The draft fell the way most predicted months ago. The big four of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson went with the top four picks — and then the four star freshman point guards followed. The Hawks simply took the one that fell to them, but they got a guy who should be able to step in from day one and start at a position that plagued them following the mid-season trade of Trae Young.

Flemings might not be an elite level passer like Young was coming out of college, but he is a true floor general that stays within himself and limits his turnovers.

Where fans will notice a significant improvement is on the other side of the ball. You don’t start for Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars without being a willing defender. Flemings’ defense is his biggest strength coming out of college. His measurements were a little shorter than expected at the NBA Combine — standing a hair under 6-foot-3 with a similar wingspan — but his college tape doesn’t show that. Flemings was a menace on that end of the floor, helped by his strong frame and athleticism.

When discussing weaknesses, one will immediately notice his shooting stroke. It’s not as smooth as some of the other point guards that will be selected in the lottery, but it didn’t seem to matter in college, as he shot nearly 39% from three and 85% from the free throw line.

That shooting stroke and his ability to continue to develop his overall game offensively will ultimately determine Flemings’ ceiling. He doesn’t necessarily look like he’s going to translate into an All-Star caliber guard at the next level, but some of that also can be attributed to the system Sampson likes to run at Houston.

But of all the point guards selected after the fourth pick, Flemings might have the highest floor. He’s the definition of a coachable and winning player — the type of selfless point guard that Hawks fans will become fond of very quickly.

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(Photo by Scott Sewell/Icon Sportswire)

The #Falcons and star TE Kyle Pitts have agreed to terms on a 3-year, $54M contract.

Pitts will not play on the $15M franchise tag and instead receives $36M fully guaranteed over the next two seasons. The deal was negotiated by David Mulugheta of @AthletesFirst and Andre Odom. pic.twitter.com/s6Yf7siLX4

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 23, 2026

The deal comes with $36 million guaranteed, which essentially makes this more like a two-year deal with a reasonable out if Pitts doesn’t live up to expectations, something that was a common occurrence throughout his rookie contract.

However, Pitts is coming off by far his best campaign since his first year, setting career-highs in catches with 88 and touchdowns with five, finishing just shy of the 1,000 yard mark while appearing in all 17 games.

By AAV, this makes Kyle Pitts the third-highest paid tight end in the league, behind only George Kittle and Trey McBride — a resounding signal of confidence from the organization that they do not believe last season was a fluke. Moreover, the Falcons are essentially saying his struggles from 2022-2024 were more the result of poor quarterback play and a lingering knee injury that he finally looked to have recovered from this past season.

In three straight offseasons, the Falcons had top 10 picks that they spent on three straight skill position players — Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson. They have not yet returned to the playoffs since, but while it may have been a different regime that picked them, the new regime seems to have plenty of confidence in the trio.

Drake London already received a massive contract extension earlier this offseason. Kyle Pitts now joins him as one of the highest paid players at his position, and next up is undoubtedly Bijan Robinson, who will eventually reset the market at running back.

That’s a lot of money to spend on skill players. Much like it was a lot of draft capital a few years ago. We’ll see if it pans out better this time around.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

So, it should come as no surprise that when former GM Jim Bowden asked all 30 front offices their club’s biggest need leading up to the deadline, the Braves responded with another starting pitcher and bat.

“The recent Spencer Strider injury news has pushed the Braves’ need for starting pitching to the front of the line, with another hitter being a secondary need,” Bowden wrote for The Athletic. “In terms of a bat, left field or shortstop are likely their two target areas.”

I would argue the biggest problem area for the Braves is by far the rotation. Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes have really fallen off as the season has waned, Spencer Strider is likely done for the year after suffering yet another elbow injury, and JR Ritchie is a rookie that hasn’t quite proven he’s ready to be a permanent member of the rotation. The Braves’ rotation is essentially Chris Sale and pray. Although, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful resurgent campaign Martin Perez is putting together.

There is some hope for improvement with Hurston Waldrep and potentially others returning, but that’s still not enough. Adding another legitimate frontline arm feels non-negotiable at this point.

Another bat is certainly a need, but it’s not nearly as pressing as the rotation. Ronald Acuña Jr. returning will essentially kill two birds with one stone. He’ll massively improve the offensive production the Braves are currently getting in right field, and Mauricio Dubon kicking back to shortstop will do the same there.

That said, it still leaves two positions where Atlanta can upgrade — left field and DH. Mike Yastrzemski has just not been consistent enough. He’s fine as a depth piece, but he cannot be an everyday starter. The DH spot has also become a black hole with Dominic Smith, who’s really struggled since his magnificent start to the season. A strong case could be made he should be removed from the lineup completely if the Braves are serious about winning the World Series.

The good news is finding a slugging DH/outfielder generally isn’t that difficult. The Braves found four of them during the 2021 deadline, and they didn’t have to give up a single worthwhile prospect to do so.

Alex Anthopoulos should prepare to dole out top prospects for a frontline starting pitcher. The other issue can likely be fixed with a couple of under the radar additions that come with high upside.

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(Photo by David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

JR Ritchie is heading back to Gwinnett after another rough start, allowing five runs over five innings. In his place, reliever Tyler Kinley has been activated from the IL. Additionally, Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment for about the millionth time, with Ian Hamilton joining the active roster.

The #Braves today reinstated RHP Tyler Kinley from the injured list after optioning RHP JR Ritchie to Triple-A Gwinnett. The club also selected RHP Ian Hamilton to the major league roster and designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 24, 2026

Ritchie is eventually going to be a staple of the Braves rotation, but that day is not today. He’s really struggled with walks this season, not just in Atlanta but with Gwinnett as well. No pitcher, especially one without premier strikeout stuff, is going to have much success at the major-league level when giving up that many free passes.

Getting Tyler Kinley back is certainly a breath of fresh air for a bullpen that seems to be running out of gas. Walt Weiss said yesterday that more than half of the club’s relief arms were unavailable, including Robert Suarez, who is dealing with forearm soreness.

As far as Carrasco, you know the drill. He pitches, gets designated for assignment, clears waivers, then rejoins the active roster until he has to make his next appearance. Rinse and repeat. I don’t expect anything different this time around.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

“The Braves’ right-handed pitcher is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment Thursday at the team’s spring training facility,” Bishop wrote. “Smith-Shawver will pitch two innings of a simulated game and throw between 35 to 40 pitches.”

This news really could not come at a better time. The Braves rotation, while they wholly overachieved over the first two months, has completely unraveled in June. Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes have severely regressed. Spencer Strider is likely out for the season after suffering yet another elbow injury, and JR Ritchie doesn’t look quite ready for the majors yet. This team desperately needs an influx of talent when it comes to their starting pitchers, and the hope is that Hurston Waldrep along with Smith-Shawver can alleviate at least some of the concerns.

Waldrep is already up to 71 pitches. His next time out he’ll likely aim for 80-85 pitches. At that point, the Braves might decide to call him up. Hell, they could do it right now if they think Waldrep could effectively get guys out with the way the rest of the rotation has performed.

Smith-Shawver is a few weeks behind Waldrep, and I would expect him to take a similar route as he works his way back. He’ll throw around 40 pitches this week, then work his way up to around 50 next week, followed by 60-70 and so on. Within the next month, it’s possible the Braves rotation features both Waldrep and Smith-Shawver.

That’s exciting given their upside, but it’s important to temper expectations. These are still young, relatively unproven arms that are working their way back from major injuries. Anything they can provide the club should be viewed as a bonus, even if the Braves desperately need at least one of them to step up and become an impact starter.

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But like most chatter leading up to the draft, it was all smoke. The Hawks stood pat and took Houston PG Kingston Flemings with the 8th pick and then selected St. Johns PF/C Zuby Ejiofor in the back half of the first round — both guys that could find themselves contributing immediately on a team with aspirations of seriously competing in the Eastern Conference.

Barring another significant acquisition, Flemings will almost certainly step in and become the Hawks’ starting point guard. Atlanta really doesn’t have another option on the roster, and even if they did, it’s unlikely he’d come with as much talent and upside as the former Houston Cougar.

Flemings’ calling cards are his defense and quickness. He compares himself to the likes of De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Maxey, while others believe he’s reminiscent of former NBA MVP Derrick Rose. His first step to the rim is almost impossible to guard one-on-one and his strength and athleticism give him the ability to finish in a multitude of ways around the rim.

However, what might be most impressive about his offensive game is his patience. Flemings was a freshman playing in the ultra-competitive Big 12 Conference, but you’d be hard-pressed to find many moments where he was out of control. He’s a true floor general that lets the game come to him, turning the ball over less than two times per game.

Defensively, Flemings and Dyson Daniels have the opportunity to become one of the most menacing duos in the NBA. You don’t start under Kelvin Sampson as a freshman unless you’re prepared to give max effort on the defensive end for the full 40 minutes. Flemings has the will, quickness, and strength to immediately become a nightmare for opposing guards from the moment he steps on an NBA floor.

Ejiofor — though in a different body type, standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 240 pounds — is cut from the same cloth. There might not be a player across college basketball that played harder than he did when he was on the floor, featuring active hands on the defensive end that paired with a terrific ability to defend the rim.

It’s hard for me to avoid Draymond Green comparisons when watching Ejiofor — both undersized from a height perspective but can defend much bigger because of their weight, strength, and overall relentless pressure. But the comparisons don’t stop on the defensive end. Ejiofor is an unbelievable passer for a player his size, averaging 3.5 assists per game this past season in just 30 minutes, and like Green, he doesn’t quite have a reliable jump shot… yet.

That’s something I’m sure the Hawks will get straight to work with him on once he enters the building. Ejiofor shot just over 30% from beyond the arc as a senior on 1.6 attempts per game. He doesn’t ever have to be a sniper from deep, but if he can at least keep defenses honest, it will take his game to the next level. I don’t think it’s a secret why the Hawks might have been higher on him than most, given Onsi Saleh spent a lot of time with Golden State watching the impact Draymond Green had on the Warriors.

The Hawks’ first-round picks share some similar traits, but the one that pops off the page is their effort — a willingness to do whatever it takes to win. These are culture-building selections that also have the talent to immediately contribute to what the Hawks are building.

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Suarez will play catch today to see how he’s feeling, but the alarm bells are understandably ringing loudly for a fan base that has watched star player after star player land on the Injured List.

Robert Suarez is dealing with right forearm soreness. He was unavailable tonight. He will play catch tomorrow to get a feel for when he might be available again

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 24, 2026

An argument could be made that Robert Suarez has been among the top five most valuable Braves this season — pretty rare for a reliever that is not the primary closer. In 31 appearances, he’s surrendered just two runs — good for a 0.56 ERA. Nearly every time he’s toed the rubber, the Braves have gone on to win the game.

Losing him for any amount of time would be detrimental for a club that’s already in a massive downswing. The Braves have lost three in a row and nine of their last twelve. Their once double-digit lead in the NL East is down to just 5.5 games with more than three months to play, and even more concerning, holes on the roster are beginning to show everywhere.

The one place that’s been consistently fantastic has been the bullpen, but that might not be the case for too much longer. It’s very apparent that first-year manager Walt Weiss overworked these guys early in the season. Seemingly on a nightly basis, several guys are unavailable. That’s not how it’s supposed to be in June, and it’s another significant concern moving forward.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Rowdy Tellez got the club on the board with a two-run single in the second inning. Michael Harris II added on with a double — one of his three hits on the night — and Matt Olson brought in a fourth run with a walk before the Padres finally found their way to the dugout.

But it didn’t take long for that lead to evaporate with rookie JR Ritchie on the mound, who continues to prove he might not quite be ready for a permanent role in a major-league rotation. The reasoning for that, like so many young pitchers before him, is control.

Ritchie can’t throw strikes, even with a four-run lead. Two one-out walks got the Padres feeling like they could get back in the game, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves with the lead following four straight hits.

The promising aspect of Ritchie’s outing is that he settled down, making it through five innings without allowing a single run. There’s never been much concern about the mental side of the game for the 22-year-old, but it seems there’s always one inning where everything unravels.

In the process, the Braves retook the lead, courtesy of a home run from Mauricio Dubon. Unfortunately, they couldn’t hold it.

For whatever reason, Walt Weiss turned to Carlos Carrasco for multiple innings in a one-run game. The first frame was fine, as Carrasco set the Padres down in order. But Weiss should have learned not to push his luck the last time he tried this, as Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the seventh inning with a solo home run.

Eventually, the game worked its way to extras, where the dismal bottom of the Braves lineup couldn’t muster anything — a primary storyline of this recent rough stretch. In the bottom half, Manny Machado walked it off with a single to center on the first pitch, sending the Braves home losers for a third consecutive night and the ninth time in their last twelve games.

Atlanta’s NL East lead is now down to 5.5 games, and after a first two months where it seemed nothing could go wrong, the script has completely flipped in June — marked most notably by a rotation that has completely imploded. JR Ritchie is being asked to do something he shouldn’t have to this early in his career. Hopefully, Hurston Waldrep‘s return can allow him to continue working on his craft in the minors.

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Pitts was arguably the second best tight end in the sport in 2025. He stayed healthy, playing in all 17 games, catching a career-high 88 balls with five touchdowns and finishing just shy of 1,000 yards receiving on his way to second-team All-Pro honors. It might have been the best season of his entire career, even above his rookie campaign when he eclipsed 1,000 yards and set the Falcons franchise rookie record for receiving.

But we can’t base things solely off one season. For the most part, Kyle Pitts has been a massive disappointment. He was touted as a unicorn prospect in a loaded draft class that saw a plethora of perennial All-Pros drafted right behind him. Pitts was supposed to be chasing tight end receiving records, not happy about finishing a campaign with 928 yards, most of which came without Drake London on the field.

From 2022-2024, Pitts never caught for more than 667 yards in a season and eclipsed 50 catches just once. He was an average tight end at best, but some context has to be added.

Pitts suffered a knee injury during the 2022 campaign, and it was something that clearly hampered him in the seasons that followed. Last year was the first time he looked fully healthy since his rookie year. Additionally, the quarterback play in Atlanta has been abysmal. It’s hard to have much success as a second option when the organization has been playing musical chairs under center from the moment he was drafted.

With this deal, the Falcons are saying they believe Kyle Pitts can be a true #2 receiving threat, and that the circumstances prior to last season were more responsible for his struggles than his talent itself.

That’s probably a more than fair assessment, but not something the Falcons should be taking a $50+ million gamble on.

But that’s the thing… they aren’t.

NFL contracts are all about how they are structured, and this extension is essentially for one year. Only $36 million of the deal is guaranteed, and the Falcons were already on the hook for about $16 million this season if Pitts played under the franchise tag. Atlanta was going to pay that regardless, and they are now essentially guaranteeing one extra year with an easy out in the third year if Pitts doesn’t live up to expectations.

When put that way, it is a lot more palatable. And it’s important to remember — Kyle Pitts was among the youngest players in his draft class. Despite the fact he’s played five NFL seasons, he’ll only be 26 years old next season. A strong argument could be made that Pitts’ best football is in front of him. That’s what the Falcons are banking on with this vote of confidence.

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Farmer has caught 19 games in his career, most of which came in 2019. Not exactly a savant behind the plate, but an option nonetheless in emergency situations.

Bowman added an update on Sean Murphy. Walt Weiss said that he is still more than a month away from returning from the broken middle finger he suffered a little over a month ago.

Walt Weiss said Sean Murphy is likely more than a month from returning. Getting Kyle Farmer reacquainted with the catching position will provide the luxury of having a third catcher in case there’s a late-inning need to hit for Joey Bart or run for Drake Baldwin.

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 24, 2026

The Braves have tried out a number of catchers in the wake of injuries to Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon provided absolutely nothing offensively, which led to the acquisition of Joey Bart. Bart is at least competent enough to handle the backup duties over the next month or so, but the Braves could really use their catching tandem at full strength coming down the stretch.

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Strider will be evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister later in the week.

Braves manager Walt Weiss says today there is “nothing definitive yet” on Spencer Strider; Strider will next go be evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister this week

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) June 14, 2026

We’re all hoping for the best for Spencer Strider. He’s been through so much when it comes to injuries, but the fact that he’s already undergone several tests and is now set to see another specialist is never an encouraging sign.

At the very least, this is going to keep him out for a while — if not the entire season. The Braves have already indicated JR Ritchie will replace him in the rotation, and the 22-year-old responded with five scoreless innings on Friday after Strider was removed from the game.

As devastating as the injury is, a strong case could be made that it really shouldn’t impact the Braves’ 2026 campaign all that much. Strider simply hasn’t been the same pitcher since undergoing InternalBrace surgery in 2024, posting a 4.66 ERA over his last 31 starts.

That’s a level of production JR Ritchie should have no problem replicating, and there’s a real chance he’s significantly better. The Braves also have Hurston Waldrep stretching out in the minors — up to 53 pitches his last time out with a target of 65-70 this week. That’s not far off from where he needs to be before Atlanta has to make a decision on calling him up.

Rotation depth has never been an issue for the organization this year. Beyond Waldrep, AJ Smith-Shawver is expected back at some point this season, and there’s still some hope Spencer Schwellenbach can return as well.

The problem the Braves have always faced is finding a legitimate number two behind Chris Sale. There was a sliver of hope Strider could figure it out and be that guy later in the year, but to treat that as a realistic possibility based on what he’s shown over the last two seasons was beyond wishful thinking.

His latest injury doesn’t really change the outlook for 2026. The depth is there to more than make up for the production he was providing. What it does is reinforce what has been true all along — the Braves need a frontline starter to pair with Chris Sale, a need that has existed ever since Max Fried signed with the Yankees in free agency.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

According to Mark Bowman, Strider avoided structural damage to the elbow. It does not look like he is going to need surgery, and his visit to Dr. Keith Meister is just focused on coming up with a plan to get him back on the mound.

Strider’s MRI didn’t show any ligament damage, just inflammation. There aren’t any current concerns about him needing surgery. Today’s visit with Dr. Meister (performed surgery in 2024) will just provide an indication of what the next steps will be. Meister will provide a…

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 15, 2026

I’ve said this from the beginning — this news is more about Strider’s career than it is about the Braves’ outlook in 2026. Another elbow surgery would have been his third, following Tommy John surgery in college and InternalBrace surgery just a couple of years ago. This very easily could have been a career-ending ordeal had his MRI shown something different.

As far as the 2026 campaign goes, not much changes. Strider hasn’t been pitching well — he’s been an average starter since returning last season, posting a 4.66 ERA over his last 31 starts. That’s easily replaceable with what the Braves already have in-house, and just because he might be able to return at some point this year doesn’t mean the team should be expecting anything meaningful from him.

Strider has a lot of work left to do before he’s an impact pitcher for the Braves again. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if they try him out of the bullpen when he does return.

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UPDATE: The Braves have said Spencer Strider will be shut down for the next four weeks. At that point, he will take another MRI and if everything checks out he will begin throwing again.

Following a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister today, RHP Spencer Strider will be shut down from throwing for four weeks and then undergo a follow-up MRI. Provided that scan is clear, he will then begin a throwing progression.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 15, 2026

There’s a small possibility everything goes perfectly, and Strider becomes a contributor down the stretch. However, a lot of things must go right, and it will almost certainly be a role out of the bullpen.

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The Braves will be calling on every starter that becomes available, including Tarik Skubal, no matter how unlikely that may seem. Anthopoulos has never been a general manager eager to get into bidding wars for marquee players. He’s always looking for value, and one of the more under-the-radar names to monitor is Angels lefty Reid Detmers, who is already generating interest around the league.

“Los Angeles Angels left-handed starter Reid Detmers is starting to pick up plenty of traction among teams seeking a starter at the trade deadline,” Bob Nightengale writes for USA Today Sports. “Detmers is 1-0 with a 1.73 ERA in his past four starts, yielding a 0.54 WHIP and .105 opposing batting average with 37 strikeouts in 26 innings. He also has two more years of control.”

Detmers’ 4.00 ERA across 14 starts this season isn’t exactly eye-popping, especially when discussing a potential number two starter behind Chris Sale for a playoff series. But the underlying metrics tell a more attractive story when you dig a little deeper.

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• 2.87 FIP
• 2.87 xERA (88th percentile)
• .203 xBA (86th percentile)
• 29.3% K-Rate (90th percentile)
• 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings (leads league)

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Detmers has the stuff of an elite starting pitcher, and he wouldn’t be the first guy to fail to live up to his potential while wearing an Angels uniform — an organization notorious for abysmal pitching development. As Nightengale mentions, he’s also peaking at the right time, and the two additional years of team control after this season is something Anthopoulos typically places significant value on this time of year.

When it comes to starting pitching at the trade deadline, there’s rarely such a thing as a bargain. The expanded playoffs have created more buyers than ever, which only drives up the price — the primary reason Anthopoulos hasn’t pulled the trigger in years past.

But at some point he’s going to have to choose between one of two paths. Accept the market for what it is and put this team in the best possible position to chase a championship, or risk watching another season slip away with this talented core because of an unwillingness to pay the going rate for starting pitching.

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The holes on the current roster are beginning to show themselves more than they have all year. But what can be fixed internally, and what may need outside attention as the All-Star break and trade deadline approach?

Behind The Plate

The loss of both Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy has been brutal. Sandy Leon might be the worst everyday player in the major leagues right now, and the team already designated Chadwick Tromp for assignment to make way for Austin Wynns, who has recorded just one hit in six games since joining the club.

The Braves have essentially been playing a man down for about a month. The good news is that Baldwin should rejoin the club this week, having started a mini rehab assignment with the Gwinnett Stripers over the weekend. His return will ease a lot of the concerns — but it’s not something the organization can completely overlook.

Murphy is nowhere close to returning after suffering a fractured finger. Best case, he’s back sometime in August. Worst case, he may not play much more this season at all. If the last month has taught us anything, it’s that the Braves will be in serious trouble if Baldwin goes down again. Acquiring some insurance at the trade deadline — given Murphy’s extensive injury history — would be a wise move.

Third Base

I’ve long said that when the weather heats up, so does Austin Riley. So far, that hasn’t been the case. He’s continued to struggle at the plate and is barely hitting above the Mendoza Line, creating a significant hole in the middle of the Braves offense.

The frustration from the fan base is understandable. This is a player who was once a perennial MVP candidate, and over the last two seasons he hasn’t been much better than a replacement-level player.

Third base, however, is a different situation than everything else on this list. The Braves don’t have a choice but to ride it out and hope for improvement. Not only do they owe him a significant amount of money over the next six years, but this team is at its absolute best when Riley is at the peak of his powers. There is no better alternative.

Pitching

Perhaps the most glaring hole right now is in the rotation. Strider is going to be out for a while — if not the entire season — and some of the guys who started the year on fire are coming back down to earth, most notably Bryce Elder. Atlanta’s starting staff right now is Chris Sale and pray.

There are internal options that at least provide some rays of hope. JR Ritchie looked fantastic his last time out and is oozing with upside. Hurston Waldrep is probably a couple of starts away from rejoining the Braves and is touching 99 MPH during his rehab assignment. AJ Smith-Shawver should begin a rehab assignment in the near future as well. There’s still some hope Spencer Schwellenbach could return, and if the Braves wanted, they could begin stretching Didier Fuentes back out as a starter — a guy who has been virtually unhittable since moving to the bullpen.

