It wasn’t too long ago that Ozzie Albies was viewed as one of the best value contracts in baseball—a dynamic switch-hitter locked into a long-term, ultra-team-friendly deal on a club stacked with stars. He was an All-Star, a spark plug, and a core piece of the Atlanta Braves’ lineup.
But here we are in mid-May 2025, and Albies is in the middle of a prolonged, glaring slump that the front office has to be wondering: What’s next?
Albies Slump Is Too Big to Ignore
Albies’ stat line is tough to stomach—.213/.270/.331 with just five home runs and a meager 68 wRC+, which ranks him among the bottom 20 hitters in all of baseball.
He’s batting .132 in May alone, and if you strip away a three-hit game, it gets even uglier. An 0-for-21 stretch has turned concern into a full-blown alarm, and it’s not just bad luck. A quick scan of his Baseball Savant profile confirms the eye test: his quality of contact metrics are sitting in the 20th percentile or worse across the board.
Once known for crushing left-handed pitching, Albies has fallen off a cliff in that department too, posting an almost unthinkable .443 OPS against southpaws. If that’s gone, then what’s left of his offensive profile?
A Contract Once Lauded, Now in Question
This is where things get complicated. Albies is owed just $7 million in 2026 and 2027 via team options, which were originally seen as gifts to the Braves’ budget. But given how he’s trended since his strong 2022, the team may be re-evaluating.
His 2023 season offered hope, but it’s been all downhill since then. He hasn’t played like a $7 million player, and the front office must now weigh sentimentality against production. With a World Series-caliber core, how long can they afford to keep hoping Albies turns it around?
What Comes Next For the Braves?
Internally, Atlanta has options. Nacho Alvarez, the club’s top infield prospect, could be knocking on the door sooner rather than later. He may not have Albies’ power, but if the Braves want consistent contact and defense up the middle, Alvarez fits the bill. The front office has to ask: Is it time to start mapping out a post-Albies future?
Albies is just 28 years old, and in theory, should be entering his prime. But baseball doesn’t deal in theories. It deals in results. And right now, Albies simply isn’t delivering them. If anything, his struggles compound the problems of an underperforming lineup that’s also seeing Matt Olson, Michael Harris II, and Alex Verdugo hit cold spells.
The Clock Is Ticking For the Braves
There’s still time for Albies to turn it around, sure. But unless he shows signs of life soon—and unless those quality-of-contact numbers improve dramatically—the Braves might not wait much longer.
It’s not just about this season anymore. It’s about whether Ozzie Albies still has a role in the Braves’ long-term plan. The clock is ticking; right now, it’s not ticking in his favor.
