"You gotta get an elite shortstop, whether it's Bo Bichette, Willy Adames." - Former MLB Gold Glover on work Atlanta Braves have to do this offseason

When Dansby Swanson left the Atlanta Braves prior to the 2023 season, the club was thrown into flux at shortstop, Swanson's position. Now, an MLB analyst believes that finding an elite-level name for the position should be a top priority.

In a recent appearance on AJ Pierzynski's Foul Territory podcast, former outfielder Jeff Francoeur discussed the offseason needs of the NL East club. According to Francoeur, the Braves "gotta get an elite shortstop, whether it's Bo Bichette, Willy Adames."

""You gotta get an elite shortstop, whether it's Bo Bichette, Willy Adames." Jeff Francoeur's thoughts on what the Braves should do this offseason." - Foul Territory

Ever since Swanson's seven-year, $177 million deal with the Chicago Cubs, Orlando Arcia has been playing shortstop for the Braves. Although Arcia has shown some flashes of defensive brilliance, his hitting is not that of an elite hitter, especially compared to some of the other shortstops in the game.

In addition to hitting a mere .218 on the season, Arcia's 11 errors in 157 games gave him a .981 fielding percentage with the Atlanta Braves in 2024.

"An error from Orlando Arcia gives the Mets a 3-0 lead!" - SNY

Among the names that Francoeur mentioned as possible pieces for the Braves were Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Although Bo Bichette battled injuries in 2024, the shortstop has shown brilliance in his career. The son of 4x All-Star Dante Bichette, Bo is a two-time AL hits leader, and a career .290 hitter since making his MLB debut in 2019.

Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers led the NL in fielding percentage in 2024. Moreover, the 29-year-old Dominican hit .251 with 32 home runs and 112 RBIs this past season, making him an attractive asset for the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta Braves GM sheepish about committing to offseason moves

In a recent interview with MLB.com, Atlanta Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos spoke about Arcia's future with the team. While there are certainly more offensive options, Anthopoulos did not offer any insight into a potential plan to switch things up, saying:

"The first person that would ever hear that would be the player. But right now, barring any changes, the guys that we have are the guys that we have in place, and that's Orlando and all the other players. Once we get to the winter, you never know what happens.”

When they are healthy, Atlanta remains one of MLB's foremost offensive teams. Whether or not any major alterations will take place to their lineup this offseason remains to be seen.