2026 Profile: Atlanta Braves

The 2026 Major League Baseball season will begin shortly. Here at Passion MLB, as we have done for years, we're setting the stage for the season by introducing all 30 teams in Major League Baseball.

Today, the Braves are on the menu.

2025 Season 2025 was a real nightmare in Atlanta. After years of being serious World Series contenders, the team was completely decimated by injuries and finished the season with a sub-.500 record (76-86). Needless to say, there was no postseason baseball in Atlanta last year. The emergence of Drake Baldwin, who won the National League Rookie of the Year award, was a bright spot, however. And Chris Sale, despite being 36 years old, was so good that he earned a contract extension.

A lucrative deal for the left-hander. https://t.co/Htn74Rfg5L— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) February 24, 2026

Additions and Departures The club's biggest acquisition was a reliever, as the Braves landed the excellent Robert Suarez. He will help out Raisel Iglesias, who decided to stay in town despite becoming a free agent, in the late innings.

The Braves have also added offensive depth. Mike Yastrzemski, Mauricio Dubon, Dominic Smith, Jonah Heim, Jorge Mateo, and Brett Wisely should all see playing time. Ha-Seong Kim, acquired late last season, has also decided to extend his stay in Atlanta.

There have been a few departures, however, including that of Marcell Ozuna. He was the Braves' designated hitter and left to join the Pirates. And, to some extent, Jurickson Profar's year-long suspension can also be seen as a departure.

This is the second time in a year he's been caught. https://t.co/PwFDtW0rNB— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) March 3, 2026

Strengths and Weaknesses                                                                             �� The lineup features solid hitters in Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, and Austin Riley; the rotation is led by Chris Sale and Spencer Strider; and the bullpen isn't bad either, with Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez.

That said, the depth isn't necessarily the best. It's solid in the rotation, but when it comes to the lineup and the bullpen, the team doesn't have a ton of options if its top performers underperform or get injured.

And that, too, is a major weakness in Atlanta: the team has a terrible time staying healthy. Will Ronald Acuña Jr. finally stay healthy… and will he be able to repeat his 2023 feats?

40/70 NL MVP What a 2023 Season for Ronald Acuña Jr. pic.twitter.com/7LHG2MEO3U — Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) November 16, 2023

Expectations for the 2026 Season The Braves would undoubtedly love to make the playoffs again this year and go deep. They have the tools, and we know the team has been coming close for years, though they haven't quite made it all the way.

And in fact, there are reasons to believe they'll be able to bounce back. Most of the team's key players are currently healthy, which hasn't always been the case in recent years.

Will Walt Weiss, who succeeded Brian Snitker as manager of the Braves, be able to lead his team to the promised land? We'll find out in a few months.

The Braves are poised to have a bounce-back year in 2026 pic.twitter.com/aNVTFH2RzS — Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 17, 2025

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