Braves Among Frontrunners to Sign Top Remaining Free Agent

When the MLB offseason began last month, there were four elite shortstops on the market. Now, only one –– Dansby Swanson –– remains.

The Atlanta Braves are considered a frontrunner for Swanson, which isn't surprising given that Swanson used to play for them.

Dansby Swanson Braves Rumors

The Braves remain in the mix for Swanson, who debuted with them in 2016 and has since emerged as one of the best shortstops in baseball. That's become especially clear over the past few years as he helped Atlanta win the World Series in 2021 before receiving his first All-Star and Gold Glove honors in 2022.

The 28-year-old has proven to be a key player and a foundational piece for the Braves over the past half-decade, so the team would like to keep him if possible. That won't be easy, however, as they now face stiff competition from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins.

Atlanta is known for locking up its young stars early before they get to free agency, and this scenario is exactly why. Swanson's price tag is only going up, and may reach the point where the Braves decide to let him walk rather than overpay to bring him back. They're probably kicking themselves now that they didn't get a deal done earlier in the offseason before his market exploded.

It's still not too late to make a deal, but Atlanta will probably have to shell out a lot more than it originally envisioned.