Still, it goes without saying the Braves could use a frontline starter at the trade deadline. That’s been true since Max Fried signed with the Yankees in free agency, and Strider’s latest injury only reinforces that notion.

Outfield/DH

Jurickson Profar‘s suspension really hurt the Braves, even if it hasn’t fully shown up in the standings over the first three months. At the very least, Anthopoulos needs to find a power-hitting platoon option to pair with Mike Yastrzemski. And given that Dominic Smith has cooled off significantly since his scorching start, something bigger would be preferred.

The offense still has the potential to be a juggernaut come October. The returns of Baldwin and Acuña shouldn’t be too far away, and a resurgent second half from Riley paired with one meaningful addition at the deadline could make this the best lineup in baseball when it matters.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

James Pearce will reportedly be at #Falcons mandatory minicamp this week, per FOX 5 Atlanta.

— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) June 15, 2026

In late May, it was reported that the charges against James Pearce Jr. would all be dismissed if he completed a 12-month pre-trial diversion program that includes counseling, drug-testing, and no contact with the victim in the case — his ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson.

“Overall, it is the best possible result we could have imagined here,” Pearce’s lawyer Yale Sanford said. “It speaks to the willingness of the state to give him the opportunity. I think that’s an extreme win for us, and especially for James. It allows him to focus on himself and his family and getting back on the football field.”

Legally, Pearce has been given a second chance that most people in his situation would never be afforded. As long as he stays out of trouble over the next 12 months, this should be firmly in the rearview mirror.

The league will still have its say, however. Because the charges were dropped and nobody was physically harmed in the incident, there’s precedent for a significantly lighter suspension than anyone could have anticipated a few months ago. The fact that he’s expected to attend mandatory minicamp suggests the Falcons are counting on him to play.

Pearce is coming off a campaign Falcons fans have been dreaming about for decades — a franchise-record 10.5 sacks as a rookie, making him arguably the most important piece of a pass rush that finished second in the league in sacks. That was something absolutely nobody saw coming given Atlanta’s recent history of getting after the quarterback.

Without Pearce in the fold, the Falcons defensive line leaves a lot to be desired. With him, and it feels like the potential upside of this group is endless. That’s how vital he is to the team’s overall success in 2026.

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(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)

Following a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister today, RHP Spencer Strider will be shut down from throwing for four weeks and then undergo a follow-up MRI. Provided that scan is clear, he will then begin a throwing progression.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 15, 2026

It’s a best case scenario for Strider. Another serious elbow injury might have ended his career, given it would be his third over eight years and second in the last three seasons.

However, this report all but ends his chances of starting another game for the Braves this season. In a perfect world, he resumes throwing in mid-July and begins a rehab assignment sometime in August — but getting him stretched out and ready for October is a near impossibility.

That doesn’t mean Strider can’t contribute in some form, though. Many have speculated it might be best for him to move to the bullpen given all the injuries, and while that may not be a long-term solution, it’s the only realistic path back to the mound for him this season.

How that impacts the rotation is up for interpretation. On one hand, Strider hasn’t been good since returning from InternalBrace surgery, posting a 4.66 ERA over 31 starts — production that can be replaced, especially given the Braves’ pitching depth. On the flip side, he at least offered the kind of upside that, if everything clicked, he could be the number two behind Chris Sale that the Braves have been desperately searching for.

That’s what the Braves have to figure out between now and October. Who can they trust to start a playoff game outside of Chris Sale?

Some internal options exist. Hurston Waldrep, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Spencer Schwellenbach are all working their way back from injury, while Didier Fuentes and JR Ritchie are two intriguing young arms.

But when has banking on guys returning from injuries and rookies to be frontline starters ever been the way to operate? The Braves need another frontline starter — it’s never been more clear — and Ken Rosenthal expects them to be on everyone leading up to the deadline, including Tarik Skubal.

“This is a team that could potentially go really far this postseason if they make it, which they should,” Rosenthal said. “They still have of course Chris Sale and Bryce Elder, and they have some really good things going for them. But yes, I would like to see them get a starter at the deadline.

“They are a team that I’m sure will check in on Skubal. It’s not their kind of play. The farm system is not all that great. I don’t know that they can get Skubal, or have enough to get Skubal if they are indeed going down that route for a rental. But the Braves certainly with the state of their rotation right now — Holmes has been okay, Perez has been a revelation — need more and we’ll see if they go get it.”

I want to nip something in the bud right now. Rosenthal is the best at what he does, but he doesn’t know a single thing about the Braves farm system. It’s a system that has struggled in recent years but has taken a sharp turn for the better — this could be a top 10 farm system in baseball sooner rather than later. They absolutely have more than enough to get Tarik Skubal if that’s what they desire.

Will that be on the radar over the next couple of months? It’s not the Braves’ MO, but neither is going after starting pitchers at the trade deadline in general. The last significant addition they made to their rotation this time of year was Kevin Gausman nearly a decade ago, and that was well before his prime.

The rental aspect of Skubal is likely to turn Anthopoulos off — he knows the Braves have very little chance of re-signing him in free agency. But the Braves don’t need to be penny pinching anymore. Chris Sale isn’t going to be around forever. They need to find a frontline starter for now and the future. It’s well past time for Alex Anthopoulos to take a real gamble.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Southisene recently earned a promotion to High-A Rome — high marks for a 19-year-old with fewer than 70 games of professional baseball under his belt — after hitting .297 with eight home runs and 36 stolen bases in 51 games for the Augusta Green Jackets. If the jump in competition was supposed to slow him down, there are no signs of it yet.

In his first two plate appearances yesterday, Southisene reached base both times — recording a hit and drawing a walk. Through nine plate appearances with his new club, he’s reached base five times and is sporting an OPS over 1.000.

There is so much to appreciate about his game at such a young age. Hitting eight home runs in 50 games at any level as a 19-year-old is enormously encouraging. That raw strength is only going to become more apparent as he physically matures, and he pairs it with elite speed — evidenced by 37 stolen bases in just 53 total games this season.

What’s even more eye-catching, though, is his natural feel for the strike zone. He drew three walks in his first two games in Rome and had 37 walks for Augusta, contributing to a .429 on-base percentage.

There are plenty more hurdles for Tate Southisene to clear before anyone crowns him the shortstop of the future — most importantly, proving he can handle the position defensively, which remains the single most critical aspect of a shortstop’s development. But this is one of the most promising young prospects to come through the organization in a long time, and watching him develop over the next few years is going to be a lot of fun.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today selected RHP James Karinchak to the major league roster and designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment. The club also recalled RHP JR Ritchie to Atlanta and placed RHP Tyler Kinley on the 15-day injured list, backdated to June 8, with right elbow…

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 10, 2026

Karinchak replaces Kinley, and it’s an opportunity for him to earn a permanent role in the bullpen. The stuff is electric — 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings for Gwinnett this season — and he has a solid track record at the major-league level before injuries derailed his career.

The other transaction is potentially a bit more complicated. JR Ritchie replaces Carrasco, who was designated for assignment. There’s a chance this is simply the Braves adding a fresh arm in case of emergency, but that’s not typically how you handle one of your top prospects.

It would be surprising if Ritchie didn’t make at least one start before heading back to Gwinnett — and like Karinchak, he has an opportunity to make this move permanent.

By now, everyone is familiar with the enigma that is Grant Holmes. The first time through the order he’s one of the better pitchers in baseball. The second time? He’s no better than a position player.

Grant Holmes Splits

1st time through the order: .181 batting average allowed, .526 OPS

2nd time through the order: .317 batting average allowed, 1.055 OPS

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Over a larger sample size those numbers would likely converge somewhat, but not enough to ignore the obvious. Holmes is best suited for a relief role, a place where he’s had plenty of success throughout his career.

That move is coming eventually. Hurston Waldrep is working his way through his rehab assignment and should rejoin the club within a month. AJ Smith-Shawver is right behind him, and Spencer Schwellenbach could enter the conversation later in the season.

But before any of that happens, this could be Ritchie’s best opportunity to prove he belongs in Atlanta for good. There were some control issues and trouble putting hitters away earlier in the season, but this is a talented young pitcher — and with talented young pitchers, you never quite know when everything is going to click.

The Braves would love to see that happen this time around. If it does, moving Holmes to the bullpen becomes an easy decision — and this pitching staff gets even deeper in the process.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The fastball was touching 99, and through three innings he was perfect, striking out three. The fourth is where things unraveled — a hit batter and a couple of singles were followed by a three-run home run, and he wouldn’t make it out of the inning. The final line: 3.2 innings, three hits, four earned runs, three strikeouts on 53 pitches.

That pitch count, and getting through the outing healthy, is really all that matters at this stage. The stuff is still jumping off the page — there are no concerns there. Now it’s simply about getting fully stretched out.

Waldrep will make his fourth rehab start next week, and the Braves will decide whether to keep him in Columbus or transfer him to Gwinnett. The goal will likely be somewhere around 65-70 pitches, with the fifth start targeting around 85.

If everything goes smoothly over the next couple of weeks, the Braves will have a decision to make. Waldrep still has options, so there’s no obligation to rush him, and if the current rotation continues to perform, perhaps they let him get fully comfortable before bringing him up.

But he’s too talented to keep down for long. Control has always been the key for Waldrep — as long as he’s throwing strikes, he has the potential to be the number two starter the Braves have been searching for all season. It’s very possible we see him back in Atlanta before the end of the month.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The rotation has held up better than anyone could have imagined, but that doesn’t change the fact that Atlanta really doesn’t have a playoff-caliber starter outside of Chris Sale. Adding a legitimate number two behind him should be a priority — though starting pitching at the trade deadline comes at a steep price.

Another area where the Braves could look to upgrade, which Bradford Doolittle highlights in his latest piece for ESPN, is shortstop.

“Atlanta has been good at just about everything in building a huge lead in the National League East,” Doolittle writes. “Looking ahead to a likely return to October, there are two key areas to monitor and assess: shortstop and the rotation. The Braves figure to be mentioned frequently if and when the Skubal sweepstakes commence, but shortstop might be the bigger need. That really only matters if someone who is a clear upgrade — perhaps someone such as Jeremy Peña, Willy Adames or CJ Abrams — actually becomes available. A rotation addition seems more likely, even if it’s not Skubal.”

Not everyone will agree, but I don’t see shortstop as something the Braves are going to pursue at this year’s trade deadline. Mauricio Dubon has been a well above-average option through the first few months, and nobody should be completely writing off Ha-Seong Kim just yet either.

Could the Braves upgrade at shortstop? Sure. Should it be a primary focus given the price tags attached to legitimate upgrades? I’m not sure many serious conversations will even be had.

Left field is a much more attainable upgrade. The Braves lost Jurickson Profar before the season began to a second PED suspension, which threw a real wrench into things. Luckily it hasn’t hurt them to this point, but that shouldn’t stop them from inquiring on every outfielder that hits the trade block. They’re considerably less expensive than shortstops, and the right one can add significant firepower to the lineup.

That’s the one position I’d guarantee the Braves address before the deadline. They went after Byron Buxton last year, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if those conversations resurface in about a month.

Beyond that, like every team, the Braves could use bullpen depth — though I’d put that at the bottom of the priority list with seven weeks to go before the trade deadline. 

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(Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire)

Ronald Acuña Jr. is heading back to the IL after suffering yet another hamstring injury during yesterday’s game versus the White Sox. In a corresponding move, the club has selected the contract of Rowdy Tellez and added him to the major-league roster.

Additionally, the once highly touted prospect arm Jhancarlos Lara has been designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Atlanta today also placed OF Ronald Acuña Jr. on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring and selected INF Rowdy Tellez to the major league roster. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated RHP Jhancarlos Lara for assignment.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 10, 2026

Weiss said after yesterday’s game that the initial feeling is Acuña’s hamstring injury is not as bad as the one he suffered last month, which kept him out only a couple of weeks. Regardless, placing him on the IL is a no-brainer. Hamstring injuries will continue to flare up until they are fully healed, and no Braves fan should be eager to see him back on the field until he’s 100 percent. We should know more when Weiss speaks to the media later today.

As for Jhancarlos Lara — he possessed the most high-powered arm in the entire system, capable of touching triple digits with ease and pairing it with a nasty wipeout slider. Over 278 minor league innings, he averaged 12 strikeouts per nine.

The problem is he has absolutely no command. He’s averaged over seven walks per nine innings since joining the organization, and that number spiked to an unsightly 17 walks per nine this season. Lara was quite literally walking nearly two batters per inning.

It’s an unfortunate roster casualty given the raw talent involved, but there’s a chance he clears waivers and finds his way back into the organization.

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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

BALDY'S BACK

The 2025 NL Rookie of the Year is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Gwinnett tomorrow in Jacksonville, presented by @NorthsideHosp.

: https://t.co/g1ZpPr2DTQ pic.twitter.com/fHrGN3Htb2

— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) June 12, 2026

Baldwin has faced live batting practice over the last couple of days. Now he’ll get a chance against some real competition over the weekend.

Alex Anthopolous said a little over a week ago that he didn’t think Baldwin would even need a rehab assignment, so it does not seem as if he is going to spend much time in Gwinnett. If all goes well over the weekend, he could rejoin the Braves as early as Tuesday when they begin a series with the San Francisco Giants at Truist Park.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

For that to happen, Jaylen Brown would have to be involved — which is where the Hawks enter the picture. Atlanta has been linked to the five-time All-Star multiple times over the past several months, but it always felt more like offseason fantasy than reality. Until now.

“One of the loudest questions circulating throughout the league at the moment: Miami might still be widely regarded as the most likely destination for Antetokounmpo … but what sort of market is going to form for Jaylen Brown to join the trade construction as a third team if the Bucks and Celtics advance to a serious stage in Giannis-to-Boston talks,” Jake Fischer reports for The Stein Line.

“Portland, Houston and Atlanta are teams routinely mentioned as suitors with Brown interest, but the sheer salary numbers do add a layer of complexity to any talks. Brown, who turns 30 in October, just assembled a career season but also has three years and $183 million left on his current contract.”

Brown’s massive contract adds a layer of complexity to any three-team construction, but the Hawks have always had the draft capital, young assets, and cap flexibility to make a move of this magnitude work.

Atlanta owns two first-round picks in this year’s draft — 8th and 23rd — along with another valuable selection next year in the form of a top-five protected pick, the worse of the Bucks and Pelicans. On the player side, Milwaukee could choose from the likes of Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, and Asa Newell. Jalen Johnson will not be part of any trade conversations.

The cap side is where things get complicated, but the Hawks would have significant space if they decline their option on Jonathan Kuminga and move on from free agent CJ McCollum — both decisions that become considerably easier if Jaylen Brown is added to the roster.

The Hawks aren’t being forced into anything. They proved over the second half of last season that they’re already one of the better teams in the East and are perfectly comfortable continuing to build through their stockpile of draft assets.

That said, opportunities to acquire a top-10 talent in the NBA — a player coming off a career year in which he averaged nearly 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game — don’t come around often, especially for an organization like Atlanta. Nobody can blame them for being seriously interested. And if they can get this done without surrendering the eighth pick in this year’s draft, this roster instantly becomes one of the more formidable in the Eastern Conference.

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(Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)

Hurston Waldrep has returned from his rehab assignment and been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett — really just a procedural move. He threw 53 pitches over 3.2 innings in his third rehab start on Thursday and will need at least a couple more outings before the Braves consider adding him to the active roster. With options remaining, they can keep him in Gwinnett for as long as they’d like.

The Braves also released catcher Maverick Handley. Carlos Carrasco cleared waivers and is back with the Stripers — don’t be surprised to see him in Atlanta again in the near future. And finally, once-touted prospect Jhancarlos Lara was claimed by the Nationals after being designated for assignment earlier in the week.

The #Braves today returned RHP Hurston Waldrep from his rehabilitation assignment, reinstated him from the injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. Atlanta also released C Maverick Handley from the roster and outrighted RHP Carlos Carrasco to the Stripers. RHP…

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 12, 2026

Losing Lara is an unfortunate roster casualty. The arm is incredible — capable of hitting triple digits with ease — but he simply hasn’t been able to find the strike zone, averaging 7.2 walks per nine innings over his minor-league career, including 17 walks per nine this season to go along with an 8.22 ERA.

At some point the Braves had to accept he wasn’t going to contribute at the major-league level anytime soon, and with injuries piling up, they needed the 40-man roster spot.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Not an inspiring sign for any pitcher — but Kinley offered some reassuring clarity on the situation.

“I had an MRI, image came back great,” Kinley said. “I saw the White Sox doctor in Chicago, saw our doctor today in Atlanta. Structurally everything looks good. We are not concerned about it. Basically just had some inflammation that kind of popped up, and we thought it was best rather than short-handing the bullpen for a couple of days and giving me a couple days off, we thought it was best to be a little bit more precise about this and give us a couple more days and knock it out completely and give the bullpen a fresh arm.”

Tyler Kinley says there's no long-term concern with his elbow injury. pic.twitter.com/GZC9q0rPL0

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) June 11, 2026

Tyler Kinley hasn’t been quite as impressive this season as some of his bullpen mates, but not everybody can sport a 1.00 ERA. In 31 appearances, he owns a 3.18, 127 ERA+ (27% above league average), and is striking out over a batter per inning.

As good as the Braves bullpen has been, depth is always a concern. It’s fantastic to hear this doesn’t appear to be an elbow injury that will keep him out for more than a couple of weeks.

Strider gave up seven runs in just three innings, but the real story was the injury he suffered along the way — his fastball dipping into the 80s toward the end of the outing. Weiss said after the game that Strider was experiencing both elbow and shoulder soreness, and he’s already been placed on the 15-day IL with what the Braves are calling right elbow inflammation.

The #Braves today recalled RHP Anthony Molina to Atlanta and placed RHP Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Additionally, C Drake Baldwin begins a rehabilitation assignment tonight with Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 13, 2026

Perhaps that’s exactly what it is — something that may just require a month of rest. But all the signs point to the contrary. This could be another season-ending ordeal for Strider, the second he’s experienced over the last three seasons.

It’s an incredibly unfortunate turn that Braves fans have unfortunately become all too accustomed to. Over a half-decade ago, Michael Soroka looked like he was on the path to a Hall of Fame career before back-to-back Achilles injuries essentially ended his time in Atlanta. After him came Kyle Wright, who led the league in wins before a shoulder injury all but ended his career. Wright was traded less than two years later and still hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2023.

Spencer Strider’s last three years might be the most heartbreaking of all, however. This was an arm on the path to being the most dominant in baseball — a strikeout machine with several Cy Young awards seemingly waiting for him around the corner.

That all changed when he underwent InternalBrace surgery in 2024. There hasn’t been a moment since where he’s looked anything like the pitcher who tormented offenses with 100 MPH heat, and it’s difficult to imagine a third significant arm injury making the road back any easier.

Strider is the ultimate competitor — an extremely hard worker who pours his heart and soul into perfecting his craft. Writing him off may be premature, but the hill is beginning to look impossibly steep. Another potential nightmare ending for one of the Braves’ most gifted arms.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Last year was a down year across the board. Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, and Austin Riley all turned in career-worst campaigns. Ronald Acuña Jr. missed a significant amount of time recovering from a torn ACL. Matt Olson wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t his best stretch as a Brave either. Not much went right for Atlanta’s core — with one notable exception in Drake Baldwin, who took home the Rookie of the Year award.

Baldwin has built on that tremendous debut and established himself as the best catcher in the National League. The bigger difference this season, however, has been the performance of the players around him — particularly Albies and Harris.

In just 62 games, Albies has already matched his WAR total from all of last season at 2.3. He’s on pace for close to 30 home runs while maintaining an .800 OPS. This is who he has been his entire career, but there were legitimate concerns after a string of wrist and hand injuries appeared to leave some lingering effects.

Harris was also a question mark entering the season. Nobody has ever doubted the talent, but there had been a steady offensive decline since his Rookie of the Year campaign, bottoming out with a .678 OPS last year. An adjustment to his stance in the second half of 2025 produced better results, and that momentum has carried over — he’s now hitting .300 with 13 home runs and an .850 OPS while making a strong case for his first All-Star appearance.

The other massive offensive difference has been what I like to call “the other guys.” Over the years, Anthopoulos has been exceptional at finding hidden gems, but the last couple of seasons produced mostly flops in that department — guys like Jarred Kelenic and Alex Verdugo making minimal impact.

That hasn’t been the case in 2026. Dominic Smith has been a menace against right-handed pitching after signing a minor-league deal in the offseason, and Mauricio Dubon has saved the team on more than a handful of occasions.

The pitching staff has also made a remarkable leap despite dealing with a revolving door of injuries. Bryce Elder has completely turned his career around, while Martin Perez, Spencer Strider, and Grant Holmes have all held their own behind Chris Sale.

But the real difference has been the bullpen. A glaring weak spot a year ago has become one of the team’s biggest strengths, led by the three-headed monster of Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias. Rookie Didier Fuentes has also made a major impact, giving Walt Weiss a weapon who can go multiple innings and handle high-leverage situations when needed.

Just about everything is clicking for the Braves in 2026 — a stark contrast from a year ago. And this stat from 680 The Fan’s Barrett Sallee illustrates it perfectly.

Atlanta is now 42-20 through the first two games of June. The Braves didn’t record their 42nd win last season until two days before the All-Star break.

The Braves are 42-20. It's June 3

The Braves didn't get their 42nd win until July 12 last year – two days before the All-Star break.

— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) June 4, 2026

Most expected the Braves to bounce back after just 76 wins a year ago. They have to much talent and pedigree to stay down for multiple seasons; however, nobody had this team on pace to win 110 games, which would be a franchise record.

Everybody deserves a bit of credit, including first-year manager Walt Weiss, who is building a strong case for the Manager of the Year award.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The Braves also have some clear areas where they could stand to upgrade.

Most notably, adding a frontline arm to pair with Chris Sale would be ideal. The rotation hasn’t been a problem so far, but the postseason is an entirely different animal. The Braves need another ace-caliber guy when October arrives.

The bullpen could also use another left-handed arm. Dylan Lee has been outstanding, but he can’t shoulder that load alone. And lastly, the Braves could use a bat capable of DHing and playing left field. Coming into the season, that was supposed to be Jurickson Profar. His 162-game suspension hasn’t hurt the team thus far, but it leaves an obvious hole that needs to be filled.

That’s where Jarren Duran comes in. He may not be a right-handed bat, which would be preferred with Mike Yastrzemski in the fold, but he’s such a clear upgrade in left field that he’s a potential target if the Red Sox make him available. Boston is currently listening to offers — however, the gap between how they value him and what the rest of the league is willing to pay is significant, according to Jeff Passan.

“And while teams will continue to ask about outfielder Jarren Duran, the difference between how Boston and potential suitors value him remains steep,” Passan wrote in his latest piece for ESPN.

Duran began the season in a deep slump but has turned it around considerably over the last month, hitting nine home runs with an .864 OPS over his last 29 games. He’s been among the best all-around outfielders in the sport over the last three seasons and has two years remaining on his contract after this season.

The Red Sox are right to hold him in high regard, and there’s no reason to lower their asking price this far from the deadline. We’ll find out how serious they are about moving him in about six weeks.

