The Case for the Braves To Extend Mauricio Dubón

The All-Star break is quickly approaching, and even during a down June, the Atlanta Braves sport the fourth-best record in baseball at 54-38. Despite the current narrative surrounding the team, they maintain a three-game lead in their division and are squarely in the playoff picture.

When a team is playing this well, the stars usually receive most of the attention. Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Spencer Strider, and the rest of Atlanta’s core have all played major roles in the club’s success. But every contender also has players who quietly become invaluable over the course of a season, and few have fit that description better than Mauricio Dubón.

An Unexpected Difference Maker

At age 31, Dubón entered Atlanta after spending seven seasons with three different organizations. The two-time Gold Glove winner had always built his value around elite defensive versatility, but many Braves fans questioned whether his bat would be enough of an upgrade after he was acquired in a one-for-one deal in exchange for Nick Allen.

Fast forward to just before the All-Star break, and Dubón has become one of Atlanta’s most valuable players.

Each of his.273/.328/.424 slash line metrics rank within the top five on the club, including the second best batting average for Braves with at least 100 plate appearances. His .752 OPS, .330 wOBA, and 107 wRC+ each rank sixth amongst that same offensive group as well.

No, he has not performed at an All-Star level. But he has been exactly the type of steady, reliable contributor every championship contender needs. Many of his offensive metrics sit near career highs, and he has already matched the highest fWAR total of his career at 2.2 from just last season, despite still having 74 games left to play this year.

Unless you watch nearly every Braves game, those numbers alone may not fully illustrate his impact. His situational production tells an even better story.

When the game matters most, Dubón has simply produced. Late innings, trailing on the scoreboard, two-strike counts, it has not seemed to matter.

He has been at least league average in every one of those situations. Even more impressive, he has outperformed the league by 91 points with two outs and runners in scoring position, while posting a mark 64 points better than league average in two-strike counts.

Defensively, Dubón has already accumulated eight Outs Above Average, tied for the sixth most in the big leagues. This places him in the 97th percentile while logging time at shortstop, third base, left field, center field, and right field. Another utility Gold Glove is very much within reach.

Why Atlanta Should Keep Dubón

Looking ahead, the Braves still have plenty of uncertainty at shortstop. Currently, Ha-Seong Kim, Jorge Mateo, and Dubón are all scheduled to become free agents after the season.

Rookie Jim Jarvis has shown encouraging flashes since reaching the majors, but he still appears more likely to settle into a utility role than become Atlanta’s long-term answer at the position.

In the minors, John Gil, Alex Lodise, and Tate Southisene all possess intriguing upside, but each still appears at least a little ways away from making an actual impact in Atlanta.

When Dubón was acquired, Alex Anthopoulos made it clear that he was comfortable with him as the starting shortstop if necessary, but ideally viewed him as an elite utility player capable of moving all over the diamond. That same logic should still apply for 2027.

Dubón gives Atlanta the flexibility to start at shortstop if needed while also providing Gold Glove-caliber defense at several other positions. He is the type of true utility player Braves fans have not really embraced since the days of Martin Prado.

Next season will be his age 32 campaign, meaning this is likely his final opportunity to land the biggest contract of his career. To me, a three-year deal with the classic Atlanta fourth-year club option on the back end gives the Braves stability while several veteran contracts continue approaching expiration, including Jurickson Profar, Mike Yastrzemski, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Ozzie Albies.

It would also provide the perfect bridge to Atlanta’s next wave of young talent.

Just as importantly, Dubón has quickly become a favorite inside the clubhouse. Since arriving in Atlanta, teammates, coaches, reporters, and fans have consistently praised his personality and leadership. Every indication has been that he has genuinely enjoyed his time with the organization as well.

Why It Makes Sense for Dubón

For Dubón, security should be a top priority along with a payday. As a player entering free agency for the first time at age 32, he is unlikely to receive that massive contract most hope for. However, a multi-year contract is certainly attainable for a player with multiple Gold Gloves who is putting together the best offensive season of his career.

Finding a perfect comparison is difficult, but several recent contracts help establish a reasonable range.

• Jake Cronenworth: Age 30, 7 years, $80 million ($11.4 million AAV)
• Tommy Edman: Age 30, 5 years, $74 million ($14.8 million AAV)
• Jurickson Profar: Age 32, 3 years, $42 million ($14 million AAV)
• Ryan O’Hearn: Age 32, 2 years, $29 million ($14.5 million AAV)

Considering Dubón’s offensive track record throughout his career, I would project his market closer to the $10 million to $12 million AAV range over three or four seasons. Knowing how Anthopoulos typically operates, a three-year, $35 million contract with a club option for a fourth season feels like a deal that benefits both sides.

Atlanta secures one of the game’s most versatile defenders while rewarding a player having the best offensive season of his career. Dubón secures more than double the career earnings he has made to this point while remaining with a World Series contender that can offer everyday playing time.

Could he test free agency in hopes of landing more money? Absolutely.

But players with Dubón’s profile are not always the ones that generate the biggest bidding wars. Add in the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, and both sides may prefer the security of knowing exactly what the future holds.

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Looking Ahead

If you ask most Braves fans, many have been waiting for the famous Atlanta blue box on X announcing that Dubón has signed an extension.

There have been rumblings that both sides have interest in exploring a deal, although it is unclear how much the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations have slowed those conversations. Anything at four years or fewer with an AAV of roughly $12 to $15 million or less feels like a deal both sides could justify.

Even if Dubón regresses offensively, a career 88 wRC+ paired with elite defensive versatility still provides tremendous value at that range. With every passing day, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to envision an agreement getting done before the season ends.

Of course, there’s no rule saying it has to happen now. Free agency remains an option, and the two sides could certainly reunite during the offseason.

Still, based on everything we have seen this year, there appears to be a strong case for both Atlanta and Dubón to seriously explore getting an extension completed before he ever reaches the open market.