Reviewing the Braves 2025 Regular Season
Entering 2025, the Braves were seen as serious contenders in the National League. The core was strong: Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Michael Harris II, Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley. However, that optimism masked underlying vulnerabilities: depth on the pitching staff and position players, injury risk, and a reliance on key players returning to form. However, this group of players is not to be underestimated or blown up. The 2023 Braves showed us what this team is capable of. What this team needs is more depth around them so the lows are not so low. The 2025 campaign reflected that reality.
The 0‑7 Start
The season got off to a catastrophic beginning. The Braves lost their first seven games on the road, which put them in a deep hole. Historically, no team has ever started by losing their first seven games and reached the postseason. Yet, with the core players that Atlanta has, there was still hope that they could get out of it, but then came the injuries. From the onset, the Braves were forced to endure injuries. Acuña Jr. missed the start of the season as he continued to recover from his ACL. Jurickson Profar, signed in the offseason to help offset outfield depth risk, was hit with an 80-game PED suspension just after the season began, leaving a glaring hole. Furthermore, Harris, Albies, and Riley all struggled to find consistency at the plate, especially in the first half. The bullpen, historically a strength, was a liability this year. Raisel Iglesias blew multiple saves early, and the pen’s overall performance dipped. By midseason, the Braves had cratered to a sub-500 record.
Too Little, Too Late
Despite all the adversity, Atlanta did show glimpses of life late in the season. Hope appeared in the form of Drake Baldwin's Rookie of the Year campaign and Harris' post-all-star break resurgence. The Braves also strung together a late 10-game win streak, powered in part by Olson and rookie Hurston Waldrep. They closed the season with a final win over Pittsburgh, in what might have been Charlie Morton’s final MLB appearance; the Braves won four to one. Morton gave 1.1 scoreless innings, Sale turned in 5.2 innings with nine strikeouts, and Acuña Jr. crushed a two-run homer. Still, that resurgence couldn’t erase the earlier damage. The Braves ended the season with a 76–86 record, their first losing campaign since 2017. It cannot be overemphasized that with eight more wins, they will currently be in the postseason despite all the injuries they endured.
2026 and Onward
Hopefully, the 2025 season will be the wake-up call the 2024 season should have been. This team requires depth to function. That means having better prospects and veteran players who can be relied upon when starters go down. It also means reinforcing the weakest parts of the team. Mainly, the shortstop position. Although picking up Ha-Seaon Kim was a great move, we still don’t know if he is going to pick his player option next season. This team needs to spend in the offseason; it doesn’t need to be any big names, but players that can be counted on when someone gets injured. It needs depth pieces that can turn a 76-86 record into an 84-78. That’s a good problem to have and a lot better than the rest of the league.