If talks heat up, expect the Braves to be among the interested parties. Left field has been a black hole in Atlanta for half a decade. They tried to pull off a blockbuster trade for Byron Buxton a year ago. They should be looking to do something similar this time around.

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Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire

Starting at shortstop yesterday, Dubon homered for the third consecutive game — a two-run shot that tied the game at three. He then added a double that gave the Braves the lead and ultimately sparked a three-run rally that put it out of reach.

He’s the gift that keeps on giving, and it’s worth reminding everyone that the Braves acquired him from the Astros in a straight-up exchange for Nick Allen. It was a peculiar deal at the time from Houston’s perspective and looks like malpractice today — but the Braves certainly aren’t complaining.

After the game, Dubon had a message for everybody: “This is the best baseball team in the world.”

“This is the best baseball team in the world.” – Mauricio Dubon following tonight’s 6-3 win over @Pirates #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/Trga3BLNYC

— @suggswriterATL (@suggswriteATL) June 6, 2026

A bold statement — but through 64 games, it’s hard to argue.

The Braves have lost just two series and we’re well into the third month of the season. Not to mention, they haven’t played a single game anywhere close to full strength. This team is only going to get stronger as the season progresses.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Michael Harris II all stayed hot with multi-hit games of their own on Friday. Martin Perez had some rocky moments on the mound but ultimately turned in another respectable outing, going five innings and allowing three earned runs.

And the bullpen? Lights out once again. The now four-headed monster of Didier Fuentes, Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias each tossed a scoreless frame. That might be the Braves’ biggest advantage at this point in the season — if they have the lead, or even find themselves in a close game around the fifth inning, it almost always ends in their favor.

On Saturday, the Braves look to clinch another series win, sending Spencer Strider to the mound against Braxton Ashcraft.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Almost every notable MLB insider is expecting some form of work stoppage. The two sides appear to be digging in more than ever — owners hellbent on implementing a salary cap, while the players are equally adamant that one will never be an acceptable resolution.

That uncertainty will undoubtedly come up in trade deadline negotiations when discussing players with control beyond this season. Teams will throw out lowball offers citing the possibility of missed games. Eventually one side has to budge, but Ken Rosenthal believes buyers will still ultimately be forced to pay a premium when pursuing players with multiple years of control.

He points specifically to the offseason trades of Brendan Donovan and MacKenzie Gore — both of whom brought back significant hauls despite being under contract through 2027. A pending lockout isn’t a new development. Both sides have been preparing for this for some time, and that didn’t soften the packages the Cardinals and Nationals received.

“Donovan brought the St. Louis Cardinals three prospects in a three-team deal with the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays,” Rosenthal wrote. “One of them was pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, the 15th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. The Cardinals also obtained the Nos. 68 and 72 selections in next month’s draft.

“Gore brought the Washington Nationals five prospects from the Texas Rangers, including infielder Gavin Fien, whom The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked No. 76 in his top 100.

“The prospect of missing games next season arose during the Donovan and Gore discussions, according to executives briefed on the conversations. But ultimately, the uncertainty about 2027 had little impact on the returns.”

The idea that a potential lockout could present better buying opportunities for teams like the Braves is fun to imagine — but two things will likely prevent that from happening.

The first is the market. Ever since MLB expanded the postseason to 12 teams, there have been far more buyers than sellers. All it takes is one club to ignore the possibility of a lockout for a seller to get the package they want, and teams focused on winning are generally more concerned with the present than the future. That’s why they’re buying in the first place.

The second, as Rosenthal points out, is that even with the two sides currently so far apart, the odds of the entire 2027 season being wiped out remain slim. Whether 162 games are played next year or 50, a champion will be crowned. And at the end of the day, that’s what all of this is about — winning championships. The Braves are built to do exactly that, and no labor uncertainty should slow down their pursuit of one.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Fuentes has become an integral piece of the bullpen — a guy Walt Weiss is trusting more and more in high-leverage situations. The fact that he can also go multiple innings gives Atlanta a significant advantage. It would be perfectly reasonable to keep him there for the entire season, but it’s impossible not to wonder what he could offer if thrust back into the rotation — something Chris Sale hinted at following last night’s loss.

“His stuff is a lot of fun to watch. It’s pure electricity coming out of that right arm,” Sale said of Fuentes. “A lot of confidence in him. I think moving forward he’s only doing himself a lot of favors, maybe even getting back into the rotation.”

The Braves rotation has been a strength through the first two-plus months. They’ve gotten more than anyone could have imagined out of Bryce Elder, Martin Perez, and Grant Holmes. But when the conversation turns to contending for championships, this group still lacks a true number two behind Chris Sale.

The encouraging news is that options exist. Could Spencer Strider rediscover the form we saw in 2023 as he continues to get stronger? The Braves also have Hurston Waldrep, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Spencer Schwellenbach all working their way back — any one of them could potentially be that guy. Or maybe the answer has been staring everyone in the face all along — a 20-year-old who has made every hitter to step in against him look completely overmatched.

There’s no denying Fuentes has the stuff to be a frontline pitcher. It’s a lot to ask of someone so young — but with each passing outing, the confidence grows. And confidence paired with his repertoire is a dangerous combination.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Initially, the experiment exceeded all expectations. Lopez earned his first All-Star selection and finished the season with a sub-2.00 ERA. Fatigue caught up to him in the second half, however, rendering him unavailable for the playoffs — and those issues carried into 2025.

Lopez underwent shoulder surgery after just one start last season and never returned. With a couple of years remaining on his contract and the rotation experiment no longer paying dividends, moving him back to the bullpen seemed like the logical path forward.

The Braves didn’t see it that way. They let him stretch out during Spring Training and put him right back in the rotation — a decision that lasted about a month. Following a miserable outing in Washington in which he recorded just three outs and allowed four runs, the club announced he would be moving to the bullpen, though they stopped short of calling it permanent, citing unspecified mechanical issues.

The way the Braves have handled Lopez over the last two years has been puzzling, and it’s only continued. Over the last six weeks, he’s appeared in just nine games, almost exclusively in low-leverage situations — until last night, when he was thrust into a tight 3-2 game in the ninth and surrendered four runs to completely take team out of it.

The reality is that Reynaldo Lopez is not going back to the Braves rotation. His stuff isn’t good enough, the rotation is currently full, and there are far more deserving arms in line when everyone gets healthy.

1. Didier Fuentes
2. JR Ritchie
3. Spencer Schwellenbach
4. AJ Smith-Shawver
5. Hurston Waldrep

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And that doesn’t even account for any potential additions at the trade deadline. The only viable path forward for Lopez is out of the bullpen — yet the Braves don’t appear fully committed to that role either, at least not based on how they’re using him.

At 42-21 and 8.5 games clear of the Phillies, there isn’t much to complain about in Atlanta. But it’s hard to feel like they haven’t botched this entire situation.

Maybe the arm is cooked and there’s nothing to be done about it. He wouldn’t be the first pitcher to have his career derailed by shoulder problems. But he’s a waste of space on the roster right now, and with a wave of arms expected back over the next few months, it’s fair to wonder where exactly he fits when they arrive.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

However, with the American League being a disaster in its own right, Boston finds itself just 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. They’re far from guaranteed sellers — even if they probably should be. But they are already fielding trade calls, according to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffery, and they have plenty that could interest the Braves.

“(We’re) having a lot of conversations, a lot of discussions, and I think it’s been kind of true industry-wide,” Red Sox GM Craig Breslow said. “But there are a lot of teams that probably feel pretty similar to us, which is to say that they have confidence in their rosters, they know they’re not playing as well as they’re capable of, and really, nobody is kind of putting the postseason out of reach. So there are a bunch of teams that are in it right now and are thinking along the same lines as we are.”

If the Red Sox continue to scuffle over the next month, Jarren Duran could be a prime target for the Braves — an All-Star caliber left fielder with multiple years of team control, something Atlanta has been in search of for years. The price tag, however, would be significant.

If the Braves didn’t want to meet that number, Boston has a slew of relievers who will be highly coveted — led by pending free agent Aroldis Chapman. He’s been the best reliever in baseball since the start of last season, and while the Braves bullpen has been elite, every relief corps can use the addition of someone like Chapman.

According to McCaffery, Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock are two other relievers Boston has already begun fielding calls on.

The Red Sox also have a surplus of catchers — and that’s a somewhat underrated need for the Braves. They don’t need to make a splash at the position, but with Sean Murphy expected to miss several more months, adding depth makes sense. The current situation with Drake Baldwin also on the IL is a perfect illustration of why — it’s been a disaster behind the plate in Atlanta, with primary catcher Sandy Leon sporting a .065 batting average.

McCaffery names Connor Wong — who is hitting .264 with a .713 OPS over 26 games this season — as someone the Red Sox would be willing to move.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

Southisene began the year with the Low-A Augusta Green Jackets, hitting just under .300 with eight home runs, a .929 OPS, and a league-leading 36 stolen bases. The power he’s showcasing at just 19 years old combined with his athleticism has been nothing short of remarkable — especially for a player many deemed a reach when the Braves selected him 22nd overall.

His performance has already earned him a spot on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects, clocking in at number 95 and joining JR Ritchie, Cam Caminiti, and Eric Hartman as Braves representatives on the list.

And now he’s getting promoted to High-A Rome.

He’s here.

2025 #Braves first round draft pick @TateSouthisene has been promoted to High-A Rome!#RuleTheLand pic.twitter.com/3YIowSBHsa

— Rome Emperors (@GoEmperors) June 6, 2026

Southisene is already putting together one of the better teenage seasons you’ll see in the minors, and if it continues in Rome, the Braves may have a future superstar on their hands at a position that has plagued the organization ever since Dansby Swanson left in free agency.

Also worth noting — this promotion could have implications for John Gil, another ultra-talented shortstop prospect currently playing in Rome. His spot may now be opening up for Southisene, which could mean Gil is on his way to Double-A Columbus. In just 53 games this season, Gil has already surpassed his home run total from a year ago with eight and has added 28 stolen bases.

The Braves will likely need to find a stopgap at shortstop for another season or two, but the future of the position appears to be firmly within the organization.

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(Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire)

That’s a question everybody has been wondering since it was announced he would need surgery on his elbow prior to the season, and while he’s back to throwing, Walt Weiss reminded everyone on Friday that Schwellenbach pitching this year is far from a guarantee.

Walt Weiss again said that Schwellenbach is still a long way from possibly returning this year.

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 5, 2026

Spencer Schwellenbach ended the 2025 season on the IL after suffering a minor fracture in his elbow, and when he went down again right before the start of the 2026 campaign, the initial feeling was that he probably wouldn’t pitch again this year.

There have been positive developments recently, however. Schwellenbach was cleared to throw a couple of weeks ago and has worked his way up to 75 feet. Weiss said he’ll continue to progress slowly up to 120 feet, and at that point, they’ll see if he’s ready to throw bullpens. He’ll then progress to live action, and hopefully, begin a rehab assignment, which will essentially be like his Spring Training.

Simply put, this is going to be a very long and slow process for Spencer Schwellenbach with a lot of boxes to check. A single setback, and it’s pretty much a guarantee he will not pitch this season.

The promising news on the pitching side of things is that a couple of the Braves other talented young arms do look like they’ll return. Hurston Waldrep began his rehab assignment earlier this week, meaning he could rejoin the club in about a month.

Walt Weiss also said that AJ Smith-Shawver — who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery — is not far behind. He’s throwing high intensity bullpen sessions, the final step before he begins his rehab assignment as well.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

The do-it-all man Mauricio Dubon has taken his place in center field, providing Ha-Seong Kim with an opportunity to start at shortstop.

City Connect Saturday!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/Fp5gAPOkos

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 6, 2026

For now, all we can hope is the Braves are taking things super cautiously. Harris has been among the best players on the team — hitting .303 with 13 homers and an .853 OPS — and has a history of back issues. There’s no reason to take any chances, but we should know more when Walt Weiss addresses the media.

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(Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Leave ’em here. Please include your city.

The Braves, of course, would go on to win the division — sweeping New York in the final series of the season to cap one of the most remarkable comebacks in MLB history.

This season, the shoe is on the other foot. Despite a revolving door of injuries, the Braves have more than weathered the storm, building a 9.0 game lead in the division through the first two-plus months. They’ve been the best team in baseball since Opening Day, and there’s reason to believe they could get even better as reinforcements arrive.

Drake Baldwin — arguably the best catcher in baseball — is expected back at some point in June. Hurston Waldrep just began his rehab assignment. AJ Smith-Shawver and Spencer Schwellenbach are both expected to return at some point this season. And the Braves still have the prospect depth and financial flexibility to be major players at the trade deadline.

All of that has led ESPN’s Buster Olney to make his own declaration.

“It’s over,” Olney said on ESPN. “You’re the Atlanta Braves, they are rolling — 109-win pace. Ronald Acuña Jr. starting to heat up right now, in addition to what they are getting out of Matt Olson, in addition to what they are getting out of Michael Harris II. All around that diamond, with their rotation, they look excellent.”

The Nationals have been a fun story through the first two months, boasting one of the more exciting offenses in the league, but most still consider the Phillies to be Atlanta’s primary competition in the division. Philadelphia sits 9.5 games back and has the kind of roster capable of stringing together a lengthy winning streak at any moment.

Making up that kind of ground in four months is improbable — but far from impossible. Atlanta has had trouble staying healthy since the start of the 2024 season, and things could get very interesting if a primary starter goes down.

The Braves haven’t given anyone a reason to doubt them. They’re mashing baseballs, pairing it with elite pitching, and stand to get stronger as the season progresses. But declaring the NL East over with four months to play is wildly premature. There’s still a lot of baseball left, and everyone in Atlanta’s dugout is aware that the job is not finished.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today selected RHP
Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 2, 2026

Carrasco has made seven appearances for the Braves over the last two seasons, all in mop-up duty. However, he’s been reasonably effective in that role this year, posting a 2.45 ERA over 7.1 innings.

We may or may not see him in the upcoming series against the Blue Jays — but if we do, somebody is winning by five or more runs. Within the next week, he’ll likely be designated for assignment again to make room for a fresh arm, only to resurface a few days later. It’s an endless cycle, but there are worse veterans to have on standby when you need someone to eat innings. It’s a good thing he hasn’t found a new home.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Anthopoulos is unlikely to sit on his hands. The better question is how big will he swing? If he’s willing to part with anyone on this list, the Braves could land one of the marquee stars that becomes available over the next two months.

5. Eric Hartman

Hartman has been the talk of the farm system so far in 2026 — going from an afterthought to a borderline top-100 prospect in just two months. He’s an elite athlete who has flashed impressive power early on, hitting 13 home runs in 47 games for High-A Rome at just 20 years old. But this feels like the type of player the Braves could potentially sell high on. He still has a lot to prove before he’s discussed as a legitimate fixture in Atlanta.

4. Cam Caminiti

Most prospect outlets have Caminiti as the Braves’ top overall prospect — a left-handed starter with a ton of projectability who has scuffled a bit in his transition to High-A ball, posting a 5.16 ERA. Nobody should panic over a 19-year-old still finding his footing, but given how many talented young arms are already in this organization, parting with one who is still several years from the majors would be an easier pill to swallow than most of the other names on this list.

3. Tate Southisene

Southisene was the Braves’ first-round pick last year — a selection some called a reach at the time. His first taste of professional ball suggests otherwise. In 47 games for the Augusta Green Jackets, he’s hitting just under .300 with eight home runs and a ridiculous 35 stolen bases. The tools he’s flashing at just 19 years old have the entire organization excited, which would make moving him an incredibly difficult conversation to have.

2. JR Ritchie

The second spot was the toughest call on this list. Caminiti, Southisene, and Hartman are all talented and oozing with upside — but Ritchie is a major-league ready arm with plenty of ceiling of his own, making it hard to go in another direction.

The 22-year-old consensus top-100 prospect has already made five starts with the Braves, posting a 4.56 ERA. There were some control issues, but nerves likely played a role. In seven starts for Gwinnett this season, he owns a 2.70 ERA.

1. Didier Fuentes

Most prospect outlets have Fuentes as the club’s number two prospect — but when it comes to trade value, it’s not particularly close. He’s already proving himself at the major-league level and hasn’t even turned 21 years old yet. Since moving to the bullpen, he’s posted a 1.15 ERA over 15.2 innings.

Long-term, Fuentes is a starting pitcher — whether that’s in Atlanta or somewhere else. The raw talent he possesses is as good as any young arm in the organization. It would take an All-Star caliber player with multiple years of affordable team control for the Braves to even consider moving him, but there might be a deal out there where it makes sense.

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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Chris Sale is once again in the thick of the NL Cy Young race. Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II have all played like MVPs, even if catching Shohei Ohtani — who is terrorizing opponents both as a hitter and a pitcher — feels like a near-impossible task. Walt Weiss deserves to be a frontrunner for NL Manager of the Year, and Alex Anthopoulos is as deserving as anyone for Executive of the Year honors.

Hardware is coming to Atlanta in some form, but they also have a chance to break the franchise record for most All-Stars in a single season, a mark that was set back in 2023 with eight.

Starting Pitchers

Absolute Locks

Chris Sale — Sale has more pedigree than just about any active pitcher, but he doesn’t need to lean on reputation this season. He’s posted a 2.02 ERA over his first 11 starts and will be representing the Braves in the All-Star Game for the third consecutive year.

Trending In The Right Direction

Bryce Elder — Elder had his first rough outing last week, allowing six runs over 3.1 innings in Boston, bumping his ERA from 1.97 to 2.50. If selections were made today he’d likely sneak in, but with the competition for National League spots as stiff as it is, he’ll need a strong finish over the next month to secure a spot.

Position Players

Absolute Locks

Matt Olson — Olson has been the best first baseman in baseball through the first two-plus months, hitting 16 home runs with a league-leading 18 doubles and an .882 OPS. Pair that with his elite defense and he’s on his way to his fourth All-Star Game.

Drake Baldwin — Baldwin has been sidelined for a few weeks, but that shouldn’t cost him a spot. He’s the best catcher in the National League by a wide margin, hitting over .300 with 13 home runs and a .931 OPS. He’s in.

Michael Harris II — It’s surprising Harris hasn’t made an All-Star Game yet, but it’ll be very difficult to snub him this year. He’s hitting over .300 with 13 home runs while playing his typically elite defense in center field.

Ronald Acuña Jr. — A week ago he wouldn’t have been a lock, but Acuña has caught fire — five home runs in his last four games with his OPS now sitting at .821. And beyond the numbers, the All-Star Game is a popularity contest in many ways. Acuña is getting in on the fan vote regardless.

Trending In The Right Direction

Ozzie Albies — A month ago he would have been a near-certainty. A rough May changed that. There were signs of life toward the end of the month, and if that carries over, he should get in — but he’s not a lock right now.

Relievers

Trending In The Right Direction

The competition for reliever spots is brutal, so nobody is a lock — but Raisel Iglesias, Robert Suarez, and Dylan Lee are all making strong cases.

Iglesias is probably the best reliever in the league never to have made an All-Star Game. That should finally change this season — he’s posting a 1.02 ERA and 1.22 FIP over 17 appearances. Suarez would be making his third consecutive All-Star appearance, and he’s somehow been even better than Iglesias, recording a 0.71 ERA over 25 outings. Lee is equally deserving with a 1.30 ERA, 0.614 WHIP, and 1.42 FIP over 28 games. It would be a travesty if any of the three gets left out — but all three getting in would be extraordinarily rare.

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At minimum, the Braves are getting five All-Stars. Add in two relievers and that’s seven — one shy of the franchise record. If Elder and Albies both perform over the next month, breaking that record becomes a very real possibility. Given how this team has played through the first half, it would be a fitting storyline.

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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

There’s no place like home! #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/MN8TuBni1Z

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 2, 2026

Walt Weiss said last week that he’d be taking shortstop day-by-day, essentially playing the hot hand — and it’s hard to find anyone hotter right now than Jorge Mateo.

He homered in both games against the Reds over the weekend and has hit safely in five straight. On the season, he now owns a .316 batting average with four home runs, an .876 OPS, and seven steals.

Mateo’s track record suggests this can’t be sustainable forever. Over his seven-year career, he’s never posted an OPS better than .670, and even that came back in 2021 over just 89 games. Some regression is likely coming — however, there was once a time when Jorge Mateo was the top prospect in the Yankees organization, ranked just ahead of three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge.

His career obviously didn’t pan out anything like Judge’s. He was included in the trade that netted the Yankees Sonny Gray, then dealt again to the Padres before he ever made his MLB debut. His longest stint in the majors came with the Orioles, where he spent five seasons — only two of which he was an everyday player.

That speaks to the volatility of prospects, but it also speaks to the raw talent Mateo has always possessed. Maybe the Braves are catching lightning in a bottle, or maybe this is a player finally feeling comfortable and making the most of a perfect opportunity. Whatever it is, the Braves appear ready to find out. As long as he keeps hitting, he’s going to be the club’s starting shortstop.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa

If the Hawks don’t go the point guard route at 8, they could look to address it at 23 — and Stirtz could be the best player available at this slot.

After a monster year at Drake, Stirtz transferred to Iowa and led the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight. He shot 35.8% from three this season, but he was asked to carry a heavy load offensively and shot the ball really well at the NBA Combine. There’s enough reason to believe he’s a better three-point shooter than that number suggests, and he’s a crafty finisher around the rim despite not possessing elite athleticism. A solid pickup late in the first round at a position of need.

Henri Veesaar, F/C, North Carolina

Outside of point guard, the other glaring need for the Hawks is frontcourt depth. Veesaar starred at North Carolina after transferring from Arizona, averaging 17 points per game and shooting 42.6% from beyond the arc — borderline unbelievable for a near seven-footer. He continued to showcase that shooting ability at the NBA Combine as well.

Veesaar isn’t the imposing defensive presence the Hawks might ideally want at center, but he’s athletic and mobile enough to play the four or the five. The upside this late in the first round is hard to ignore.

Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas

After two seasons at Xavier, Swain transferred to Texas and starred as a junior — averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. He has ideal size for a modern NBA wing and his do-it-all ability stood out every time the Longhorns took the court.

The shooting is a legitimate concern. He shot just 34.4% from three this past season after shooting 25% as a sophomore, and he’ll need to improve drastically in that area to become a starter at the next level. But it’s rare to find this kind of physical profile paired with his level of college production this late in the first round.

Ebuka Okorie, PG, Stanford

Okorie starred as a freshman at Stanford, averaging 23.2 points per game behind his tremendous shooting range and pace off the dribble. He was more of a volume scorer than a playmaker this past season, but the fact that he’s still just 19 years old makes him a really intriguing option late in the first round. In terms of upside, Okorie might be the Hawks’ best bet at 23 — and it doesn’t hurt that he plays a position of need.

Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke

Evans has really good size for the wing at just under 6-foot-6, and he’s an elite shooter who connected at 38% from three over two seasons at Duke. He’s more athletic than he looks, capable of rising above defenders and finishing at the rim, and he improved considerably on the defensive end during his college career. He’ll need to add strength as he transitions to the next level, but if he does, he projects as a starting-caliber two-way player.

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Photo: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire

A fractured elbow ended his 2025 campaign, and like Waldrep, loose bodies were discovered in the elbow during Spring Training. Both had to go under the knife, but reports suggested Schwellenbach’s injury was considerably more severe. There was serious doubt surrounding his availability for 2026, but recent developments have provided a more optimistic outlook on his timeline to return.

