Braves former fan favorite urges Atlanta to acquire superstar shortstop

The Atlanta Braves in 2024 were a slimmed-down version of their usual, dominant selves. The beast could be unleashed again next season.

After six straight division crowns in the National League East, the Braves finished second in 2024, largely because their entire roster was wiped out by injuries. Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider and Austin Riley were the three superstars most affected by the injury.

Those three names should be back in the fold in 2025, so things are already looking good. But one former Braves star believes there is an offseason move that could put his old ball club back on top.

Jeff Francoeur, a 12-year Major League veteran, six-year Braves outfielder and current broadcaster for Bally Sports Atlanta and TBS, recently appeared on Foul Territory and urged the Braves to find a superstar to join struggling Orlando Arcia replace the short stop.

“I’m going to get a shortstop. That would make the lineup even longer,” Francoeur said when asked about his preferred plan for the Braves. “You’ve got to get an elite shortstop, whether it’s Bo Bichette or Willy Adames, you’ve got to find someone who has power at that position.”

Adames, who spent the past 3 1/2 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, is set to become a free agent. He hit a career-high 32 home runs this season, including a remarkable 13 three-run shots, and posted an excellent .794 OPS while playing strong defense in short.

Meanwhile, Bichette is three years younger than Adames but is having a terrible season. The two-time American League All-Star had a .598 OPS in just 81 games this season as a calf injury kept him off the field for most of the summer. He will be a free agent after 2025 and would have to come via a trade.

Both Adames and Bichette could make the Braves significantly better if they played their best baseball. But both would require a significant investment, so Atlanta best be prepared to get behind the long-term venture they wanted to pursue.

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