David Fletcher News: Atlanta declines option

Atlanta declined Fletcher's $8 million club option for 2026 on Thursday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Fletcher hasn't appeared in a big-league game since April 2024, so it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Atlanta decided to pass on giving him $8 million in 2026 and instead pay him a $1.5 million buyout. The 31-year-old will attempt to rely on his defense to attract a minor-league deal in the offseason, though his .483 OPS in Triple-A may drive his demand down.