“We were just waiting for the bone to fully heal. Got the green light (in early May) to start going, and just kind of working through the progressions now with throwing at 75 feet,” Schwellenbach said, via Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Everything feels really good and just trying to keep on building from there.”

Schwellenbach began throwing from 60 feet a couple of weeks ago and will now work from 75 feet for a couple of weeks. If everything checks out, the goal is to start throwing bullpens, followed by live hitters, and eventually a rehab assignment. It’s not going to be a quick process, but the goal is to get him back on the mound in 2026.

“Honestly, I spent the last 11 months asking about timelines: ‘Hey, if everything goes well, what’s it gonna look like for me?’ And now I’m just kind of like, ‘Hey, what’s tomorrow look like?'” Schwellenbach said. “I’m trying to be as present as I can, and as long as I can keep stacking good days, then I think we’ll have a good chance to be back this year. That’s the goal.”

If everything goes perfectly — which is a big if — a return around mid-to-late August feels possible. A more likely timeline, given how cautious the Braves will be with him, is early September. Either way, that still provides enough of a runway to make his case for a postseason roster spot.

The Braves rotation hasn’t been an issue through the first two months — it’s been among the best in baseball. But questions remain about how this group would match up against an elite offense come October. After Chris Sale, there are no proven frontline arms.

At his best, Schwellenbach is one of the better pitchers in the National League, posting a 3.09 ERA and 3.25 FIP over 17 starts before going down with injury last season.

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Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

The #Falcons and star WR Drake London have agreed to terms on a massive new contract extension, as he gets a four-year deal, sources say.

Atlanta’s former first-rounder has been a priority and now paid in a deal done by Andrew Kessler of @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/AaVMVwdwPW

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 2, 2026

Adam Schefter then followed with the details of the extension. It’s a four-year, $141 million contract extension for Drake London with incentives that could push it all the way up to $150 million.

Falcons are signing WR Drake London to a four-year, $141 million extension worth up to $150 million, including $100 million guaranteed, per his agent Andrew Kessler. It makes London the third highest paid receiver in the league with the highest average per year in Falcons… https://t.co/JayLqVcJQ7

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2026

The extension makes London the third-highest paid wide receiver in the league, and it’s more than deserved. London caught for 1,271 yards in 2024, and though there was a dip to 919 this past season, he actually averaged more yards per game — missing five contests and averaging 76.6 yards per contest when he was out there.

Now imagine what those numbers could look like if London ever develops a consistent rapport with a starting quarterback. The Falcons have been playing musical chairs at the position ever since he was drafted 8th overall four years ago, and he’s somehow still found a way to produce.

But beyond the statistics, Drake London is the epitome of the kind of leader the Falcons should be building around. There aren’t many receivers in the league as focused on their blocking assignments as they are on getting open, but London is one who relishes the little things that make an offense tick as a whole.

This was always an extension the Falcons were going to get done. Up next, expect Bijan Robinson to reset the market at the running back position — another player who epitomizes everything the new regime is trying to build in Atlanta.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Weiss also provided an update on Baldwin’s backstop mate Sean Murphy, saying the veteran catcher is out of his cast after suffering a broken middle finger, but he’s still a ways away from beginning baseball activities.

#Braves C Sean Murphy is out of the cast and now wearing a splint for the broken finger on his left hand, but Walt Weiss said it'll still be several weeks before he begins baseball activities.

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) June 2, 2026

Sean Murphy has had some incredibly poor injury luck over the last calendar year. His 2025 campaign ended, as he decided to undergo surgery on a hip injury that had bothered him for several years. That kept him out from last September until early May, and just eight days after returning to the Braves, he found himself back on the IL with another serious injury — one that is expected to keep him out another 2-3 months.

At this point, it’s fair to say Atlanta’s decision to trade for Murphy and hand him a lengthy extension was a misstep. He hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and there’s been very little offensive consistency because of that.

However, Sean Murphy still offers a lot of value as a tremendous defensive catcher that’s an ideal backup behind Drake Baldwin. It may not have worked out the way the Braves initially hoped, but there remains a pivotal role for him to play as the club chases their second World Series since 2021.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Now we have a much clearer timeline. Walt Weiss said ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays that Baldwin could return during the team’s next homestand, which runs from June 16th through June 21st.

Weiss said Baldwin could be activated during the next homestand, which runs June 16-21

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 2, 2026

Anthopoulos also said he didn’t expect Baldwin would need a rehab assignment, and this update seems to confirm that.

The Braves haven’t missed a beat in Baldwin’s absence, maintaining a healthy 9.5 game lead in the NL East over the Nationals and Phillies — but the situation at catcher has been nothing short of abysmal. Sandy Leon is hitting below the legal driving limit with -0.4 WAR in 12 games. Chadwick Tromp has been better, but not by much, hitting .217 with a .469 OPS over 11 games.

Getting Baldwin’s bat back in the lineup will be a breath of fresh air. Before going down with the oblique injury, he was hitting .303 with 13 home runs and a .931 OPS — building beautifully off his Rookie of the Year campaign and on his way to his first All-Star appearance.

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Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

But what does that look like? Do the Hawks stay the course, sticking with their plan of stockpiling assets and adding more young talent to their current core? Or is this the offseason general manager Onsi Saleh takes the big swing?

The most likely answer is they stay the course. Saleh has a measured approach, having come from organizations like the Warriors and Spurs that built through the draft. He understands that’s the most reliable way to build a sustainable winner, and that attempting to skip steps in the process often leads to disaster.

The one name worth monitoring, however, is Jaylen Brown. He’s been linked to the Hawks multiple times this offseason for a reason. He’s the type of top-ten player who can instantly make Atlanta a legitimate contender, he might actually be available, and the fact that he genuinely wants to play for his hometown team is not a position the Hawks find themselves in very often. There’s real smoke there, even if the hurdles involved are significant.

But for argument’s sake, let’s set aside the hypothetical blockbusters for a moment and talk about what actually gets the party started — which begins June 23rd on draft night.

Atlanta enters the offseason with two glaring needs: a legitimate point guard and size in the frontcourt. Both of those can potentially be addressed with their two first-round picks.

The Hawks find themselves in a slightly awkward position with the eighth pick. Following the top four, there is expected to be a run on point guards — Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., and Mikel Brown. Atlanta could end up taking whoever remains from that group as their point guard of the future, or they could pivot and go the size route, selecting Aday Mara out of Michigan — a 7-foot-3 center who would instantly give the team a presence in the paint they’ve sorely lacked for years.

The 23rd pick figures to land them another starting-caliber player as well. This is one of the most loaded drafts in NBA history, and coming away with two immediate contributors is the ultimate goal regardless of position.

A week after the draft, NBA free agency begins — but before that, the Hawks will have to make a decision on Jonathan Kuminga‘s $24.3 million club option.

Kuminga was a key reason for Atlanta’s turnaround over the final couple of months, averaging 12.3 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He’s also still just 23 years old, and there’s a sense that another level of his game has yet to be unlocked. Seeing whether he can find that in his second season with the team is probably worth the $24 million gamble — unless the Hawks have an obvious upgrade in mind. That’s going to be difficult to find at that price point in today’s market.

The Hawks would obviously like to bring back CJ McCollum as well. He was their best player in the first-round series against the Knicks, and the veteran presence and steady scoring he provided was invaluable. The question is what a 35-year-old microwave scorer commands on the open market. The price and length of any deal have to make sense for Atlanta to pull the trigger.

Even if both return, the Hawks will still have trade exceptions available to continue upgrading the roster. This is where the draft matters. If Atlanta comes away with a point guard at pick eight, finding a rim-protecting big becomes the organization’s top priority — one that cannot be overlooked.

It might not be the sexiest offseason on paper, but this Hawks team was among the best in the NBA over the second half of the season. They followed that up with a respectable first-round showing against a team that didn’t lose a single game on its way to the Finals, and they would be adding two high-profile rookies plus help in the frontcourt. That’s a step in the right direction.

Is it enough to win an NBA Championship next season? Almost certainly not — but there’s probably no single move that gets the Hawks to that level in one offseason, and they still don’t fully know what they have in a lot of these young players.

An offseason like this keeps them in the conversation with the best teams in the East, preserves their financial flexibility going forward, and buys them more time to evaluate how all the pieces fit together.

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(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire)

It starts at the top with Raisel Iglesias. He’s a primary reason Atlanta’s relief corps scuffled to begin last season, relying far too heavily on his slider — an offering that was consistently finding its way out of the yard.

Eventually Iglesias moved away from it, and with that decision came some remarkable success. Over his final 40.1 innings of 2025, he posted a 1.34 ERA, earning himself another one-year deal with the Braves. This season he’s almost completely abolished the pitch from his repertoire, utilizing it just three percent of the time — and through two months, he has yet to allow a single run.

Robert Suarez hasn’t been quite as dominant, currently sporting a ho-hum 0.81 ERA over 22 appearances. His high-powered arm has been a breath of fresh air at the back end of games. It’s something the Braves sorely lacked a season ago after AJ Minter signed with the Mets — probably why Anthopoulos wasted no time locking up Suarez in the offseason.

But while Suarez and Iglesias were always expected to be a nightmare for opposing hitters at the end of games, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Among National League relievers with at least 15 innings pitched, the Braves own four of the top six ERAs.

Notable Braves Relievers

• Raisel Iglesias — 0.00 ERA
• Robert Suarez — 0.81 ERA
• Dylan Lee — 1.11 ERA
• Didier Fuentes — 1.08 ERA

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Dylan Lee has been a silent assassin in Atlanta for a long time. Many fans of other teams probably haven’t heard of him, but he’s sporting a 2.64 ERA over 223 career appearances, taking his game to a completely different level this year.

Dylan Lee Notable Advanced Metrics

• xERA — 100th percentile
• xBA — 96th percentile
• Average Exit Velocity — 86th percentile
• Chase % — 93rd percentile
• Whiff % — 98th percentile
• K% — 96th percentile
• BB% — 99th percentile

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Simply put — Dylan Lee is elite.

Three pitchers operating at that level at the back end of games is going to result in a lot of wins. The addition of Didier Fuentes, however, has been the icing on the cake.

Fuentes’ high-90s fastball and swing-and-miss stuff make him a natural fit for late-inning work, but because he’s really a starting pitcher, the Braves are able to deploy him in a variety of situations. Some nights he bridges the gap for multiple innings. Others, he’s used in high-leverage spots to give the traditional late-inning guys extra rest.

That kind of versatility is a weapon — especially come playoff time, when starters typically aren’t going as deep into games. The Braves don’t view Fuentes as their closer of the future, even if he could thrive in the role. He’s a starting pitcher learning how to navigate big league hitters out of the bullpen, filling the role the team needs him in right now, and he’s gaining confidence with each outing.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

It has now been two weeks since Ha-Seong Kim returned from a month-and-a-half on the shelf with a torn tendon in his finger, and the results have been nothing short of abysmal.

Kim has just four hits in his first 38 at-bats, none for extra bases, and his defense at shortstop has somehow been even more concerning. Beyond three errors in just 11 games, the range is lacking, his arm has been wildly inaccurate, and he frankly just doesn’t look comfortable out there.

Struggling at the plate after a lengthy layoff is one thing. Kim hasn’t been healthy for much of the last two seasons, and that’s something the Braves can manage — especially while they’re winning. The defense is a different story. He’s not passing the eye test of an everyday shortstop right now.

Because he’s making $20 million this season and it’s still relatively early, the Braves are going to give him more time in hopes that he can get comfortable and find some confidence, both offensively and defensively. But when players return from injury and more are added at the deadline, the best players are going to play down the stretch, and I’m not sure the best version of Kim is better than Mauricio Dubon or even Jorge Mateo.

As things stand, Dubon is playing left field against left-handed pitching to fill the void left by the Jurickson Profar suspension. But it would be surprising if the Braves didn’t add a right-handed outfield bat at the deadline, and once that happens, left field is no longer a spot where Dubon can play most nights.

Dubon has been the superior defender — which takes precedence over everything else at shortstop — and his clutch hitting has been critical to Atlanta’s success this season.

Ha-Seong Kim will have to play a lot better over the next couple of months if he wants to see the field come August. At that time, it’s very possible the Braves look at the $20 million they spent on him during the offseason as a sunk cost.

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Photo: Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire

Following Tuesday’s loss — courtesy of a monstrous night from Michael Harris II — the Red Sox have dropped four straight. They sit at 22-31, last place in the AL East and already 12.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. There’s still some hope given how weak the American League is overall, but if they can’t right the ship over the next two months, they will be sellers — and they have plenty of intriguing names to move.

Greg Weissert

We don’t get to see a ton of the Red Sox, but watching Greg Weissert pitch Tuesday night was impressive. He doesn’t throw 100 MPH, but his arm angle makes it seem like he does — especially against right-handed hitters — and he pairs that fastball with a lively sweeper. It’s hard to imagine how anyone hits him from the right side. The Braves already have a great bullpen, but adding an arm like Weissert for middle relief would be a significant boost, and the fact that he’s under team control for two more seasons makes him even more attractive.

Sonny Gray

Stop me if you’ve heard this before — a trade rumor involving Sonny Gray and the Braves. Now 36 years old, he may not be quite what he once was, but he still owns a respectable 3.27 ERA over nine starts this season. And unlike a lot of starting pitchers, he probably won’t demand an enormous haul either, given he’s in the final year of his contract with a $30 million mutual option for next season.

Aroldis Chapman

The Braves already have one of the best bullpens in baseball, but adding Aroldis Chapman would essentially turn every game into a five-inning affair. He’s been the best reliever in baseball since the start of last season, posting a 1.03 ERA over 88 appearances. If the Braves don’t want to meet the asking price on the top starting pitchers available, turning their bullpen into an absolute juggernaut is a compelling alternative — and Chapman is a guy who does that.

Garrett Whitlock

If the Braves don’t want to part with the prospect haul it would take to land Chapman, Garrett Whitlock wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. Since the start of the 2024 campaign he owns a 2.37 ERA with over 11 strikeouts per nine innings across 86 appearances, and he comes with an $8 million club option for 2027 and a $10 million club option for 2028.

Jarren Duran

Because of Boston’s crowded outfield, Duran’s name has been the subject of trade rumors for years. He’s off to a rough start in 2026, hitting just .198 with seven home runs, but from 2024 to 2025 he hit .271 with an .805 OPS and accumulated 13.7 WAR. Left field has been a problem in Atlanta for far too long. Adding Duran, who is under contract through the 2028 season, fixes it in one swift move.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Strider settled in from there, as both sides traded zeroes until the top of the fifth, when Matt Olson launched a two-run home run well over the right field wall — his first since May 10th. The Braves added three more in the following inning on a triple from Austin Riley, a double from Michael Harris II, and a much-needed single from Ronald Acuña Jr.

Strider came back out for the bottom half of the inning, but after walking the leadoff batter, Walt Weiss turned to Didier Fuentes — and that’s where things got rocky again. A single and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out, but a double play limited the damage to one run.

That became the theme of the night. The Braves’ normally unhittable high-leverage arms were gutting through innings to protect a lead that kept shrinking. In the seventh it was Dylan Lee‘s turn, and he surrendered a home run that cut the deficit to one.

Michael Harris II had an answer, though. In the top of the eighth, he took a pitch well out of the zone and drove it 430 feet to dead center, putting two more on the board. It was Harris’ fourth hit of the night, pushing his average over .300 to go along with 12 home runs and 2.1 WAR on the season. He’s likely headed to his first All-Star Game after posting just 2.2 WAR across 160 games all of last year.

The job wasn’t finished, though. After a scoreless inning from Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias got the ball in the ninth. He entered the game having not allowed a run in 28.2 consecutive innings — a streak that dated back to last August. That streak is now over.

A couple of seeing-eye singles put runners at second and third with nobody out. A strikeout followed by another single cut the lead to one and put the tying run on base. Yet another single then put the Braves one mistake away from disaster.

This is when it pays to have an elite closer.

Even with everything unraveling, the job is simple — get the last three outs with the lead intact. Iglesias did exactly that, forcing two straight groundouts to end the Braves skid, if you can even call it that, at two games.

Atlanta hasn’t played its best baseball over the last week. They dropped their second series of the season this past weekend and are clearly feeling the effects of not having a legitimate MVP candidate in the lineup since Drake Baldwin went down with an oblique injury. But any complaining at this point is just the result of being spoiled rotten. This offense is still loaded with stars that can win games on their own — on Tuesday it was Michael Harris, and on Wednesday it will likely be somebody else entirely.

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(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

Since Opening Day, nobody has been better than the Atlanta Braves — which is startling considering they haven’t been close to healthy for a single game of the 2026 season.

Just over the offseason, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep, Ha-Seong Kim, and Sean Murphy all went down with injuries. A couple have returned, but Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin, and Raisel Iglesias have also spent time on the IL.

It’s been a wild ride — one that hopefully slows down considerably over the next four months — but the promising news is that all of these players are currently slated to return at some point this season.

So what does the Braves’ best 26-man roster look like with everybody healthy?

Rotation

1. Chris Sale
2. Spencer Strider
3. Bryce Elder
4. Spencer Schwellenbach
5. Hurston Waldrep

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Chris Sale and — much to everyone’s surprise — Bryce Elder have been the two best starting pitchers in Atlanta through the first two months. There’s still a chance Elder hits some bumps and falls out of favor given the sheer depth of this group, but the struggles would have to be significant based on what he’s shown so far.

Rounding out the rotation with Schwellenbach and Waldrep is one option, but there are really so many directions the Braves could go. Grant Holmes and Martin Perez have both been solid at the back end so far this season. JR Ritchie remains in the conversation. AJ Smith-Shawver is working his way back from injury. And don’t forget about Didier Fuentes — even though he’s thrived out of the bullpen, he’s still a starting pitcher with immense upside who could get stretched out later in the season.

When fully healthy, this is an embarrassment of riches from a depth standpoint.

Catchers

1. Drake Baldwin
2. Sean Murphy

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Not much to say here. The Braves have arguably the best catching tandem in baseball. Unfortunately, both of them are currently on the IL. Baldwin appears to have avoided disaster with his oblique injury, which is massive, but Murphy is likely out for several more months after fracturing his finger.

Infielders

1. Mauricio Dubon
2. Austin Riley
3. Matt Olson
4. Ha-Seong Kim
5. Ozzie Albies
6. Jorge Mateo

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The infield is currently fully healthy following Kim’s return, but questions have emerged about whether he’s actually the best option at shortstop. He’s struggled significantly over the last two weeks both offensively and defensively, while Dubon and Mateo were a strong tandem at the position in his absence.

Outfielders

1. Ronald Acuña Jr.
2. Michael Harris II
3. Eli White
4. Mike Yastrzemski

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All four outfielders are currently healthy, and while the group might look thin on paper, Dubon’s versatility to play all three outfield spots eases a lot of concerns. That said, this was a group that was supposed to include Jurickson Profar, who was suspended 162 games for PEDs. Replacing that production — ideally with a power-hitting right-handed bat — should be a priority before the trade deadline.

Designated Hitter

1. Dominic Smith

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Who would have thought Dominic Smith would prove to be the superior DH option to Marcell Ozuna, who the Braves let walk in the offseason?

Bullpen

1. Raisel Iglesias
2. Dylan Lee
3. Robert Suarez
4. Didier Fuentes
5. Tyler Kinley
6. Reynaldo Lopez
7. Grant Holmes
8. AJ Smith-Shawver

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This is where things get really interesting. With everybody healthy, the Braves could have four starting pitchers in their bullpen — Fuentes, Lopez, Holmes, and Smith-Shawver. It’s a bit unconventional, but Holmes and Lopez have each had success in relief previously. Fuentes is thriving in the role this season. And Smith-Shawver has the high-end stuff to be a weapon out of the bullpen if his arm looks anything like it did before Tommy John surgery. The Braves will also likely look to add to this group at the trade deadline.

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The Chicago Cubs sign veteran reliever Aaron Bummer to a minor league contract after being recently released by Atlanta.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 27, 2026

Aaron Bummer’s time in Atlanta was not as miserable as most Braves fans would like to describe. The Braves squeezed two good years out of him as a middle reliever after acquiring him for essentially nothing from the White Sox.

The extension Alex Anthopoulos handed him was always the mistake, and unfortunately if you’re a Cubs fans stumbling upon this article, there’s not a lot of good things to say about Aaron Bummer today.

He suffered a shoulder injury towards the end of last season, and it was evident throughout this season that it’s something that is still affecting him. His life and velocity dropped on all of his offerings, leading to a 7.63 ERA over 19 appearances.

It got so bad at the end that he couldn’t even be trusted in garbage time situations and help save the bullpen, leaving the Braves with no option but to release him despite the fact he’s owed $9.5 million this year.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

For that to happen, however, Atlanta would have had to grant the 76ers permission to speak with Saleh. After he finished second in Executive of the Year voting, that was never going to happen.

Not only is Saleh not going anywhere — he’s now committed to staying in Atlanta for the long haul. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Hawks are handing him a long-term contract extension and promoting him to President of Basketball Operations.

The Atlanta Hawks are signing general manager Onsi Saleh to a long-term contract extension and promoting him to President of Basketball Operations, sources tell ESPN. Saleh – runner up for 2026 league executive of the year – took over as Hawks GM last offseason after joining… pic.twitter.com/9DrBUDxTnF

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 27, 2026

The decision to remove Landry Fields as general manager last offseason and replace him internally with Saleh turned a lot of heads. Clearly, he made quite the impression in a short amount of time after previously working with the Spurs and Warriors.

In his first season, Saleh pulled off a number of remarkable moves — beginning with a draft night trade with the Pelicans that netted the Hawks an unprotected first-round pick in this year’s draft. He also signed the league’s Most Improved Player, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, in free agency. And perhaps most importantly, he navigated a messy situation with Trae Young about as well as anyone could have.

It looked like the Hawks were hitting the reset button. Instead, they finished the season as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, catapulting themselves out of the play-in tournament for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

Now entering the offseason, the Hawks have incredible financial flexibility, no bad contracts on the books, two first-round selections in this year’s draft, and five total tradable first-round picks. Saleh can go in virtually any direction he wants this summer, and the organization has rightfully decided to put their full faith in him.

For the first time since Tony Ressler took over as the Hawks owner, it feels like there is finally a healthy chain of communication between ownership, the front office, and head coach Quin Snyder — who is also expected to sign a contract extension this offseason.

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Photo: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire

Almost everyone has the consensus top four as follows — AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson in some order. Then there are four point guards most expect to go in the next wave — Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., and Kingston Flemings.

The Hawks have a desperate need for a true point guard following the trade of Trae Young ahead of this year’s deadline. They could sit, wait, and take whoever falls to them — but if they want their pick of the litter, moving up to the fifth pick appears to be a realistic option.

“When it comes to next month’s draft, I’m already hearing considerable curiosity about the Clippers, who currently hold the No. 5 selection via Indiana thanks to the teams’ Ivica Zubac trade in February,” NBA insider Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line.

“Will the Clippers keep the pick to keep injecting top-tier youth into their program after the recent acquisitions of Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin? Or are they more likely to try to use it to acquire a player closer in win-now readiness to Kawhi Leonard when the decision at No. 5 likely means choosing between a slew of guards?”

