The Atlanta Braves are back.
It was possibly the worst-kept secret among MLB circles that Braves President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Alex Anthopoulos would initiate a busy off-season. A fourth-place finish last season would be unacceptable to repeat in 2026. With a week to go this month, Anthopoulos already has executed 17 trades and transactions in December, in attempts to field a more competitive Braves club this coming season than last.
Just five years after winning the franchise’s fourth World Series championship in 2021, given the club’s performance since, the 2025 season for the Braves could be chalked up as a fluke—a one-and-done anomaly. To be on the safe side of baseball success, Anthopoulos appears to be wheeling and dealing at warp speed.
When Brian Snitker decided to step down from managing Atlanta after a decade in the dugout and take a step back from on-field duties to an advisory role to Anthopoulos, the hiring of Walt Weiss as the replacement came quickly.
The Braves began gearing up for what they hoped could be a “special season” (code for playoff-bound) when announcing Weiss as the club’s new skipper on Nov. 3.
Although the Braves finished behind the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Miami Marlins last season, the talent pool assembled so far is trending to Atlanta being the chief competition to claim the National League East in 2026. Philadelphia, clearly, remains the odds-on favorite to repeat as division champs. But the promotion of Weiss and his continuity of going from Snitker’s bench coach for the last eight seasons to sitting in the big chair in dugout direction assures Atlanta’s fan base of the same commitment of winning.
Weiss’s years of experience as an all-star infielder and his four-year stint managing the Colorado Rockies, followed by his being Sniker’s trusted “second-in-command,” seemingly was a no-brainer for Anthopoulos to pursue.
Anthopoulos, running the show in Atlanta since 2017, is under contract through the 2031 season. With a sense of organizational security, perhaps with more leeway than other general managers, assembling the 2026 club seems to be coming along nicely.
Braves fans don’t seem to have hit the panic button about the direction of their team. Over the past three seasons, home attendance at Truist Park has remained steady, while averaging 2.5 million-plus fans. There remain many bright spots for Braves fans to be optimistic about the club improving over their 2025 win-loss record of 76–86.
The 2026 Braves Opening Day lineup should consist of Ronald Acuna Jr. in right field, Matt Olson at first base, Austin Riley patrolling third base, Jurickson Profar over in left field, Ozzie Albies as the second baseman, and Ha-Seong Kim as the shortstop; Drake Baldwin is currently thought to be slotted in as the regular designated hitter.
There are a few more questions that still need to be answered concerning the final roster. For the most part, a record of at least 10 more victories appears to be in the pipeline for the 2026 Braves.
Atlanta’s core players have been signed by Anthopoulos. Acuna, Jr. is under contract through 2026, and the Braves have club options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Olson came aboard the Braves in March 2022 with an eight-year deal. Riley has a 10-year contract that runs through the 2032 season. Michael Harris II will remain the Braves’ centerfielder for the next five years. Pitching ace Spencer Strider in 2022 signed for six seasons. Leading the starting rotation, lefty Chris Sale is under contract for 2026.
When the Braves claimed Kim in September off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays, Anthopoulos liked what he saw in the 24 games he suited up at shortstop. Kim signed a one-year, $20 million deal to return to Atlanta. A two-year contract was signed by outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. Playing for the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants in 2025, Yastrzemski is expected to play mostly against right-handed pitchers.
There are a couple key question marks that Anthopoulos and Weiss will be looking for clarity to, beginning in spring training at North Port, Florida.
As catcher in 2025, Sean Murphy had a disappointing season. Batting .199 in 94 games, Murphy went on the injured list with a fractured left rib early last March. In September, a season-ending surgery was performed to correct a torn labrum in his right hip. How his season will bounce back should be fairly evident during the first couple weeks of spring training.
Profar was suspended at the start of the season for 80 games due to testing positive for performance-enhancing substances. Back in January, Profar had signed a three-year contract with the Braves. Returning to Atlanta on July 2, Profar batted .245 for the season.This is down from his 2024 average of .280.
Throw in the Braves signing reliever Robert Suarez to a three-year, $45 million contract earlier this month, and without question Atlanta has to be seen as among the top improved clubs for the coming season. It won’t be business as usual, 2025 style, with the roster that the Braves field in 2026. Anthopoulos hasn’t demonstrated any signs of slowing down in fine-tuning baseball in Atlanta.
