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The Atlanta Braves are making moves in MLB free agency.
The Atlanta Braves are coming off a disappointing 2025 season, finishing under .500 at 76-86 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
What made the finish even more surprising was where Atlanta landed in the standings. The Braves ended the year in fourth place in the NL East — something they had only done twice over the last decade.
After six straight division titles, Atlanta took a step back in 2024, finishing second behind the Philadelphia Phillies. But 2025 felt like a gut punch, especially after the Braves entered the season as one of the favorites to win the World Series.
Some of the collapse can be explained by injuries that piled up across the roster, but the Braves will be trying to find their way back in 2026 — and it may be through an even tougher path in the division. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden predicted Atlanta will fall short of first place for a third straight season.
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Bowden Gives Braves Solid Offseason Grade, but Questions Remain
In Bowden’s latest 2026 MLB report card, he delivered grades, takeaways and predictions for all 30 teams, starting with the NL East and the Braves.
Bowden gave Atlanta a B+ for its offseason, pointing to several moves the team made to strengthen its roster.
“The Braves fortified the back end of their bullpen, signing 2025 NL saves leader Robert Suarez and re-signing incumbent closer Raisel Iglesias,” Bowden wrote. “They addressed the shortstop position by bringing back Ha-Seong Kim on a one-year deal, only to see him suffer a freak injury in January and undergo hand surgery that will keep him out four to five months. It’s a big loss, but the Braves should be able to absorb it after bolstering their bench by adding Mike Yastrzemski, Mauricio Dubón and Jorge Mateo.”
Kim’s injury is another frustrating blow for a team that has struggled to stay healthy, even off the field. Still, the Braves believe they’ve added enough depth to withstand the early-season absence.
Atlanta is also moving into a new era in the dugout, with Walt Weiss taking over for Brian Snitker after nine seasons. Weiss has been on the Braves staff since 2018, but his previous run as manager of the Colorado Rockies did not go well.
Even with that transition, Bowden’s biggest questions about Atlanta revolve around the team’s pitching.
Braves’ Rotation Health Could Decide Their 2026 Ceiling
Bowden has the Braves finishing second in the NL East behind the New York Mets, but he made it clear that Atlanta’s fate could come down to whether its rotation can stay on the field.
“Will the Braves’ starting rotation stay healthy and return to prominence? How will Spencer Schwellenbach and Reynaldo López fare as they return from injuries, and can Chris Sale and Spencer Strider get back to performing at their best?” Bowden wrote.
The Braves entered last season believing their pitching could be the key to reclaiming the division, especially after Chris Sale’s Cy Young season the year prior. Instead, the rotation never fully got off the ground.
Lopez lasted just five innings before going down. Schwellenbach made it to June, going 110.2 innings with a 7-4 record before suffering an elbow fracture.
Shane Shoemaker Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker
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