After swapping James Harden for the younger Darius Garland, the Clippers’ need for another ball-dominant point guard has been significantly reduced. It makes sense that they’d be open for business — especially if a trade helps them compete while Kawhi Leonard is still in Los Angeles.

The cost of moving up even three spots will obviously be a major factor for anyone calling the Clippers. But what this really comes down to for the Hawks is how they view that second crop of point guards behind the top four.

If one of them clearly separates himself from the rest, this shouldn’t be much of a conversation. Onsi Saleh should do everything in his power to move up the board and potentially land the franchise talent the Hawks missed out on when the lottery failed to push their pick into the top four.

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(Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire

Buster Olney floated an interesting idea on @CelliniNick & @chrisdimino

“If they were to put Jeremy Peña out there… I think that would be like a finishing piece for a Braves team that has high aspirations.”

Would you want to see the Braves make a move for Jeremy Peña if… pic.twitter.com/i1mcbSWuaM

— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) May 27, 2026

With Buxton and the Braves, there’s at least legitimate traction. Atlanta was reportedly among the most aggressive teams pursuing him at last year’s trade deadline, but he ultimately decided he wasn’t going to waive his no-trade clause for anyone.

More recent reports, however, have suggested that could change — and with the Braves having a clear need in left field, he’s a logical target if the Twins end up sellers at the deadline.

The Jeremy Peña idea is a little more out of left field — no pun intended.

The Braves obviously have a need at shortstop. It’s been a miserable situation ever since Dansby Swanson left for Chicago following the 2022 season. Ha-Seong Kim hasn’t worked out as hoped, and while Mauricio Dubon has proven to be a massive addition, there’s no comparing him to Peña — a legitimate All-Star shortstop who has also won a Gold Glove.

But are the Braves really ready to write off the $20 million they spent on Kim this offseason as a sunk cost, on top of the prospect haul it would take to acquire Peña from Houston? That feels highly unlikely — especially when you consider that Peña is a Scott Boras client who isn’t going to sign a long-term extension before hitting free agency.

It’s fun to think about. Jeremy Peña would make this Braves lineup look like a juggernaut. But if Alex Anthopoulos wanted to hand out $200 million to a shortstop who averages four to five WAR per season, he would have done it years ago for Dansby Swanson — and he wouldn’t have had to give up a bunch of top prospects to get him.

It’s just not Anthopoulos’ style. Acquiring a significant upgrade at shortstop is highly unlikely to be part of the Braves’ plans. They’ve shown they’re perfectly comfortable throwing darts at the wall with guys like Kim and Dubon until one of their homegrown talents is ready to take over.

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(Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire)

The news that followed the next day eased some of those concerns, however. Calling it a mild Grade 1 oblique injury, Baldwin shouldn’t miss too much time — and to add onto that, the Braves offense hasn’t stopped rolling in his absence.

A lot of that has to do with the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. to the lineup. He came off the Injured List on the exact same day Baldwin was announced out, and in two games he’s been on base four times and scored four runs. The Braves essentially swapped one MVP-caliber player for another.

But even more impressive, Atlanta continues to get high-level production from players who were afterthoughts coming into the season. On Tuesday it was Mauricio Dubon, racking up three hits and delivering the go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning. Yesterday it was Dominic Smith, blasting his fifth home run of the season to go along with a triple, pushing his season average to an eye-popping .337.

The Braves simply have a really good baseball team. When one guy goes down, the next guy steps up and keeps the group churning out wins at an alarming rate. They’ve been doing it since Opening Day, and thinking it was ever going to stop — even with someone like Drake Baldwin going down — was a trap many of us fell into, most likely due to the PTSD from the last two seasons.

That said, we’re all sitting here waiting to see just how dangerous this team could look if everybody were healthy at the same time. That still hasn’t happened once all season — which is just fine in May — but hopefully that changes when the stakes are raised later in the year.

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(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

“So I asked about Joe (Jimenez) last homestand, and Walt Weiss told me he had had another knee surgery,” Grant McAuley said in an interview on 92.9 The Game. “So this would be number three, but they felt like this procedure might have actually increased his chances of being able to pitch again at some point, but there is no timetable.

“And we’re not talking pitch again at some point in 2026. I have heard from a couple of different places where when they found out how bad Joe’s knee was after 2024 that there was some thought, at least initially, that this might be career threatening.”

The surgery Jimenez underwent after the 2024 season isn’t one you hear about often in baseball, or any sport for that matter. It was to remove cartilage, and he was immediately announced out for 8-12 months.

That timeline put him on track to return at some point last season, and he did begin throwing bullpens midway through the year. However, he was ultimately shut down again following a setback and had to undergo yet another procedure. At that point, it became fairly evident the chances of him ever pitching for the Braves again were slim — which McAuley confirms later in the interview.

“That dude pitched through a pretty bad knee injury in 2024, and I don’t know if that made it worse, or if it just was what it was. And I don’t even know the details of all of the different procedures that have gone on, but I can suffice it to say I would not factor in Joe Jimenez heavily into the plans of the Braves this year, and this is the final year of his contract.”

From the sound of it, Joe Jimenez left it all on the line for the Braves over his final two seasons. Not only was he among the most effective setup men in baseball, he was also one of the most utilized — making a staggering 128 appearances between 2023 and 2024, at least part of which came while pitching through a severely damaged knee.

That’s something every fan can respect, even as it becomes increasingly likely he never throws another pitch for the Braves this season.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today selected RHP Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster and optioned RHP Víctor Mederos to Triple-A Gwinnett.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 21, 2026

This is a move strictly about getting a fresh arm in the bullpen. Mederos made his Braves debut yesterday in mop up duty and did a nice job, tossing a couple scoreless frames to ensure no other relievers were needed.

By now, you should know the job of Carlos Carrasco. He’s been recalled by the club seemingly a million times and is almost never used. He’ll soon be designated for assignment, likely clear waivers, and find himself back in Gwinnett until the Braves need another fresh arm in case of emergency.

Atlanta’s pitching staff finds itself in a really good spot entering the final four games of the week. Their big guys have only pitched once, and every notable arm in the bullpen got a day off yesterday in the Braves 9-1 route of the Fish. That’s important considering what’s ahead — a matchup with the Washington Nationals, who surprisingly lead all of baseball in runs scored with 279, averaging well over five per game.

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(Photo by Mary Holt/Icon Sportswire)

Atlanta Falcons 2026 Schedule

• @ Pittsburgh
• vs. Carolina
• @ Green Bay (Thursday Night Football)
• @ New Orleans (Monday Night Football)
• vs. Baltimore (Sunday Night Football)
• vs. Chicago
• vs. San Francisco
• @ Tampa Bay
• vs. Cincinatti (Madrid)
• vs. Kansas City
• BYE WEEK
• @ Minnesotta
• vs. Detroit
• @ Cleveland
• @ Washington
• vs. Tampa Bay
• vs. New Orleans
• @ Carolina

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Injuries can change everything, and teams go from good to bad and vice versa at an alarming rate in the NFL — but it’s hard to take one glance at this schedule and not recognize how brutal it is for a team with a new coaching staff and real uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position.

A road game in Pittsburgh isn’t impossible to win, but it’s certainly not the type of game the Falcons have come out on top of in recent history.

All four division games will be difficult. Anyone overlooking them is foolish. The Panthers have owned the Falcons recently, winning three of the last four matchups. The Bucs will always be tough with Baker Mayfield under center, and New Orleans is an ascending team that believes they’ve found their franchise quarterback in Tyler Shough — and they might not be wrong.

The thing that stands out most, however, is that the Falcons have three primetime games in a row from Week 3 to Week 5. Whoever thought that was a good idea — let’s talk outside.

The good news: the Falcons have actually been solid in primetime, even amid their current postseason drought. The bad news: two of those games come on the road, and the one home game is against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on short rest.

If you thought it might ease up after that — think again.

Those primetime matchups are followed by games against the Bears and 49ers — two legitimate Super Bowl contenders — a road divisional game against the Bucs, then the Bengals in Madrid, and finally the Chiefs, who will likely have Patrick Mahomes back by that point.

The Falcons catch a breather in Week 11, only to come out of the bye and face the Vikings and Lions — two more really damn good football teams.

Cleveland and Washington both look like winnable games, but they’ll be cold weather road trips, and you know the Browns will be itching to hand their former head coach a loss. The Falcons then close with three straight divisional games, which if trends hold, will likely determine the NFC South.

That’s about as brutal a Falcons schedule as I can remember seeing in a long time. As I mentioned, things can always change in ways that make it look easier in hindsight. But in all likelihood, Kevin Stefanski and this new coaching staff better have these guys ahead of schedule come Week 1. Coaching transitions are never easy — especially when the team doesn’t even know who the starting quarterback is going to be. If the Falcons somehow manage to scrape together nine or ten wins, I think we’ll have our answer on whether Stefanski is the right guy for the job.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

This is a team with a 34-16 record, the best in baseball, and nine games clear of the Phillies and Nationals for first place in the NL East. They should be loading up for a championship run, armed with the cash and prospect depth to make the kind of blockbuster swing we haven’t really seen from Alex Anthopoulos in the past.

Aroldis Chapman

The Braves have one of the most lethal late-inning trios in baseball with Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias. There are some concerns about middle relief, however, and while Aroldis Chapman certainly isn’t a middle reliever, why not overkill the bullpen — especially given the cost of adding a frontline starting pitcher.

The Red Sox are among the season’s biggest disappointments, sitting at 22-27 and already 11.5 games back in the AL East. That’s a hole that’s almost impossible to dig out of. They’re likely sellers, and Chapman — on a one-year deal with a mutual option that is almost certainly going to be declined — is an obvious trade candidate.

Over the last two seasons, there hasn’t been a better reliever in baseball. Chapman posted a 1.17 ERA last season, finishing seventh in the AL Cy Young race, and has somehow started 2026 even stronger, recording a 0.51 ERA over his first 18 appearances with 12 saves.

Jarren Duran

Duran is another Red Sox star who could be dangled on the market leading up to the deadline. He hasn’t quite been the same since his ridiculous 9.0 WAR season in 2024, settling for 4.7 WAR last season and getting off to a slow start this year — hitting .195 with six home runs. There’s no doubting his talent, though, and he comes with a couple more years of affordable team control.

Like shortstop, left field has been a black hole for the Braves for years — which is strange, because it really shouldn’t be a difficult position to fill with a premium offensive talent. This trade deadline could be the perfect opportunity for Anthopoulos to address that now and for the future.

Byron Buxton

By now you’ve heard the connections between the Braves and Byron Buxton.

Atlanta reportedly pursued Buxton at last year’s trade deadline, but he had no interest in waiving his no-trade clause. He appeared more open to the idea this offseason, however, and with the Twins struggling again, those conversations could pick up once more.

Buxton is making $15 million this season and $15 million in each of the next two seasons, making him one of the most affordable superstars in the sport. The only knock on him throughout his career has been injuries. He’s played in over 100 games just three times in eleven seasons, though two of those instances have come over the past two years.

The Braves are also in a position to make Buxton’s life considerably easier in an attempt to keep him healthy. He won’t have to play center field in Atlanta and can see a significant amount of time as the designated hitter. Add in the fact that he’s a hometown product, and the move makes almost too much sense — which is exactly why it keeps coming up.

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Stay tuned for Part 2! 

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

On the field, they wrapped up another series win, bludgeoning the Marlins pitching for nine runs behind two homers from Michael Harris II and another from Mike Yastrzemski. Spencer Strider did allow three home runs, but they were all solo shots as he worked into the seventh inning and struck out nine batters — another promising outing as he continues to look like a much better pitcher than he was a year ago in his first season back from InternalBrace surgery.

The Braves lost the first game of the series 12-0, and the following morning it was announced that Drake Baldwin was heading to the IL with an oblique strain.

They went on to win the next three games and outscored the Marlins 26-20 for the series — a perfect microcosm of the next-man-up mentality this club has had since Opening Day.

There was one small concern during Thursday’s game, however, as Ronald Acuña Jr. left with a thumb injury. X-rays came back negative and he has been ruled day-to-day, but it’s yet another injury concern the Braves will have to monitor going forward.

Spoke with Ronald Acuña Jr. in Spanish postgame. He said he experienced tightness and wasn’t able to move his right thumb.

He also joked that he didn’t have to convince Walt Weiss to put him in tomorrow’s game. Otherwise, they would’ve had just four outfielders in the field.

— Jesús Cano (@Jesus_Cano88) May 22, 2026

On the transaction wire, the Braves added a catcher, claiming Maverick Handley off waivers from the Orioles.

Handley has appeared in exactly one major-league game this season with one at-bat. Last year he played in 16 games for the Orioles, and the numbers were less than stellar — a .073 batting average and .207 OPS.

He has posted some respectable offensive numbers in Triple-A over the last two seasons, however. In five games this year he has an .879 OPS, and he posted a .740 OPS over 38 games last season.

But this is obviously not someone the Braves want catching every day. It’s debatable whether he’s even an upgrade over what the club currently has in Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon. This move was most likely made simply to add organizational depth at the position in case another injury surfaces.

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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

Freeman has helped propel the Dodgers to two straight World Series titles, winning World Series MVP in one of them. It’s been nauseating to watch from afar as a Braves fan — but it feels like the script is about to flip in a big way over the second half of Matt Olson‘s contract.

Olson has not had a subpar season in Atlanta. Not once. He’s played in every game, earned a top-five finish in the NL MVP race, broke the franchise record for home runs, and is on his way to his third All-Star Game as a Brave. You could make an argument that Freeman has been the slightly better player up to this point — but now the age factor is starting to kick in.

Olson just turned 32, smack dab in his prime, with four years left on his contract. Freeman is pushing 37, beginning to show signs of decline, and will be a free agent after next season. This is where Olson starts making up ground — and then some — which could have Alex Anthopoulos looking like a genius when it’s all said and done.

But did you know Olson to Atlanta almost never happened?

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Braves’ first call when they felt Freeman was slipping away was to Anthony Rizzo.

“The previously unreported twist is this: Once the Braves believed they were out on Freeman during the post-lockout free-agent frenzy in March 2022, they tried to sign another first baseman before acquiring Olson from the then-Oakland Athletics,” Rosenthal wrote for The Athletic.

“That first baseman, according to people familiar with both the team’s and player’s discussions, was Anthony Rizzo. The parties did not get close to a deal. The Braves, who do not give players opt-outs, declined to offer Rizzo the kind of contract he received from the New York Yankees — two years, $32 million, with an opt-out after the first year. The team’s preference, according to a person close to Rizzo, was to sign him for one year.”

The Braves then pivoted to Matt Olson, avoiding what could have been one of the biggest disaster points in franchise history. Rizzo is no longer even in the league, and over his three seasons following the Braves’ failed pursuit, he averaged just 1.0 WAR per season with the Yankees.

The Freeman-Olson saga has been a non-stop conversation since Atlanta pulled the trigger on that trade with the A’s — and a heated one at times, with fans firmly planted on both sides and neither budging an inch.

But the further we get from it and the more we look at the full picture, the clearer it becomes: the Braves have essentially gone two decades with a Hall of Famer at first base. And when you put it like that, it’s hard to say they lost out on anything at the end of the day.

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The #Braves today claimed C Maverick Handley off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta transferred RHP Hurston Waldrep to the 60-day injured list.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 21, 2026

Handley has appeared in exactly one major-league game this season with one at-bat. Last year he played in 16 games for the Orioles, and the numbers were less than stellar — a .073 batting average and .207 OPS.

He has posted some respectable offensive numbers in Triple-A over the last two seasons, however. In five games this year he has an .879 OPS, and he posted a .740 OPS over 38 games last season.

But this is obviously not someone the Braves want catching every day. It’s debatable whether he’s even an upgrade over what the club currently has in Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon. This move was most likely made simply to add organizational depth at the position in case another injury surfaces.

The Braves’ decision to transfer Hurston Waldrep to the 60-day IL doesn’t really change anything. He’s already been out for a couple of months and is nowhere close to returning. Whenever he’s deemed ready, the Braves will be able to activate him.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Detroit is sitting in last place in the AL Central, 9.5 games back of the Guardians. They’ve lost 14 of their last 16 games, have an entire rotation on the IL, and because of that, the rumors swirling around two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal are only just beginning.

The Braves going after Skubal isn’t something we’ve seen Alex Anthopoulos do at any point as general manager. He generally runs the other direction when it comes to bidding wars for marquee starting pitchers. That said, the hypothetical price tags executives have placed on Skubal aren’t exactly outlandish.

“I don’t think anyone can answer that. I don’t think we have ever seen a pitcher this good coming off such a bizarre injury. He’s playing for a team that is trying to win themselves, so there are so many factors at play. If I had to answer, I’d say one top-100 prospect plus a top-15 and one more throw in,” one executive told MLB insider Robert Murray of Fansided.

“It would have to be a [Dave] Dombrowski or [AJ] Preller to get a top prospect. Everyone else treats it like Wall Street and asset value so my guess is a couple of top 10 prospects for a couple months of him,” another executive said. “Or [Andrew] Friedman could go out and get him. He ups a team’s chances to win the World Series by a pretty big margin. You get two starts in that five-game series. Friedman gets him, that’s my prediction.”

A lot of this comes down to Skubal’s return from injury, of course. He had a procedure to remove loose bodies in his elbow, with an initial expectation of missing a couple of months — but he’s already throwing bullpens and a return to the mound appears to be around the corner.

The other factor is whether the Tigers can sneak back into contention. It’s unlikely, but in the AL Central, anything is possible with this much time remaining on the schedule.

But for argument’s sake — let’s say Skubal returns healthy and Detroit decides to sell at the deadline. Would you give up a top-100 prospect plus a couple of mid-tier pieces for two months of Tarik Skubal?

The Braves have five guys I’d consider top-100 caliber — Cam Caminiti, Didier Fuentes, Eric Hartman, JR Ritchie, and John Gil. One of them would have to go in the deal, and while that would sting, the thought of Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale leading this rotation in October is something dreams are made of.

One more thing worth considering, raised by one of the executives in Murray’s piece — a trade for Skubal is going to be difficult for a lot of clubs simply because of the money. Not many teams have an extra $10-15 million sitting around for a midseason addition. The Braves, however, do — thanks to the Jurickson Profar suspension that wiped out his salary right before Opening Day.

So Anthopoulos has the prospects and the cash to make a move like this happen. That’s not something the Braves could say with confidence in years past.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

That puts Alex Anthopoulos in a difficult spot.

The Braves still believe in Murphy and view him as someone capable of being an integral piece moving forward. He’s also owed $15 million annually through the 2028 season. Atlanta is not going to move on from him unless another club is willing to take that contract off their hands, which feels highly unlikely given the injury history.

At the same time, the Braves can’t really afford to sit around this season waiting to see whether Murphy can get healthy and rediscover his form. Catcher is arguably the most important position on the field, and Atlanta is now one injury away from finding itself in a brutal situation depth-wise.

It will be a major point of emphasis leading up to the trade deadline and feels like something the Braves would prefer to address sooner rather than later.

Trades this early in the season are uncommon, but they certainly happen. The San Francisco Giants just traded two-time Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians last week, and reports have suggested several struggling contenders could begin entertaining trade discussions much earlier than usual this season.

With Drake Baldwin already in the fold, this doesn’t need to be a franchise-altering move. But the Braves should be able to find a meaningful upgrade over Sandy León well before the trade deadline arrives.

It wouldn’t be surprising if something materialized before the end of the month.

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Grant Holmes got the start for Atlanta, and while it wasn’t a disaster, it certainly wasn’t a quality outing. He allowed two runs, lasted just four innings, and walked four batters. It is the fourth start out of the last five that Holmes has failed to make it past the fifth inning.

When Holmes exited, the Braves trailed 2-1, but they’re fortunate to have an arm like Fuentes waiting in the bullpen. The 20-year-old entered in the fifth and didn’t allow a single hit over the next three innings, striking out three before handing the ball to Dylan Lee in the eighth.

The Braves made the somewhat controversial decision to move Fuentes to the bullpen — despite him being one of the organization’s top pitching prospects at such a young age — following a rough outing on April 22 in which he surrendered four earned runs over three innings. There were understandable concerns about what the role change might mean for his development, but those concerns have quieted considerably.

Didier Fuentes has been brilliant. He’s allowed just one run over his last five appearances in relief, good for a 1.02 ERA alongside a 2.66 FIP.

At this point, if the decision were strictly between Fuentes and Holmes, it probably wouldn’t require much thought. Fuentes is the more talented arm with a level of upside Holmes cannot match. But the situation isn’t quite that simple.

The Braves have been operating with a six-man rotation ever since Spencer Strider returned from the IL, adjusting things series by series. It’s worked so far, but eventually they’ll have to settle on five starters. That brings Martin Perez into the equation, who has been outstanding this season, along with Reynaldo López, who could always shift back into a starting role later in the year.

And that’s without even factoring in the potential returns of Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach, two high-upside arms the Braves hope to get back during the second half.

This may end up being a classic case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Fuentes has carved out a valuable role in the bullpen and looks extremely comfortable there. At the same time, the upside if he eventually puts everything together as a starter is difficult to ignore.

It’s the kind of problem every organization wants to have. The Braves suddenly look like a team with almost too many starting pitching options, and more help is still on the way.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

After the game, Walt Weiss was asked about the two finally breaking through, and he credited the legendary former Braves manager for teaching him patience.

“I like to encourage guys,” Weiss said. “Obviously, that was one of Bobby’s greatest strengths, and virtually everyone you talk to that played for him says that. Maybe I took that from Bobby, and I’m good with that if that’s the case. The game is really hard. I think it’s important to encourage guys when they’re struggling because you feel like when you’re not playing well everybody hates you in this league. You don’t want your players feeling that. I think it’s important to encourage them through the tough times.”

It’s a statement everybody has heard a million times, but fans are often quick to forget: baseball is a game built on failure. Every player in the league — Hall of Famers included — goes through rough stretches. Hell, Shohei Ohtani recently had a 10-game stretch where he hit .105 with one extra-base hit. Nobody in Los Angeles was talking about benching him.

Riley had an April he’d probably love to erase, struggling to stay above the Mendoza Line, but he’s beginning to turn things around in May, hitting .316 with three homers and a .920 OPS over his last 10 games.

Tuesday also marked the first home run of the season for Yastrzemski. It’s been a difficult start to his first season with a tomahawk across his chest; however, this is still a player that has produced between 2-3 WAR in every season since his rookie campaign in 2019.

That’s a remarkable level of consistency, and as another legendary Braves manager, Brian Snitker, used to say, it’s usually best to bet on the back of a player’s baseball card.

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(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

“Tate Southisene has his fans — scouts love the kid, as they did his brother, Ty, in last year’s draft — but Atlanta’s first-round pick was the biggest reach of the round for me,” Law wrote. “I don’t think there’s a plus tool here; he has a decent enough swing, but he has some swing-and-miss issues against breaking pitches and changeups, and I don’t see great adjustability in his approach right now. He is a plus runner and could move to center, which would help his value, but I don’t think there’s enough hit tool probability or upside here for Atlanta to take him with the 21st pick.”

