvage a final year, or if the franchise is going to seek out a team willing to gamble on the switch-hitting outfielder to stay on the field.
No question, the outfielder is far from popular in Atlanta, and dumping his contract could set the stage for one more move that would clear left field completely for the Braves to find their way to adding a star at the position.
Mike Yastrzemski- $10 Million
The aging outfielder hit .224 for the season and was underwhelming when it came to providing offense when the season mattered most. The Braves could look to find the veteran a new landing spot and, in doing so, potentially free up $25 million if they part ways with Profar as well. This combined total is impressive enough to attract a star option in left that could offer a needed lineup boost and level of stability.
It isn’t a stretch to believe a team would jump at the chance to add the bat if the Braves were simply shopping this as a salary dump. If the franchise truly wants to make a splash without breaking the bank, this is the clearest path.
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