Plenty has gone wrong for the Atlanta Braves in the 2025 MLB campaign. But chief among their issues has been the production of standout second baseman Ozzie Albies … or lack thereof.
Albies missed a large chunk of last year due to a left wrist fracture. Whether that’s factored into his slump is unclear, though he ostensibly hasn’t been the same since.
Regardless, the three-time All-Star is among the highest-paid players at his position and has looked far from his usual self this season.
Braves 2B Ozzie Albies has performed well below his $35M contract value this season
Boasting a .215/.269/.326 slash line with five home runs and 16 RBIs across 172 at-bats, Albies has struggled at the plate this season.
His .594 OPS is well below the league average of .710 and a far cry from his career rate (.783). Moreover, the 28-year-old is sporting an 87-mile-per-hour exit velocity, the slowest speed he’s tallied since 2022.
For whatever reason(s), Albies isn’t seeing the ball well or getting wood on it like we’ve become accustomed to seeing.
He’s been particularly putrid against left-handed pitchers, batting .178/.191/.222 with a meager .414 OPS and has yet to homer off one.
The only things protecting Albies from getting benched are his $7 million average annual value and a lack of better alternatives. The Braves could kick the tires on veteran infielder Orlando Arcia if they want to try something new, but Nick Allen took his place at shortstop.
The latter also has underperformed — hence the lineup change.
For whatever it’s worth, the Braves can move on from Albies rather seamlessly this coming winter. He’s got a pair of $7 million club options for 2026 and 2027.
But if the two-time Silver Slugger can’t right the ship soon, Atlanta can treat him like an expiring contract.
Of course, the Braves would presumably rather see Albies get back on track and pay him the money they agreed to in 2019. He’s been a core piece of the franchise for nearly a decade and was vital to their World Series run in 2021. His worth goes beyond the diamond, but Atlanta needs more from him to justify the lofty price tag.