Well, there’s a reason Keith Law is writing articles and not scouting players. Because not only does Tate Southisene possess a plus tool, he’s showing early this season with the Augusta GreenJackets that he might have the entire tool belt.

Southisene’s approach at the plate has been magnificent. He’s walked nearly as often as he’s struck out and is getting on base at a ridiculous .431 clip. But even that might not be the most impressive aspect of his offensive production.

With another home run last night, Southisene now has seven on the season through just 33 games, tying him for the league lead.

T as in Troy? No, T as in TaTe SouThisene is Tied for the league lead in homers. pic.twitter.com/GV6zf3OoVz

— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) May 13, 2026

Tate Southisene doesn’t have the biggest frame, standing under 6-foot and weighing around 180 pounds, but the ball flies effortlessly off his bat. Possessing that kind of power at just 19 years old, paired with above-average contact skills while playing a premium position like shortstop, are the kinds of traits that put players on the fast track to top-100 prospect status.

Eric Hartman joined that club earlier this week following his scorching start in Rome. His teammate John Gil — another one of the Braves’ intriguing shortstop prospects — likely isn’t far behind, and Southisene could join them by season’s end.

This is easily the strongest the organization has looked from a position-player prospect standpoint in quite some time. The next generation of Atlanta Braves talent is not arriving quietly.

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Behind them is another group of ultra-talented freshman guards that starred for major college programs this past season — the aforementioned Acuff, along with Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, and Mikel Brown Jr..

As of now, most mock drafts have the Atlanta Hawks selecting whichever guard remains when they come on the clock, but what if there were a scenario where they could have their pick of the litter?

The Los Angeles Clippers were one of the biggest winners of the draft lottery. They acquired a top-four protected pick from the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline in exchange for Ivica Zubac. The Pacers then tanked their way toward the bottom of the standings, only to land the fifth pick in the lottery — an absolute best-case scenario for Los Angeles, who have been described as a team potentially willing to move down the board for future assets given they do not control their own first-round pick until 2030.

Now, the jump from 8 to 5 might not seem enormous, but in a draft class this loaded, it would likely take a massive haul for the Hawks to move up. Simply packaging Pick No. 23 probably wouldn’t come close to getting it done. Atlanta would almost certainly have to include either part of its young core or a future first-round pick just to get the conversation started. And if the Clippers open the door to those discussions, there will be no shortage of teams calling.

To this point in his tenure as Hawks general manager, Onsi Saleh has taken a measured approach, prioritizing asset accumulation while continuing to build around Atlanta’s young talent. That’s how the Hawks now find themselves holding two first-round picks — including one inside the top 10 — despite finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference.

A move like this would be a clear shift in philosophy, but opportunities to land a potential future All-Star that cleanly fits the timeline of the current core aren’t likely to come around in the future. If the Clippers are open for business, you would have to imagine the Hawks will at least make the call.

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The Braves left-handed reliever has arguably been the most effective bullpen arm in all of baseball through the first seven weeks of the season, sporting both an ERA and FIP below one while appearing in a league-leading 21 games.

Lee is finally beginning to receive the recognition he deserves from the fan base, and hopefully the national media follows suit as the All-Star Game approaches. But the funny thing is, this isn’t exactly new. Lee has quietly been one of the best relievers in baseball for years now, despite lacking the eye-popping velocity, flashy repertoire, or clearly defined role that usually earns pitchers this kind of attention.

Take a trip back to 2021 for a second — the year Lee signed a minor-league contract with the Atlanta Braves after spending several years grinding through the Miami Marlins farm system. That season, he made just two appearances during the regular season and posted a rather ugly 9.00 ERA. Yet somehow, he found himself starting Game 4 of the World Series.

There may not be a better summary of Dylan Lee’s entire Braves tenure than that.

From the moment he arrived in Atlanta, he’s filled every role imaginable. Need an opener? He’s done it. Long relief? No issue. High leverage? Lefties? Righties? Doesn’t matter. Lee has consistently taken the ball wherever the Braves have needed him, and he’s done it with a level of reliability few relievers in baseball can match, posting a 2.64 career ERA over 219 appearances.

But the 2026 version of Dylan Lee, this is a different beast. Take a look at some of these underlying numbers:

• 100th percentile xERA
• 96th percentile xBA
• 96th percentile Chase%
• 98th percentile Whiff%
• 96th percentile K%
• 99th percentile BB%
• 84th percentile Average Exit Velocity

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There’s nothing fluky about what Dylan Lee is doing right now.

When the Braves signed Robert Suarez during the offseason, the expectation was that Atlanta would possess a devastating one-two punch at the back end of games alongside Raisel Iglesias. Instead, that duo has quickly evolved into a three-headed monster, one that’s already slammed the door on countless close games and become a primary reason why the Braves sit at 30-13 and 10 games clear atop the NL East.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

It started with rookie JR Ritchie. It wasn’t his sharpest outing, as he struggled at times with both his command and putting hitters away — a trend over his last three starts — but he still exited in the middle of the fifth inning with a 1-0 lead.

The Cubs tied the game shortly after, with the run charged to Ritchie, but Tyler Kinley limited the damage to just one. And while the game remained tied for several innings, it never really felt overly tense because the Braves bullpen continued carving through Chicago’s lineup one hitter after another.

Martin Perez — who has been an absolute godsend through the first month-and-a-half of the season — handled the sixth inning and retired the side in order on just 12 pitches.

Atlanta then turned the game over to its unhittable trio of Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings. The three combined for three scoreless frames while allowing just one hit.

Offensively, the big moments came from a couple of new faces in the bottom of the eighth. Mike Yastrzemski delivered for the second consecutive night, ripping a go-ahead double as a pinch-hitter. He was followed by Mauricio Dubón, whose two-run homer served as the dagger, securing another series win for Atlanta.

I wrote earlier this week about which Braves player deserves the next contract extension. Drake Baldwin is absolutely worthy of one, and it’ll come eventually. But Baldwin is already under team control for another five seasons. Dubón is headed for free agency after this year, and that feels like something the Braves should already be working to address.

Dubón checks every box you look for in winning baseball players. His defensive versatility has been invaluable for a team battling constant injuries. His clutch hitting has directly contributed to multiple wins. And he fits seamlessly into a clubhouse built around one thing — winning.

To think the Braves acquired him for Nick Allen. That’s some vintage Alex Anthopoulos wizardry.

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Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire

Waldrep has begun his throwing program. He’s feeling good with no setbacks, but the Braves haven’t set a date for him to return. With the way this rotation is rolling, why rush?

Braves P Hurston Waldrep is throwing bullpen sessions. “He’s doing well,” says manager Walt Weiss

— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) May 13, 2026

Eli White will stay on the 7-day concussion IL, but he’ll likely be activated on Monday when he’s eligible.

Walt Weiss also relayed some more information on Ronald Acuña Jr after saying yesterday it would be “some time” before we see him back in action. Acuña did more drills on Wednesday and is working at a little over 50% speed, but he reiterated it’s unlikely he will play on the Braves current homestand, which runs through the weekend.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Robert Suarez is on track to make his third consecutive All-Star Game while setting up for Raisel Iglesias. Mauricio Dubón’s clutch hitting and defensive versatility have been invaluable. And even veteran Martin Perez, who signed a minor-league deal with the club, has been instrumental during this torrid stretch, posting a 2.31 ERA while filling a variety of roles.

However, the most underrated acquisition might not even be a player.

As Walt Weiss filled out his coaching staff, he opted against retaining longtime pitching coach Rick Kranitz, instead turning to the younger and highly respected Jeremy Hefner, who previously did an excellent job with the New York Mets.

The results speak for themselves through the first seven weeks. The Braves lead all of baseball with a 3.06 ERA, and the production has been remarkably balanced between the rotation and bullpen. Atlanta’s starters rank second with a 3.04 ERA, while the bullpen also sits second at 3.10.

Despite those numbers, Hefner hasn’t received much of the spotlight publicly, but Weiss made sure to praise him during a recent interview with 680 The Fan.

“The message is always very clear with Hefner,” Weiss said. “Whether he’s working with a pitcher, whether we’re talking about moves over the course of a game, I know I can go to him with something and get a straight answer back. And I’m sure our pitchers feel the same way when they’re throwing sides with him.

“He is very in tune with all the new-age information. He’s really adept at pitch grips and release points, pitch design stuff. He’s really good with that stuff, but he also played. He pitched in the big leagues so there’s credibility there. He’s been awesome. I said our whole staff has been really good, but Hefner has really made an impact with our pitching.”

Specifically, Hefner deserves a ton of credit for helping Bryce Elder re-establish himself as a legitimate major-league starter. Elder currently leads baseball in both ERA and ERA+ after spending the previous three seasons as one of the least effective starting pitchers in the sport.

At least some of the success from rookies JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes has to be attributed to Hefner as well. Then there’s Spencer Strider, arguably the most important player on the roster, whose analytical and detail-oriented approach seems like a perfect fit alongside Hefner.

As a whole, both Weiss and Hefner deserve significant credit for the way this pitching staff has been managed. There are countless moving parts right now, and the Braves still are not entirely sure where everybody fits long term, but you would never know it from the results.

Everybody is contributing, and the Braves new pitching coach is the primary reason for that.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Sandy León is a competent fill-in for the time being, but he’s appeared in just 27 major-league games since the start of the 2023 season for a reason, hitting a rough .145 with a .412 OPS over that stretch. He’s not someone the Braves should want playing regularly, and if anything were to happen to Drake Baldwin — even a minor injury — León would suddenly become the primary catcher.

Given there’s no guarantee Murphy will be right again this season, this is not a situation where the Braves should wait until the trade deadline. Alex Anthopoulos has likely been fielding calls since the moment Murphy’s injury was revealed, and while trades are more difficult this time of year, they certainly are not impossible.

We just saw a two-time Gold Glove catcher moved last week in Patrick Bailey, and all it took for the Cleveland Guardians to acquire him was a mid-level prospect and a competitive balance pick in the upcoming draft.

Despite what some fans may think, the Braves probably are not considering trading Murphy right now. He still carries value as a secondary option behind Baldwin, and it’s not like the market for a catcher that has dealt with constant injuries over the last three seasons and is owed $15 million annually through 2028 is going to be overwhelming.

Atlanta isn’t searching for a long-term answer. They just need someone more reliable than León.

Travis d’Arnaud

The Los Angeles Angels once again find themselves near the bottom of the standings with little hope of making a postseason push, and d’Arnaud is an aging veteran in the final year of his contract.

He hasn’t been particularly productive since leaving Atlanta, hitting .198 with seven home runs over the last two seasons. He’s also currently on the IL with plantar fasciitis, so any move would likely have to wait until he’s healthy. Still, a return to the organization where he played the best baseball of his career could make sense, and the Braves already know exactly what they’d be getting from him as a clubhouse leader.

If the Angels continue falling further out of contention, this is definitely a name worth monitoring.

Ryan Jeffers

If the Braves wanted to aim a little higher, Jeffers makes a lot of sense.

Over the last three seasons, he’s produced very solid offensive numbers, hitting .252 with 36 home runs and a .766 OPS. He’s also a pending free agent, and the Minnesota Twins are one of several fringe contenders that could decide to reset ahead of the trade deadline.

The issue is Jeffers may simply be too attractive of an option. He’s currently hitting .299 with a .948 OPS this season, which will lead to a strong market if Minnesota makes him available.

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Sources: Cuban LHP Julio Robaina signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Robaina, 25, was Cuba’s No. 3 starter in the 2026 WBC.

He posted a 1-0, 1.47 ERA, 18.1 IP and 15 strikeouts with Quintana Roo in the Mexican Baseball League this season. pic.twitter.com/1KSwMOLMO5

— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) May 10, 2026

Robaina has posted some impressive numbers in the Mexican Baseball League this season, recording a 1.47 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 18.1 innings. He also made an appearance for Cuba during the World Baseball Classic, though it’s probably an outing he’d rather forget after allowing three earned runs in just 1.1 innings.

With the emergence of Spencer Strider paired with the rapid rises of JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes, the Braves pitching staff is already becoming crowded. Add in the possibility of other proven arms returning later this season — Hurston Waldrep, Spencer Schwellenbach, and AJ Smith-Shawver — and it certainly won’t be easy for Robaina to carve out a role in Atlanta.

That said, there’s no such thing as too much pitching. Injuries can pile up quickly — something the Braves know better than almost anyone after last season — and this front office has built a reputation for uncovering value in these types of under-the-radar additions.

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(Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire)

That trend continued over the weekend, but for now, the updates coming from manager Walt Weiss still appear to lean more positive than negative.

Most notably, Ronald Acuña Jr. was once again spotted participating in drills ahead of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Weiss would not rule out the possibility of Acuña returning during the Braves’ upcoming homestand, although he did note that the superstar outfielder has not yet resumed running at full speed.

On the other side of things, Atlanta did have a couple of players get banged up during Sunday’s game.

Eli White, whose potentially game-saving catch sent him crashing into the wall, has entered concussion protocol. It would not be surprising if the Braves are without him for at least the upcoming series against the Chicago Cubs.

Sean Murphy also exited with a hand/finger injury after a catcher’s interference play. Initially, Weiss sounded optimistic and indicated he believed Murphy would be fine. However, the club later decided to run X-rays and are now saying they won’t have more information until Tuesday.

The Braves said they won’t have an update on Sean Murphy’s hand/fingers until Tuesday

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) May 11, 2026

For as long as I’ve been covering this team, I can tell you that’s generally never a good sign. It’s possible Sean Murphy is heading for another IL stint, just a week after making his season debut.

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(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

In what’s widely viewed as one of the strongest draft classes in years, the Hawks entered the lottery with a 43.2% chance of landing a top-four selection and nearly a 10% chance at the No. 1 overall pick. A little luck, a couple of favorable bounces, and Atlanta would have been in position to add a potential superstar to an already intriguing young core that just finished with the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately, that’s not how things played out.

As the draft order was revealed, the Milwaukee Bucks landed at No. 10 and the New Orleans Pelicans slotted in at No. 8, meaning the Hawks will officially pick eighth overall in this year’s draft. It’s a fairly underwhelming outcome, even if that was technically the most likely result all along, carrying odds just north of 30%.

Still, given the almost comical lack of lottery luck this franchise has endured since relocating to Atlanta, there was a real sense the Hawks were “due” for something to finally break their way — especially after the wizardry general manager Onsi Saleh pulled during the draft last year to acquire this pick from the Pelicans.

That said, owning the eighth pick in this class should not be viewed as some devastating outcome.

This draft is loaded with talent throughout the first round. There will almost certainly be a future star player sitting on the board when the Hawks come on the clock next month. All this really changes is the degree of difficulty for Saleh and the rest of the front office.

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(Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire)

Three days later, that feeling has only grown stronger.

Sale is always going to be Sale. For my money, he’s 1A on the list of best pitchers in baseball, tossing another seven innings of two-run ball on Friday night. Yet somehow, that ended up being the weakest pitching performance of the bunch in Atlanta’s only loss of the series.

On Saturday, Strider looked like the old Strider for the first time since undergoing InternalBrace surgery back in April of 2024. The velocity on both the fastball and slider jumped nearly two miles per hour, but even more importantly, the shape of the heater looked much more reminiscent of the version that once made him the most dominant strikeout pitcher in baseball.

Over six shutout innings, the Dodgers managed just one hit while striking out eight times. It was vintage Spencer Strider — the last thing opposing teams want to see added back into this Braves rotation.

Then on Sunday it was another chapter in one of the best stories of the entire season.

Coming into 2026, Elder was probably five or six bad outings away from being designated for assignment. Dating back to the second half of 2023, he had been among the least effective starting pitchers in baseball, and because he was out of options, there really wasn’t much margin for error left. It was put up or shut up time, and Elder has done nothing but put up zeroes since Opening Day.

That trend continued yesterday with 5.2 more scoreless innings against one of the best lineups in baseball. Somehow, even more impressive than the run prevention was the fact that he struck out eight batters. Elder is now averaging nearly a strikeout per inning while carrying a league-leading 1.81 ERA and 222 ERA+.

And as has been discussed after nearly every one of his starts, this doesn’t feel anything like the somewhat smoke-and-mirrors first half we saw back in 2023. Elder has made legitimate adjustments to his repertoire, and the underlying metrics support what’s happening. This isn’t simply a lucky stretch fueled by weak contact and favorable bounces from the baseball gods.

Is he actually headed toward a Cy Young Award? Probably not. But a second All-Star appearance is starting to feel more inevitable with every outing.

The Braves ultimately took two out of three at Chavez Ravine to cap off a 6-3 road trip, and they were just a couple of favorable bounces away from sweeping the two-time defending champions in a stadium that’s been a complete house of horrors for Atlanta for over a decade.

It’s only the second time the Braves have won a regular season series in Los Angeles since 2012. The other came in 2023, when Atlanta went on to win 104 games.

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(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)

The Giants clearly understand this roster isn’t currently built to compete for the division, let alone a World Series. It’s an aging, expensive group loaded with contracts they’d probably love to move if given the opportunity.

“The Giants would love to unload outfielder Jung Hoo Lee ($85 million left on his contract), shortstop Willy Adames($161 million remaining), first baseman Rafael Devers ($226.5 million remaining) and Matt Chapman ($125 million remaining) and start over,” Bob Nightengale reported for USA Today Sports.

Lee was an extra-base machine during his time in Korea, which led to the Giants handing him a massive six-year, $113 million contract. Unfortunately for San Francisco, that deal has soured rather quickly. He’s a solid contact hitter capable of playing all three outfield spots, but there simply isn’t enough power in the profile to justify that kind of money.

Because of the Jurickson Profar suspension, adding an outfielder at the deadline should be at the top of the Atlanta Braves’ priority list. However, they’re probably looking for a little more thump than Lee provides. A lot of what he brings to the table offensively already exists internally with Mauricio Dubón, who figures to see plenty of time in left field once Ha-Seong Kim fully settles back into the lineup.

Where the Giants really become intriguing for Atlanta is on the pitching side, specifically with starters Robbie Ray and Logan Webb.

“Instead, they may have no choice but to shop their biggest trade chip in starter Robbie Ray, who will be a free agent after the season,” Nightengale continued. “Some executives insist they also would listen to offers for ace Logan Webb. Yet, it’s highly unlikely the Giants would move him considering that he’s a premier starter with three years remaining on his reasonable five-year, $90 million contract.”

The Braves’ need for starting pitching looks a lot different now than it did six weeks ago — or even a few days ago.

The emergence of Bryce Elder as a legitimate arm, combined with the rapid development of JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes, has changed the complexion of the staff considerably. Those guys have carried far more of the workload than anyone expected entering the season.

And then there’s Strider.

Over the weekend, Spencer Strider finally looked like the pre-surgery version of himself again, striking out eight Dodgers over six scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. If that’s the version of Strider Atlanta is getting moving forward, you could reasonably argue the Braves don’t need to aggressively pursue another frontline starter.

Still, if they decide to push their chips in, Ray and Webb are two phenomenal options.

Ray looks headed toward a second consecutive All-Star appearance, posting a 2.76 ERA through his first eight starts. Since he’s in the final year of his contract, the acquisition cost should be more manageable, and at 34 years old, he fits the exact type of veteran pitcher Alex Anthopoulos has historically targeted — high upside with the potential for a shorter-term extension afterward.

Webb would be an entirely different conversation.

Even with a somewhat sluggish start to 2026, he’s still one of the most dependable starters in baseball, finishing inside the top 11 of NL Cy Young voting in four straight seasons while leading the league in innings pitched three consecutive years.

You have to go all the way back to 2021 to find a season in which Webb failed to throw at least 192 innings. In today’s game, that kind of durability is almost extinct.

Add in the fact that he’s under team control through 2028 at bargain prices — $23 million in 2027 and $24 million in 2028 — and prying him away from San Francisco would likely require an absolutely massive haul.

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(Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire)

Atlanta also placed Eli White on the injured list after he entered concussion protocol following Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. White suffered the injury while crashing into the wall on a heroic run-saving catch late in the contest.

The #Braves today returned INF Ha-Seong Kim from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list, and placed OF Eli White on the 7-day concussion IL.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 11, 2026

Kim has been out for several months after a freak incident during the offseason where he slipped on ice, resulting in a torn tendon in his finger. An incredibly unfortunate ordeal that happened not long after the Braves inked him to a one-year, $20 million contract.

The good news is he hasn’t been missed too much in Atlanta. The Braves have burst out to a 28-13 record — the best mark in Major League Baseball — and a primary reason for that has been the play of Mauricio Dubon at shortstop in Kim’s absence.

We’ll see how Walt Weiss chooses to utilize the two moving forward, but Dubon’s ability to play all over the diamond is going to keep him in the lineup as long as he keeps hitting. He’ll likely see a lot of time in left field, which is one of the only areas the Braves really haven’t gotten any consistent offensive production.

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(Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire)

“The Braves, however, have yet to seriously engage Baldwin in discussions on an extension, according to people briefed on the matter,” Rosenthal reports for The Athletic. “Their hesitance almost certainly stems from the reason catchers rarely get big money — the wear and tear of the position, even with days at designated hitter offering occasional relief.

“The last catcher the Braves extended, Sean Murphy at $73 million over six years, provided $39.6 million of value in his first year with the club according to FanGraphs’ dollars metric, which is WAR converted to a dollar scale based on what a player would earn in free agency. But injuries cost Murphy nearly half his team’s games the past two seasons and the first 35 of this one.”

Alex Anthopoulos also recently addressed the situation, essentially offering a “no comment” response, noting that the Braves prefer to handle those matters internally. However, he did make it clear that he believes Drake Baldwin is going to be in Atlanta for a very long time.

With so many years still remaining on Baldwin’s rookie contract, though, an extension doesn’t necessarily need to be treated as an immediate priority. If we’re talking about players the Braves should probably be focusing on right now from a contractual standpoint, the conversation likely begins with Mauricio Dubón, who has been a revelation since arriving in Atlanta following an offseason trade with the Houston Astros.

Dubón’s versatility and clutch-hitting have directly translated into wins for the Braves this season. He’s primarily handled shortstop duties while Ha-Seong Kim recovers from injury, but he’s also shifted to center field while Michael Harris II has dealt with nagging injuries. There are only a handful of players in baseball capable of credibly playing every position on the diamond, and that versatility has become invaluable for a Braves team that has spent the first six weeks patching holes all over the roster.

On the season, Dubón is hitting .271 with a couple of home runs and a .741 OPS. Those aren’t exactly jaw-dropping surface-level numbers, but it’s the situations in which he’s produced that really stand out.

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W/ RISP: .308 average, .829 OPS, 21 RBIs

2 Outs W/ RISP: .421 average, 1.108 OPS, 14 RBIs

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Through not even 40 games, Dubón already has 21 RBIs with runners in scoring position, and 14 of those have come with two outs. For comparison, Nick Allen — the player Atlanta traded straight up for Dubón — finished with 22 RBIs total all of last season.

That kind of production has been a breath of fresh air at shortstop, a position that’s largely been an offensive black hole for the Braves since Dansby Swanson left for the Chicago Cubs in free agency.

Dubón probably isn’t going to rack up awards or stack All-Star appearances throughout his career. But every winning team has players that simply know how to impact baseball games in subtle ways — the Martin Prado types.

