Atlanta Braves 2025 Season Preview
What do the Braves have in store in 2025
The Braves are coming off an abysmal year by their standards, going 89-73, finishing second in the division, and winning the 5th seed on the final day of the season. Alex Anthopoulos didn’t do much of note this offseason besides signing Jurickson Profar. The Braves were rumored to be in numerous trades and potential free-agent signings, like Garrett Crochet, Dylan Cease, Tanner Scott, and Jeff Hoffman. The Braves were in extended talks to acquire Cease and Crochet but drew the line at trading Drake Baldwin; Hoffman’s medicals scared them off, and Tanner Scott chose the Dodgers. The Braves dealt with massive injury blows, with Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna really being the only guys to miss the injury bug. We’ve already had Sean Murphy go down with a broken rib, and off-season signing Jurickson Profar jammed his wrist on a diving attempt in the outfield. Joe Jimenez will be out for most, if not all, of 2025 with knee surgery from the offseason. In this article, I will give my predictions for the 2025 Braves and what to expect from this team.
Starting Pitching:
Chris Sale is coming off a season where he led the league in ERA+, SO9, HR9, FIP, ERA, and Wins, leading the NL in WAR, W-L%, W and SO. Sale took home the Cy Young and NL Pitching Triple Crown. Sale doesn’t have to replicate last season but if he can be remotely close to it, the Braves rotation will be unstoppable.
Spencer Strider’s return is the X-factor here. If he’s back to his pre-injury form, this rotation could go from good to elite. A healthy Strider paired with Sale and Schwellenbach gives the Braves a top three that can match up with anyone in a postseason series. The depth beyond that is where it gets interesting.
The battle for the fifth (and possibly sixth) spot between Grant Holmes, Ian Anderson, and AJ Smith-Shawver is going to be crucial. Holmes seems like a fan favorite with a knack for stepping up—his 3.56 ERA across starts and relief appearances, plus that game 162 heroics, make him a reliable option. He could thrive in a hybrid role if they go with six starters. AJ Smith-Shawver’s strong spring is encouraging, and at his best, he’s got the upside to stick in the rotation long-term. Ian Anderson, though, feels like the wild card. His postseason pedigree is undeniable, and the Braves clearly want to give him every chance to reclaim that magic. But a 6.21 FIP and 18 walks against just 8 strikeouts this spring is rough—those control issues could sink him if they carry over. His 2.65 ERA in spring might look decent on paper, but it’s “watered-down lineups,” and there is no way of knowing the real statistics until the season starts.
If Sale, Strider, and Schwellenbach stay healthy and firing, that’s a playoff-caliber core. López adds flexibility and the fifth/sixth spot competition gives them options to play matchups or lean on the bullpen as needed. Holmes or Smith-Shawver in the pen could be a sneaky advantage, too. Anderson’s the question mark—if he figures it out, great; if not, they’ve got enough depth to pivot.
The Lineup:
The Braves' lineup is going to be fun to watch and, hopefully, better than last year. I’ve already talked about the injuries, but in case you missed it: Sean Murphy missed 2 months, Austin Riley missed 52 games, Ozzie Albies missed 63 games, Michael Harris missed 52 games, and Ronald Acuña Jr. missed 113 games. The Braves also dealt with underperforming seasons from Orlando Arcia and Jarred Kelenic, forcing them to rely on players like Whit Merrifield and Gio Urshela. Ramón Laureano was pretty solid down the stretch, but the Braves' depth was seriously tested.
Heading into the new season, the Braves will have a fully healthy lineup (except for Murphy) and addressed one of their needs by filling a hole in the outfield with the signing of Jurickson Profar. Profar is coming off a career year, slashing .280/.380/.459 with an .839 OPS, smashing 24 home runs, and recording 25 more strikeouts than walks. He excels in high-leverage situations—something the Braves struggled with last year—and has a great eye at the plate, ranking in the 89th percentile for walk percentage (BB%), 88th for strikeout percentage (K%), 90th for chase percentage, 90th for whiff percentage, and 91st for batting run value. Profar is also fresh off his first Silver Slugger award and his first All-Star season.
The Braves haven’t yet decided on their starting catcher, but all signs point to Drake Baldwin. Baldwin, ranked as the #62 overall prospect and #7 among catching prospects, tore up AAA last year, slashing .298/.407/.484 with an .891 OPS and 82 hits in 72 games. He’s been unfazed at every level so far and has looked amazing in spring training, which might force his way onto the roster to start the season. My only concern is that we’ve seen players like Nacho Alvarez and, to some extent, Vaughn Grissom struggle to adjust to big-league pitching. However, in my opinion, if the pitchers enjoy throwing to Baldwin (which they’ve said they do) and he’s average or slightly below average defensively, I’d have no issue with him as the starting catcher. Catcher is a position where you can get away with a below-average hitter if he calls a good game and provides solid-to-great defense.
Ronald Acuña Jr. will be out until around May 2, so I expect the Braves to platoon Jarred Kelenic and Eli White or Bryan De La Cruz in the meantime, as both have shown promising signs in spring training. I think De La Cruz is likely the odd man out once Acuña returns, since he has two minor league options remaining, while Kelenic has only one.
The Bullpen:
The Braves' bullpen situation is intriguing. Atlanta nearly signed Jeff Hoffman, but backed out at the last moment due to concerns about his shoulder. They also pursued Tanner Scott, who ultimately joined the Dodgers. The team lost setup man Joe Jimenez to knee surgery, and closer Raisel Iglesias is in a contract year, leaving the bullpen with uncertainties. Aaron Bummer has a poor reputation for being overused in low-leverage situations last year, though he induces many ground balls. Personally, I’d prefer a strikeout pitcher for the late innings. Questions remain: What will Dylan Lee contribute? Will Craig Kimbrel join the roster, and what will he provide? Can Daysbel Hernández reduce his walks? His stuff is impressive, but he needs better control. Angel Perdomo was traded to the Angels, and Ray Kerr likely won’t return until 2026. Pierce Johnson struggled late last season—I’m okay with him in the 7th inning, but not the 8th. Will Grant Holmes or AJ Smith-Shawver join the bullpen? Could Ian Anderson shift there? Does Hurston Waldrep have a chance in relief? GM Alex Anthopoulos has said building a bullpen is the toughest task, which explains why he’s sometimes “overpaid” for relievers or made deadline moves for pitchers like Will Smith, Kenley Jansen, and Raisel Iglesias—bullpens are vital in the postseason. At this point, it’s hard to predict what’ll happen. The Braves have decent options, but adding one more reliable shutdown reliever would ease my mind.
The Bench:
I’m pretty content with the bench. Luke Williams and Eli White do bring some solid versatility, which is clutch for a team that doesn’t lean too heavily on its reserves. The core players carrying the load every day definitely reduce the pressure on the bench—those guys just need to step up when it counts, and it seems like they’ve got the right mix for that. The Kelenic/De La Cruz platoon is interesting too; keeping one of them fresh on the bench could pay off late in games or during a long stretch. Tromp as the backup catcher is a safe bet—nothing flashy, but reliable enough.
If an injury hits, the bench might just need to hold the fort until the front office pulls the trigger on a move. The Braves have a knack for making smart adjustments midseason.
Overall:
Overall, I expect the Braves to win the division again. I believe the Phillies and Mets are both going to make the postseason and might even give the Braves a run for their money, but I believe both teams have bigger and more substantial holes than the Braves do. I’m going to say the Braves finish the year 95-67, and as long as everyone stays healthy and produces at the level that they have, the Braves will be just fine in 2025!
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