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3 Players Who Won't Be on the Braves Roster Next Season

By Larry Rupp

Three players who won't be on the Atlant Braves roster next season, including Marcell Ozuna.
Three players who won't be on the Atlant Braves roster next season, including Marcell Ozuna. / Tom Pennington/Getty Images
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The Atlanta Braves put together a great season in 2020 as they captured the NL East title with a 35-25 record and were one win away from the World Series before being sent home by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Like any other team, the Braves will have some tough roster decisions to make this upcoming offseason.

For a team ready to compete for a World Series title again next season, it's important the Braves make the right moves. Taking that into account, here are three players who won't be on the Braves roster next season.

1. Nick Markakis

Markakis had originally opted out of the 2020 season before joining the Braves about three weeks in and ended up playing 37 games for the team. However, he posted just a .312 on-base percentage and didn't see a lot of playing time down the stretch. As a 36-year-old veteran outfielder, it's possible Markakis is brought back at a discounted rate, but it's more likely he either retires or joins another team on a short-term deal. With the emergence of young players such as outfielder Cristian Pache, there just isn't enough of a reason for the Braves to re-sign Markakis at this time.

2. Marcell Ozuna

One of the biggest names entering the free agency market is NL MVP candidate and Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna made the most of his one-year deal with the Braves by hitting 18 home runs and driving in 56 runs over the shortened season. Likely one of the most sought after players this offseason, the Braves would have to pay a lot of money to get Ozuna back on the team. It is unknown whether the designated hitter position will stay put in the National League and that could have a lot to do with Ozuna's decision. He has thrived in the DH role and could head to an AL team to ensure he can play the way that he wants to.

3. Mark Melancon

Another big-time player heading into the free agency market from the Braves is their closer, Mark Melancon. Melancon pitched great this year, saving 11 games for the team and posting a 2.78 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched. The problem here is that another shutdown reliever on the Braves is becoming a free agent as well, Shane Greene. It is likely he would be much more affordable than Melancon will be. The Braves likely won't want to shell out a ton of money to keep their closer if they are confident they can find someone else in-house or on the market to take his place. In the end, the Braves will likely be outbid in this situation.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.