Dubón fits that mold perfectly, and with him amid the final year of his contract, the Braves would be wise to figure out a way to keep him in Atlanta for a few more seasons.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

The addition only strengthens what has already been one of the deepest rosters in baseball through the first six weeks of the season. However, for some players, it also means opportunities are about to become much harder to come by.

Given Ronald Acuña Jr. is also expected back sooner rather than later — potentially even sometime this week — it’s worth looking at what these lineups could look like once the Braves are finally at full strength.

Braves Potential Lineup Against RHP

1. Ronald Acuña Jr. (RF)
2. Drake Baldwin (C)
3. Matt Olson (1B)
4. Michael Harris II (CF)
5. Ozzie Albies (2B)
6. Austin Riley (3B)
7. Mauricio Dubon (LF)
8. Mike Yastrzemski (DH)
9. Ha-Seong Kim (SS)

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If Austin Riley ever gets going offensively again, he’ll probably slide back into the three or four spot. But right now, both Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies have earned their place in the middle of the order with how they’ve swung the bat.

The bottom half of the lineup is where things get interesting.

Dominic Smith has been one of the best stories of the early season, but Mike Yastrzemski is on a multi-year deal and under contract beyond this season. It’s difficult to imagine the Braves giving up on him this early. Because if he’s not playing against right-handed pitching, he’s not playing much at all.

Atlanta could also choose to lean more heavily into left-handed bats at times by playing Yastrzemski in left field and using Smith at DH. We’ll probably see some variation of that if Smith keeps producing, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify taking Mauricio Dubón out of the lineup altogether given how valuable he’s been.

Realistically, we’re probably going to see several different combinations at the bottom of the order against right-handed pitching over the next month, and Dubón’s ability to play virtually every position on the field gives Walt Weiss a ton of flexibility.

Braves Potential Lineup LHP

1. Ronald Acuña Jr. (RF)
2. Drake Baldwin (DH)
3. Ozzie Albies (2B)
4. Matt Olson (1B)
5. Austin Riley (3B)
6. Michael Harris II (CF)
7. Mauricio Dubon (LF)
8. Sean Murphy (C)
9. Ha-Seong Kim (SS)

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The lineup against left-handed pitching feels a little more settled.

The Braves have leaned on Ozzie Albies heavily in the three-hole against southpaws this season, and the results have been outstanding. Riley also gets a slight bump over Harris against left-handed pitching because, despite the inconsistency overall, he’s still handled lefties fairly well. Then the lineup rounds out with Dubón, Sean Murphy, and Kim.

The one real question mark here is Murphy’s health.

Murphy underwent X-rays on his hand/finger following Sunday’s game, and the Braves indicated they’d have more information on Tuesday. Typically, when a team delays an update like that, it’s concerning. But if Murphy avoids anything serious, expect Atlanta to continue using him heavily behind the plate against left-handed pitching.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Hartman is a Canadian prospect that the Braves selected in the 20th round of the 2024 MLB Draft — not exactly the portion of the draft where teams typically discover the next Mike Trout. Yet through the first six weeks of the 2026 season, Hartman has flashed traits that are reminiscent of many players that currently make up the Braves’ core.

Entering the weekend, he was already hitting north of .300 with an OPS hovering above 1.000. Naturally, most people expected at least some regression to hit eventually. Hartman apparently has other ideas. He responded by launching three home runs and ripping three doubles over the weekend, pushing his season average to .331 while raising his OPS to a ridiculous 1.126.

Through just 31 games with High-A Rome, Hartman already has 22 extra-base hits, 12 of which have left the yard. And the power isn’t the only intriguing part of the profile. He’s an impressive athlete as well, capable of moving around defensively while swiping 13 bags in 16 attempts.

Of course, context still matters here.

We are talking about a relatively small sample size in High-A baseball. Hartman still has plenty of developmental boxes left to check before he’s viewed as a prospect knocking on the door of the majors. But it’s also important to remember this isn’t some polished 22-year-old college bat beating up on younger competition.

Hartman is just 19 years old. The power is real, the athleticism is obvious, and the production is becoming impossible to dismiss. This a player most people didn’t even know existed before the start of the season; that’s not going to be the case for much longer.

Hartman is about to start showing up inside top-10 prospect rankings across the board for the Braves, and if he continues producing anywhere close to this level over the rest of the season, he’s going to force his way into the conversation as a top-100 prospect in all of baseball — potentially claiming the top spot in the organization.

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(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

The #Falcons are signing OL Layden Robinson, who participated in their rookie camp this past weekend. A 2024 fourth-round pick of the #Patriots who started 11 games as a rookie, Robinson finds a new home in Atlanta pic.twitter.com/QFxVBuEfqX

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 11, 2026

Robinson was a fourth-round pick of the Patriots in 2024 and started 11 games at guard as a rookie. However, after beginning the 2025 season on injured reserve, he was eventually waived by New England before making his way to Atlanta.

With Chris Lindstrom and Matthew Bergeron locked into the starting guard positions, Robinson will be competing for a reserve spot behind them this summer.

Michael Harris II, Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin, and Ozzie Albies have each looked like the best player at their respective positions. Chris Sale is pitching like a man chasing another Cy Young, and it’s not out of the question that Bryce Elder finds himself back in the All-Star conversation.

Then there are the new faces — the ones nobody expected to matter this much. Mauricio Dubón has quickly become a fan favorite, Martín Pérez looks like he turned the clock back five years, and even Jorge Mateo has made a real impact despite just 12 starts.

At 25–10 — the best record in baseball and 8.5 games clear in the NL East — there’s very little to nitpick. The players deserve the bulk of the credit, but it’s impossible to ignore the imprint of first-year manager Walt Weiss and his staff.

“I think everything started with the coaching staff, to be honest with you,” Braves legend Andruw Jones recently said on 680 The Fan. “Not that they didn’t have a great coaching staff before — but this group Walt Weiss put together, it’s all new voices. The roster is largely the same, maybe one or two changes, but I give a lot of credit to the staff.”

The end of Brian Snitker’s tenure left a sour taste. Back-to-back steps in the wrong direction culminated in the club missing the postseason for the first time since 2017. But pinning it all on Snitker ignores the bigger picture — stars underperformed across the board, and the pitching staff was decimated by injuries. No manager was fixing that.

Still, what Weiss has brought feels different.

Weiss commands respect without demanding it, and more importantly, he gives it right back. He’s not interested in calling players out publicly — but he’ll go to bat for them every single time. That mentality traces back to his days under Bobby Cox, and it showed almost immediately this season when he physically stepped in to defend Reynaldo Lopez when Jorge Soler was trying to send him to the shadow realm with one punch.

But what’s really resonating is the way this team competes for nine innings.

Under Snitker, the Braves often felt passive late in games — especially when trailing. This group doesn’t. Weiss has managed aggressively, pushed the right buttons, and more importantly, instilled the belief that no game is out of reach. The result has been a string of comeback wins that have fueled this early surge and helped create real separation in the division.

That kind of approach isn’t sustainable over 162 games. But the cushion the Braves have already built — paired with the depth added this offseason — will give Weiss the flexibility to keep guys fresh, especially as key players work their way back from injury.

Weiss has aced just about every part of the job since the moment he was named manager of the Atlanta Braves. He’s assembled a strong staff, and the blend of his old-school backbone with a willingness to embrace modern philosophies has him pushing all the right buttons early.

In an organization like this, managers are ultimately judged by what happens in October. But through 35 games, it’s hard not to love identity this team is beginning to form under Walt Weiss.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The #Braves today reinstated C Sean Murphy from the injured list after returning him from his rehabilitation assignment yesterday. The club designated C Jonah Heim for assignment.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 4, 2026

Sean Murphy is back in the lineup behind the plate, catching JR Ritchie, who will be making his third MLB start in his hometown of Seattle.

An All-Star in 2023, Murphy has been searching for that same level of consistency ever since. He’s hit below the Mendoza Line in each of the last two seasons and has appeared in just 166 games over that span. His defense still provides plenty of value, but the Braves didn’t hand him a six-year extension to be a glove-first backup who offers little at the plate.

The hope is that this extended time off allows him to reset. Murphy hasn’t appeared in a major-league game since undergoing hip surgery last September — an issue that had reportedly been lingering for quite some time.

As for Jonah Heim, the Braves would love for him to slip through waivers and remain in the organization, but there’s a strong chance another team takes a flier on a veteran catcher with a proven track record.

There was likely a brief window where Atlanta considered carrying three catchers, but with injuries beginning to pile up in the outfield, that quickly became a luxury they could no longer afford.

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(Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

He began his rehab assignment with Double-A Columbus, appearing in four games and hitting .333 with four walks. Now, he’s set to move up to Gwinnett after getting through back-to-back games over the weekend.

#Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Gwinnett this week in Norfolk, presented by @NorthsideHosp!

Read more: https://t.co/hLiK3ZeEOC pic.twitter.com/pHQEUd6Hlv

— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) May 4, 2026

Ha-Seong Kim’s path back to the majors was always expected to be far less demanding than a pitcher’s — or even someone like Sean Murphy, who plays a more physically taxing position and was recovering from a more significant injury.

The final box for Kim to check this week is stacking full games in the field — going nine innings on back-to-back days. At the plate, he already looks comfortable, so it’s hard to imagine he’ll need too much time in Gwinnett.

A return next week, when the Atlanta Braves come back home, is starting to feel increasingly likely. Atlanta opens a series against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday before hosting the Boston Red Sox over the weekend.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

The Braves likely hoped Heim would slip through waivers and remain in the organization. But a proven veteran at such a demanding position was always going to draw interest, and it didn’t take long. He was dealt to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations right before the first pitch last night.

The #Braves tonight acquired cash considerations from the Athletics in exchange for C Jonah Heim.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 5, 2026

For Sean Murphy, it was a rough return.

Within the first 11 pitches of the game, he burned through both of the Braves’ challenges. The first was understandable — a borderline pitch that determined whether it was a leadoff walk or a strikeout. The second, though, wasn’t particularly close, and in a one-run game, that’s the kind of decision that can come back to bite you.

At the plate, it didn’t get much better. Murphy grounded into a double play in his first at-bat, then struck out twice before eventually being pinch-hit for by Michael Harris II.

Given his struggles over the last couple of seasons, the noise is going to get loud if he doesn’t produce fairly quickly. But it’s also worth remembering — this was his first major-league game since September. He deserves at least a little runway.

The biggest storyline of the night, however, had nothing to do with the catching situation. It was JR Ritchie making his third MLB start in his hometown of Seattle.

“It’s been a dream of mine to pitch at T-Mobile, take the ferry back home and then sleep in my own bed. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s gonna be a lot of fun,” Ritchie said ahead of Monday’s start.

For five and a half innings, it looked exactly like a dream come true. The command wasn’t perfect — similar to his outing against the Tigers, he had trouble getting ahead of hitters and issued a couple of early walks — but he managed traffic well and settled in as the game progressed.

Ritchie carried a scoreless outing into the fifth and recorded two quick ground-outs before things unraveled. A hit-by-pitch and two walks loaded the bases, giving Seattle its best chance of the night. Once again, though, the rookie worked out of it, getting Josh Naylor to ground-out and escape unscathed.

Then the offense gave him breathing room. Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley all went deep to open the sixth, turning a one-run lead into a four-run cushion.

That’s typically where a manager pats his starter on the back and turns it over to the bullpen. Walt Weiss went the other direction.

He sent Ritchie back out for the sixth — defensible on its own — but stuck with him after back-to-back walks to open the inning. That decision proved costly, as it led to a three-run homer before Weiss finally made the move.

The Seattle Mariners tacked on another two-run shot later in the inning off Tyler Kinley, and for one of the few times all season, the Braves’ offense didn’t have a response late, falling 5–4 in the opener.

It was easily the most questionable decision of Weiss’ first 36 games. Letting Ritchie start the inning made sense. Leaving him in after two straight walks didn’t, especially when it didn’t even buy the bullpen any rest, as he failed to record an out in the frame.

That said, over 162 games, everyone gets one wrong. And when a manager has been pushing the right buttons as consistently as Weiss has, a night like this feels more like a reminder than a concern.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

He initially missed just one game, then returned as the designated hitter for a couple of contests before moving back to center field. At that point, it seemed like a non-issue — especially given how well he was swinging the bat. But concerns started to surface when Walt Weiss mentioned Harris would primarily serve as a DH during the west coast trip and didn’t rule out a potential IL stint.

Now, four games into a nine-game road trip, Harris has essentially been sidelined for three of them — appearing twice as a pinch hitter and once as the DH. The production hasn’t dipped at all, as he’s collected two hits in six at-bats, but the usage tells a different story.

Something clearly isn’t progressing the way the Braves had hoped. Weiss reiterated before Monday’s game that this situation isn’t sustainable long-term, and an IL stint still very much appears to be on the table.

Michael Harris still day-to-day. Walt Weiss admited there will come a point Harris will go on IL if the quad injury doesn't improve.
"You pull the plug on it if it starts to get worse at any time. There's a tipping point right? We can't continue with this for anothet two weeks."

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) May 5, 2026

The fact that Harris is even on the roster and participating in some capacity would suggest this is such a minor injury that there is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. There’s simply no way the Braves — with such a massive lead already in the division — would be taking chances this early in the season with one of their star players.

On the flip side, if it were such a minor problem, how come it’s lingered this long? And would the Braves have been better off just giving Harris 10 days off in the first place?

It’s certainly starting to seem that way. Hopefully, this doesn’t turn into a month long ordeal like the way it’s trending. With Ronald Acuña Jr. also sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Braves outfield situation is a complete mess at the moment.

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(Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

The Braves’ first baseman is hitting an even .300 through 36 games, leading the National League in home runs (12), doubles (15), and RBIs (32). He’s also arguably the best defensive first baseman in the game, coming off his second Gold Glove season.

All of that adds up to 2.1 fWAR, and if you prefer bWAR, Olson actually holds a more comfortable lead there.

MLB Leaders (bWAR)

Matt Olson — 2.5
Aaron Judge — 2.3
Jose Soriano — 2.3
Jordan Walker — 2.2
Kevin McGonigle — 2.2
Shohei Ohtani — 2.1

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Olson was dealt a tough hand when he arrived in Atlanta, stepping in for a franchise icon that nobody wanted to see leave. To make matters worse, Freddie Freeman went on to thrive in Los Angeles, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers capture back-to-back World Series titles.

That’s clouded just how incredible Olson has been in his own right.

He’s played in quite literally every game, is tracking toward his third All-Star appearance in five years, and already owns the franchise’s single-season home run record. Since arriving in Atlanta, he’s racked up 158 home runs and 164 doubles — production that stacks up with anyone in the sport over that stretch, with no signs of slowing down.

This is exactly what Alex Anthopoulos envisioned when he made the difficult decision to move on from Freeman in favor of the younger Olson. The idea was always that the back half of those contracts would tilt the equation.

The early years may have made that bet uncomfortable, but these next four could potentially make up any ground lost and a whole lot more.

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(Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

That ceiling was on full display during Spring Training, when Fuentes struck out 17 batters — yes, 17 — over just nine innings without allowing a run. The performance earned him a spot on the Opening Day roster, and in his first appearance out of the bullpen, he delivered four innings of long relief, allowing just one run.

Despite that, the Atlanta Braves opted to send him to Triple-A Gwinnett to stretch him out as a starter. Three weeks later, after posting a 2.16 ERA across three starts, Fuentes was back in Atlanta for his first MLB start — an outing that lasted just three innings and resulted in four earned runs.

He was optioned shortly after, then recalled less than a week later — this time back to the bullpen, where he’s remained. And to his credit, the results have been outstanding: three scoreless appearances without allowing a hit.

For now, that role appears set. Walt Weiss was asked before Monday’s game whether he’d be comfortable using Fuentes or Reynaldo López on back-to-back days — both starters to begin the year — and didn’t hesitate to say yes.

Given the emergence of Bryce Elder and JR Ritchie, along with the return of Spencer Strider, someone was always going to get squeezed out of the rotation. López made sense because of his track record in relief and recent durability concerns. Fuentes’ raw stuff also plays in shorter bursts.

But is this the right move this early?

Fuentes didn’t look far off from putting it together as a starter. The spring results were dominant. The Triple-A numbers backed it up. Even his struggles in the majors came with a short leash. Moving a 20-year-old with that kind of upside into the bullpen after one start feels… aggressive.

And it raises a bigger question — how confident are the Braves in this rotation?

Outside of Chris Sale, there aren’t many sure things. Strider is still working his way back. Grant Holmes has been inconsistent. Ritchie is a rookie. Martín Pérez is nearing 40. And asking Elder to sustain this level for five months is a leap.

It’s a group with questions — one that Fuentes could realistically elevate if given time to develop.

Now, maybe the Braves believe he’s best served learning in shorter stints against major-league hitters. That’s not an unreasonable thought. But starting and relieving are two entirely different development paths. If Fuentes stays in the bullpen, stretching him back out later becomes a challenge, especially when he hasn’t thrown more than 22 pitches in an outing for two weeks.

This isn’t about whether Fuentes can help right now. He clearly can.

It’s about whether the Braves are comfortable reshaping the development of a 20-year-old with frontline potential this early in the process — and whether that’s a decision they might regret when the rotation inevitably needs him later on.

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Photo: Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire

The next obvious candidate in line — and potentially the most deserving of them all outside of Acuña — is Drake Baldwin.

Baldwin is coming off a season in which he hit .274 with 19 homers and an .810 OPS over 124 games on his way to NL Rookie of the Year honors. Superb numbers, especially for a catcher, but it felt like they still sold his offensive ceiling short. The start of the 2026 campaign is far more indicative of what he can be in a full-time role, as he’s hitting .316 with nine homers and a .923 OPS through his first 166 plate appearances.

Baldwin isn’t just one of the best hitting catchers in the sport — he’s one of the best offensive players in the game, ranking in the 94th percentile or better in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG. His Statcast page is a sea of red, but you don’t need advanced metrics to understand what kind of hitter he is.

The eye test tells you everything.

With barely a full season under his belt, Baldwin already has one of the most advanced approaches on the entire roster. He doesn’t strike out much, and he’s a nightmare with two strikes, posting an .811 OPS in those situations this season. He has power to all fields and is willing to take whatever the pitcher gives him. There’s nothing about what he’s doing that feels fluky — if anything, it feels like he’s just scratching the surface.

So, of course the Braves should be looking to extend him, right?

Not according to Ken Rosenthal — at least not yet.

“The Braves, however, have yet to seriously engage Baldwin in discussions on an extension, according to people briefed on the matter,” Rosenthal reports for The Athletic. “Their hesitance almost certainly stems from the reason catchers rarely get big money — the wear and tear of the position, even with days at designated hitter offering occasional relief.

“The last catcher the Braves extended, Sean Murphy at $73 million over six years, provided $39.6 million of value in his first year with the club according to FanGraphs’ dollars metric, which is WAR converted to a dollar scale based on what a player would earn in free agency. But injuries cost Murphy nearly half his team’s games the past two seasons and the first 35 of this one.”

You can understand why the Braves might have some hesitation following the Murphy trade and subsequent extension.

Murphy has had exactly one good half-season since coming to Atlanta, earning an All-Star nod in 2023. Since then, it’s been a string of injuries and underwhelming production, nowhere close to the player he was in Oakland — when he was arguably the best defensive catcher in baseball while consistently posting an OPS north of .800.

Now, the Braves owe him $45 million through 2028, and unless he turns things around, that’s a contract they’re likely stuck carrying.

But Murphy isn’t the only deal that might give the front office pause.

Strider looked like a future Cy Young winner when he signed his extension, and now there are questions about his future due to a litany of injuries. Riley hasn’t consistently matched the expectations that come with being the highest-paid player in franchise history, and even Michael Harris II has had his share of ups and downs as well.

Extending young players has never been a foolproof strategy. There’s a reason players are willing to sign those deals early — if everything were guaranteed, they’d all bet on themselves and become free agents as soon as possible.

The Braves’ recent track record makes it understandable that they’d be a little more cautious this time around. But if Baldwin keeps producing like this, caution eventually turns into hesitation… and hesitation turns into a much more expensive decision.

At some point, they’re going to have to decide whether they trust what they’re seeing, or risk watching another cornerstone price himself out of their comfort zone.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

The Atlanta Braves offense is the best in baseball, random guys are suddenly turning into stars, and the club owns the best record in the league while already threatening to run away with the NL East before the calendar even flips to June.

The two best examples of that might be Bryce Elder and Matt Olson.

Elder — seriously, take off the mask…

The 2023 All-Star spent the better part of two seasons bouncing between Gwinnett and Atlanta, getting shelled seemingly every time he put a Braves uniform on. He never once complained, but his time was undoubtedly running out. Now, he’s an All-Star again?

He entered yesterday with an ERA south of 2.00 — a number that actually rose despite six innings of two-run ball. That tells you everything you need to know about his performance through the first six weeks.

The Seattle Mariners scratched across two runs in the third on a homer from J. P. Crawford, and Atlanta answered immediately with two runs of its own thanks to a two-out double from Mauricio Dubón — another one of those unsung heroes that feels eerily reminiscent of the magic from 2023.

Then the game went silent.

Neither offense could generate anything meaningful until Olson stepped to the plate in the top of the ninth and uncorked a majestic opposite-field homer over the left-center field wall to give Atlanta the lead. Raisel Iglesias slammed the door in the ninth in his first appearance off the IL, and the Braves’ streak of not losing a series remains alive for at least another day.

At this point, all you can really do is sit back and marvel at what Atlanta has accomplished so far.

Bryce Elder has completely reinvented himself. Matt Olson has been the best player in baseball and has established himself as a legitimate MVP frontrunner. The Braves have been short-handed practically from Opening Day, and the injuries have only mounted as the wins continue piling up.

Series after series, they just keep finding ways. More than anything, though, this team feels familiar.

Every game carries that same electricity, that same expectation that something good is eventually going to happen — just like it did in 2023, when the Braves went on to tally 104 wins, clearing the rest of the division by 14 games.

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(Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire)

Closer Raisel Iglesias has been reinstated from the Injured List. In a corresponding move, Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment. Additionally, Dylan Dodd‘s rehab assignment is set to begin in Triple-A Gwinnett, and Ha-Seong Kim‘s rehab assignment has officially been transferred from Columbus to Gwinnett.

The #Braves today reinstated RHP Raisel Iglesias from the injured list and designated RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment. Additionally, LHP Dylan Dodd tonight begins a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. The club also transferred INF Ha-Seong Kim’s rehabilitation…

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 5, 2026

The addition of Iglesias to a bullpen that’s been depleted over the last week is massive news, but Dylan Dodd beginning his rehab assignment should not be overlooked. Atlanta’s still trying to figure out how all of the pieces fit in relief, and Dodd’s been an effective reliever from the left side over the last two years, recording a 3.46 ERA in 30 appearances.

Given the struggles of Aaron Bummer, Dodd could be the guy that unseats him whenever he’s deemed healthy enough to return to the majors.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Johnston arrives from the Philadelphia Eagles, where he worked under Howie Roseman — widely regarded as one of the top front office minds in football. He joined Philadelphia back in 2016 and overlapped with Ian Cunningham from 2017-2021, before Cunningham moved on to Chicago. By 2024, Johnston had climbed the ladder into a Senior Vice President role within the Eagles organization.

Moves like this rarely generate major headlines, but they’re often just as important as anything that happens on the field. Johnston was extremely well-regarded in Philadelphia, and according to NFL insider Albert Breer, a couple of ex-Eagles executives believe Ian Cunningham and the Falcons “pulled off a coup” to get him to Atlanta.

I talked to a couple ex-Eagles folks who said Ian Cunningham pulled off a coup in getting Johnston out of Philly. Cunningham and Johnston worked together for five seasons (2017-21) under Howie Roseman. https://t.co/i4qyxZtbLL

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 29, 2026

It looks like Bryce Johnston will be taking over the role that was previously held by Chris Olsen, which heavily involves cap management and contract negotiations, areas he is very familiar with from his time with the Eagles.

When the injury first occurred, the Braves believed he’d be back around Mid-May, and that trajectory has stayed true to this point. He’s not a pitcher or catcher, so there aren’t nearly as many boxes he’ll need to check while on the farm. Once he plays in back-to-back games and looks comfortable at the plate, there’s no reason for the Braves to be hesitant in calling him up.

Speaking of catchers, Sean Murphy was also in action on the farm this afternoon, going 1-for-5 with an RBI and a couple of runs. Braves manager Walt Weiss said that the club would monitor his progression throughout the week. They’re comfortable with where he’s at defensively but want to give him some more at-bats in Gwinnett before he rejoins the major-league club.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

In his first season in Atlanta, Sale delivered a Cy Young campaign. The deal had already paid for itself at that point, but he followed it up with a 2.58 ERA in year two, signed an extension, and now looks like someone who will once again be firmly in the Cy Young conversation — health permitting.

You could argue he’s been the best pitcher in baseball since arriving in Atlanta. But what really adds another layer to this trade is the Vaughn Grissom side of it.

Grissom was a top-100 prospect when he went to Boston, viewed as a player with a promising offensive profile. Instead, he appeared in just 31 games over two seasons before being flipped this past offseason to the Los Angeles Angels for Isaiah Jackson, a 22-year-old still in High-A.

It didn’t make many headlines at the time, but Grissom is starting to show signs of life in Los Angeles, hitting .342 with a homer and a .939 OPS over his first 13 games.

The Red Sox effectively salary-dumped a fan favorite who has turned into one of the best pitchers in baseball, got minimal return from the prospect they acquired, and now that same prospect is beginning to find his footing elsewhere.

For a team sitting in last place, already having moved on from their manager Alex Cora, one can only imagine if things might have worked out differently had this deal never happened.

From the Braves perspective, though, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

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(Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Spencer Strider will make his season debut for the major-league club on Sunday at Coors Field.

Strider is slated to start Sunday at Coors Field

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 29, 2026

Coors Field isn’t necessarily an ideal spot for any pitcher to make his return after so much time off, but the Rockies offense currently ranks 23rd in runs scored, and there’s a lot of belief inside the organization that Spencer Strider’s improved life and movement on his heater will help him regain the form he showcased prior to undergoing InternalBrace surgery back in 2024.

Additionally, Walt Weiss said he doesn’t believe closer Raisel Iglesias will need a rehab assignment before returning. He’s eligible to be activated from the IL on May 5th, and Bowman hints he’s on track to return next week.

Raisel Iglesias could rejoin the Braves bullpen when he becomes eligible to be activated from the IL on May 5. Weiss says the closer likely won’t make a rehab appearance before being activated.

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 29, 2026

The Braves took things extra cautiously with Iglesias when he started to feel some slight pain in his shoulder. Had this occurred in October, he might have pitched the next day. But with already such a large lead in the division and it being so early in the season, there was absolutely no reason to take any chances.

Iglesias has been lights out to begin the year, going a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities, and he’s still yet to allow a run. However, the Braves didn’t really miss a beat with Robert Suarez in the fold. The two have been nothing short of dominant for the club at the end of games.

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(Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

The rollout came right up against Opening Day, leaving plenty of fans scrambling to figure out how they’d even watch the team. But a month into the season, things have stabilized, and Braves President and CEO Derek Schiller is already calling it a “defining moment” for the organization.

“The economics right now support our decision,” Schiller said, via Front Office Sports. “A month into this, we can safely say we have made the right decision, not just for the Atlanta Braves and the business of the Braves, but also our fans. … We believe we’re not only economically viable, but we’re maximizing that [opportunity], which we would equate to where we were previously, maybe even beating that. We’re also reaching more fans.”

The Braves are uniquely positioned to pull something like this off. Their reach across the Southeast — and really the entire country — stems back to the TBS era under Ted Turner, which built one of the largest and most loyal fanbases in baseball. Pair that with decades of consistent on-field success, and it creates a foundation most organizations would dream of.

“The Braves are different in so many ways from some of our peers,” Schiller continued. “We’ve always had a substantially different way in how we approach the marketplace, and we have television in our DNA. In many ways, we’re now returning to those roots.”

That pedigree is what makes this gamble feel more calculated than risky — and if BravesVision continues on this trajectory, the financial upside could be significant.

Of course, that’s where the conversation always circles back for fans. The Braves have built a financial powerhouse between on-field success, the growth of the Battery, and now BravesVision. The expectation is simple: that money needs to show up in the product on the field.

According to FanGraphs, Atlanta’s payroll currently sits sixth in MLB at roughly $252 million, a number that has steadily climbed. Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk has long suggested the club is aiming to break into the top five. If BravesVision delivers the way the organization believes it will, that jump could realistically happen as soon as next season.

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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Murphy got off to a super slow start with the stick during his rehab assignment. That’s to be expected given he’s been out of baseball since September of last year after undergoing hip surgery. However, he’s begun to heat up over the last week with the Gwinnett Stripers.

The future of Murphy in Atlanta is very much cloudy. When they acquired him from the A’s and immediately handed him a long-term extension, the thought is he would be a mainstay behind the plate for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, injuries have really plagued him over the last several seasons. Combine that with the emergence of Drake Baldwin, and his starting job at catcher is never returning.

That’s not to say the two can’t coincide in Atlanta. The Braves love the aspect of having two starting caliber players at such an important position, and Murphy has proven to be an invaluable asset behind the plate defensively.

There’s a real chance the Braves keep him for the duration of his contract, which runs through 2028 with a team option in 2029. However, if his offense starts to show signs of consistency, he also might be the Braves most valuable trade chip come the trade deadline.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

That road swing — featuring the Rockies, Mariners, and Dodgers — made the decision understandable, even if it cost them a shot at the sweep.

Still, it’s another series win for Atlanta, which remarkably has yet to drop a series all season. There’s not much to nitpick — but there is one situation worth keeping an eye on.

Michael Harris II left a game earlier in the week with a quad injury. He’s played in four complete games since then, two of which came in centerfield. However, he got the day off on Wednesday, and MLB.com’s Mark Bowman suggests an IL stint could be in his future. At the very least, he’ll DH during most of the Braves’ upcoming road trip.

Michael Harris II will DH most of this road trip if his quad doesn’t get any worse. But he could go on the IL, if there’s not any improvement

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 30, 2026

It doesn’t appear the quad issue is anything overly serious for Michael Harris II, but it’s clearly been bothersome enough to cost him time over the last week. That alone gives the Atlanta Braves a real reason to at least consider a short IL stint — even if Harris won’t be thrilled about potentially missing a marquee series in Los Angeles next weekend.

Through 29 games, Harris is hitting .320 with six home runs, 20 RBIs, and an .895 OPS, continuing the tear he closed last season on. This is as complete a version of Harris as we’ve seen at the major-league level.

Losing that bat for any stretch isn’t ideal, especially for a lineup that’s been rolling. But at the same time, this is the kind of situation where the long-term outlook matters much more. If there’s even a small risk of the injury lingering or getting worse, a brief shutdown now could prevent something far more costly later, given how important Harris is to everything this team wants to accomplish.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Here is how it would look:

Here’s how the new lottery odds will look:

(h/t @LevAkabas ) pic.twitter.com/RlDzwc3Fz2

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 29, 2026

The proposal on the table would flatten lottery odds and introduce a “relegation zone” for the bottom three teams — giving them the same odds as a play-in loser.

That idea has sparked plenty of debate, especially around fairness. There’s a valid concern about truly bad teams getting stuck, with fewer pathways to climb out of the bottom. There’s also the fear that fringe playoff teams could decide it’s better to pivot late and chase lottery odds instead of pushing for the postseason.

Those points matter, and Adam Silver and the league office will have to weigh them carefully. But it’s hard to argue the current system is working after what just played out.

This past season saw widespread manipulation — teams resting starters nightly, pulling key players late in games, and in some cases barely pretending to compete. That’s not just bad optics, it undermines the product entirely. A flattened system with a relegation-style element would go a long way toward eliminating those incentives.

The relegation zone, in particular, adds something the NBA has never really had at the bottom: stakes. Suddenly, a late-April matchup between Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards carries as much weight as two teams facing off at the top of the standings. That’s a win for the league.

As for playoff-caliber teams intentionally tanking late? That feels overstated. Well-run organizations don’t operate that way, and karma always has a funny way of playing out.

For the Atlanta Hawks, this kind of change could quietly be beneficial. They don’t project as a team that’s going to bottom out anytime soon, but they do hold future draft capital — including the New Orleans/Milwaukee pick in 2027 (worst of the two, top-four protected).

Under a flattened system, the chances of both those teams landing in the top four — and keeping the pick — would drop significantly, even if they struggled. That makes it far more likely the pick conveys, potentially setting Atlanta up with back-to-back top-10 selections.

There is not going to be a perfect formula to combat tanking. Basketball is unlike any sport, where one player can change the trajectory of an entire franchise for the next 15-20 years. However, whether you like the NBA’s proposed solution or not, we can all agree what happened this past season was an absolute abomination, and changes must be made.

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(Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire)

Falcons Remaining Needs

• Cornerback
• Interior defensive line
• Offensive line
• Linebacker
• Wide receiver

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Cornerbacks are like pitchers — you can never have too many . The hope is Avieon Terrell can step in as a Day 1 starter, and if Billy Bowman Jr. returns healthy from his Achilles injury, that gives Atlanta a strong trio. After that, though, the drop-off is noticeable.

The interior defensive line stands out as the biggest concern. Atlanta lost production there this offseason, and even with the addition of Maason Smith, it’s a group that still lacks a clear, proven presence. It was arguably the top need entering the draft and wasn’t addressed — making it a position to watch moving forward.

Along the offensive line, at linebacker, and at wide receiver, the starters are serviceable, but depth is the issue. Kaleb McGary’s retirement opens up roughly $20 million in cap space, giving the Falcons some flexibility to add without having to overspend.

Falcons Extension candidates

• Kyle Pitts
• Drake London
• Bijan Robinson

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Pitts is the most immediate situation. He’s entering the final year of his deal, and while trade rumors were loud leading up to the draft, nothing materialized. That could still change, but if a move was going to happen, the draft felt like the natural window.

The Falcons could also let it play out under the franchise tag. His inconsistency and injury history are factors that cannot be ignored. However, if he delivers another big season, that price tag climbs fast.

London feels like the most straightforward extension. He’s proven he can be a true WR1 and brings value beyond just catching passes. Players like that don’t usually hit the open market, and waiting only drives up the cost.

Robinson is in a slightly different category. He’s an elite talent and a clear building block, but the timeline is longer. With a fifth-year option in 2027 and the franchise tag available after that, Atlanta has control. Given the nature of the position, there’s less urgency to act immediately — even if locking him in early could save money down the line.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

This one came with a few more bumps than his debut. Ritchie never quite found a rhythm with his command, issuing four walks and allowing five hits over 5.1 innings. He also had a pickoff error that led to a run — the kind of mistake that can snowball quickly for a young arm.

But the poise stood out. Even without his best stuff, he battled through it, surrendering just three runs (two earned) and keeping the Atlanta Braves within striking distance. That gave the offense a chance to rally late, culminating in Matt Olson’s walk-off two-run shot.

In a lot of ways, this type of outing says more than his dazzling debut. Talent is a given at this level — every young arm has nights where everything clicks. The real test is how they respond when it doesn’t.

Ritchie passed that test.

And because of it, he doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere. Walt Weiss said after the game he expects Ritchie to remain in the rotation, with his next start lined up in his hometown against the Seattle Mariners.

Walt Weiss says he expects Ritchie to stick around to make his next start. That next start will be back home in Seattle for Ritchie

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 30, 2026

The Atlanta Braves rotation has been one of the biggest surprises of the first month. This is a group missing four significant arms on the IL, yet it’s still produced a better ERA than anyone else in the league. That kind of performance is tough to sustain over a full season, but the outlook is getting brighter by the day.

The emergence of JR Ritchie has added another intriguing layer, and the return of Spencer Strider — currently slated for Sunday — could be a game-changer.

Even if some regression is inevitable, this is no longer just a feel-good story. The improved rotation has made the Braves incredibly dangerous.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)

Most of the attention was on Strider. While the Braves’ rotation has been surprisingly among the best in baseball through the first three weeks, the sustainability of that production feels unlikely. This is still a team that desperately needs a frontline starter, and the hope is that Strider can become that guy again for the first time since undergoing InternalBrace surgery in April of 2024.

Strider was on a strict 50-pitch limit Thursday night, but he made the most of it, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings. The first two frames were effortless, as he retired the first six batters he faced with three strikeouts. He issued a walk in the third but worked around it, then was pulled in the fourth after allowing a hit and another walk.

Overall, it was about as encouraging as you could hope for from a pitcher working his way back from an oblique injury — the type of injury that can be particularly tricky to manage. Strider’s command wasn’t where it needs to be to succeed at the major-league level, throwing just 27 strikes out of 50 pitches, but it was undoubtedly a step in the right direction. He’ll likely need at least two more rehab outings to build up his pitch count, and at that point, the Braves can seriously evaluate whether he’s ready to return to Atlanta.

As for Sean Murphy, he went 0-for-2 with a pair of flyouts, though one came just inches from leaving the yard.

The plan is for Murphy to finish the week with the Rome Emperors before heading to Gwinnett, which is also likely where Strider will make his next start. The veteran catcher has yet to log a full nine innings behind the plate — something the Braves will likely want to see a couple of times before calling him back up. Still, it’s reasonable to expect he could reach that point sometime next week.

While most of the attention was on two former Braves All-Stars, the real star of Thursday night’s game was the organization’s top prospect — 19-year-old Cam Caminiti. Atlanta’s first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft relieved Strider and delivered five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, earning his first win of the season. Through three appearances, he now owns a 3.07 ERA, 0.886 WHIP, and an impressive 11.7 K/9.

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Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire

On paper, they’re probably right. The Hawks don’t have many household names, and just a couple of months ago, they looked well on their way to another play-in tournament berth — a place that had become quite familiar over the last few seasons.

Then came the trade of Trae Young, a move that brought back a sparse return: an unwanted, aging CJ McCollum and backup sharpshooter Corey Kispert. Not exactly what most teams expect when dealing a four-time All-Star in the middle of his prime, especially one who led the league in assists as recently as last season. But Young’s smaller stature, combined with his inability to get the Hawks back into the playoff picture for three consecutive seasons, cooled his market considerably.

The trade felt like Atlanta was waving the white flag on the season. Instead, it’s catapulted them out of the play-in tournament for the first time since their magical Eastern Conference Finals run in 2020–21 — a run that began with a first-round matchup against these same New York Knicks.

How the Hawks Can Repeat History in New York

Since the departure of Trae Young, the Hawks have been one of the best teams in basketball on both ends of the floor, compiling a 20–6 record since the All-Star break, including a stretch where they won 18 of 20 games.

Jalen Johnson has blossomed into one of the league’s rising young stars and has a chance to follow in Young’s footsteps in several ways. At Madison Square Garden, Young became the most hated man in New York — and still is to this day. But if Johnson puts an early end to a Knicks playoff run — one their fans believe could end in a championship — he could quickly take over poll position.

Johnson’s efficient scoring ability, combined with his playmaking for a player of his size, is something that can only be topped by Nikola Jokic. He’s a triple-double machine, and Atlanta has managed to surround him with enough talent to make the Hawks a problem for anyone in the Eastern Conference.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award, averaging nearly 21 points while shooting 40% from beyond the arc. The last time these two teams met, he knocked down 7 of 11 threes and finished with a game-high 36 points. This is no longer a Sixth Man of the Year candidate averaging fewer than 10 points per game — if the game is on the line, he could very well be the guy the Hawks turn to.

Or it could be CJ McCollum, whose presence in the lineup since the Trae Young trade has been a breath of fresh air. He may not be the exact same player he was at his peak — when he was playing Robin to Damian Lillard’s Batman in Portland — but he’s not far off. His microwave scoring ability could ultimately swing the series in Atlanta’s favor. But more importantly, his veteran presence among a group of younger players who haven’t experienced moments like this could prove invaluable in an environment like Madison Square Garden.

However, the most vital player in this series for the Hawks might actually be the one least likely to impact the game offensively: Dyson Daniels — the best perimeter defender in the NBA and the player tasked with guarding Jalen Brunson.

Brunson isn’t going to go quietly. He’s proven to be a consistent 25–30 point scorer since arriving in New York, facing elite defenders on a nightly basis. He’ll get his, but the Hawks have the personnel to make things difficult. Between Daniels, Alexander-Walker, Jonathan Kuminga, and even Jalen Johnson, Atlanta is among the teams most well equipped to deal with a scorer of Brunson’s stature, capable of throwing a slew of bodies at the Knicks’ star guard.

The Hawks are young, inexperienced, and lacking established playoff superstars. Ultimately, that could be what dooms them in New York. But it’s also what makes them dangerous. This is a team peaking at the right time, featuring six or seven players capable of going for 20+ on any given night.

And on top of all of that, they’re playing with nothing to lose.

The last time that happened, Trae Young took a curtain call at Madison Square Garden.

How the Knicks Could Spell Trouble For The Hawks

When these two teams met on April 6th, it was one of the best games of the season — a back-and-forth affair that came down to the final tenth of a second, with time expiring just before CJ McCollum’s game-tying shot from beyond half court left his hand.

During the final five minutes of that game, the NBC broadcasters didn’t hesitate to remind everyone that the Knicks have a closer in Jalen Brunson, while the Hawks do not. On that particular night, they were right. Brunson took over in the fourth quarter, and despite Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s outstanding performance, Atlanta lacked offensive cohesion in the final possessions, which ultimately cost them the win.

There’s no question that’s a real storyline heading into a series expected to feature plenty of tight games. The Knicks know exactly where they’re going at the end of games. The Hawks, on the other hand, may not know until the moment arrives.

However, calling that the biggest issue Atlanta will face beginning Saturday would be greatly underestimating the problems the Knicks can create in the frontcourt.

Karl-Anthony Towns — while often criticized for his inconsistency in the postseason — has had his way against the Hawks this season, averaging 28.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the two matchups he’s played. The Knicks are a good team even when Towns isn’t performing at his peak. But when he is, as he has been against Atlanta, they become almost unbeatable.

The frontcourt issues don’t end with Towns. Mitchell Robinson also presents a massive challenge for an undersized Hawks team that will be without its backup center, Jock Landale. The last time these teams met, Robinson posted eight points and 12 rebounds in under 20 minutes of action. He was the X-Factor, and he very well could be again in the first-round of the playoffs.

Without Landale, containing those two becomes that much more difficult over 48 minutes. Hawks head coach Quin Snyder — who should be in the Coach of the Year conversation for the job he’s done this season — must work up some magic to counter New York’s size. Otherwise, the experts over at ESPN could end up being right, with this series wrapping up in six games or fewer.

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Photo: Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire

And in a lot of ways, why would anyone want it to change?

This is an organization that has won 20 division titles in the last 35 seasons to go along with two World Series championships. The Braves have never been the biggest spenders, and likely never will be, but their culture has allowed them to reach a level of sustained success that only a handful of teams in baseball can rival.

So when Brian Snitker announced his retirement soon after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history — with the Braves missing the postseason for the first time since 2017 — should anyone have really expected them to go in any direction other than Walt Weiss?

Fans were ready for a new voice. Though Snitker’s tenure will be remembered for its long-term success, the failures at the end were still fresh in many minds. And admittedly, the team did seem to lose a bit of the mojo in the clubhouse that once propelled them to a World Series title in 2021. Maybe something different could provide the spark needed to get back to the top of the NL East — and eventually, the top of baseball.

However, the Braves — undeterred by the outside noise — went with who they knew. And that person might just be the “something different” they were looking for.

While Walt Weiss served as a coach under Snitker for eight years and played under Cox for three, it’s taken just 19 games to see that his approach is far different — and not just because he was willing to (and successfully) take down Jorge Soler, a 260-pound force, who was attempting to send his starting pitcher into the shadow realm.

The 62-year-old Weiss immediately surrounded himself with an All-Star coaching staff, featuring a number of younger, analytically driven minds to complement his more old-school style. So far, it’s clear he has a strong grasp of both, along with a sharp feel for when to pull his starting pitchers — and even more importantly, when to deploy his high-leverage relievers.

That balance has already been responsible for several Braves wins through the first 19 games. On multiple occasions, he’s shown a willingness to push for victory by using his best relievers while trailing, and the offense has responded with come-from-behind wins.

Walt Weiss has also shown a willingness to call on his closer for a five-out save — another move that paid off. And most recently, he resisted the urge to pinch-run for Dominic Smith in the seventh inning of a one-run game, trusting that Smith might get another opportunity later.

Braves fans should remember how that worked out. Smith delivered a two-out, bases-clearing double that led to yet another win.

If there’s a right string to pull, Walt Weiss has found it through 19 games. He’s proving to be more than just a respected voice in the clubhouse — he’s a damn good manager, and someone all of Braves Country has quickly embraced.

But things are about to take a sharp turn in the other direction, beginning with a three-game set in Philadelphia this weekend.

Braves Upcoming Schedule

• Phillies (x2)
• Nationals
• Dodgers
• Tigers
• Mariners
• Cubs
• Red Sox
• Rockies

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Over the next month, the Braves will meet twice with the team that has won the NL East in back-to-back seasons, the two-time defending champions in the Dodgers, along with four other playoff teams from a year ago in the Tigers, Mariners, Cubs, and Red Sox.

This is the stretch where we’ll really find out a lot about this grounp, and in particular, the starting rotation. Though the first three weeks, an argument could be made that they’ve had the best rotation in all of baseball. Grant Holmes has the current worst ERA of the entire starting five, and it’s sitting at a more than respectable 3.32-mark.

Bryce Elder has been nothing short of fantastic, recording a 0.77 ERA through his first four starts after most expected he could be on the chopping block at some point this season. Reynaldo Lopez has looked encouraging in his return from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss most of last year. Chris Sale has reminded people that he still has the ability to win another Cy Young award, and even Martin Perez has been serviceable through his first three appearances in a Braves uniform.

It’s been a frankly shocking development after all of the pitching injuries Atlanta suffered right before the start of the season, but the sustainability of that success will be put to the test in a big way over the next four weeks.

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(Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

The previous regime didn’t leave new GM Ian Cunningham and the front office in a great spot. Throughout the offseason, Cunningham has emphasized the need to build up draft capital — something the Bears did consistently while he served as assistant GM under Ryan Poles. That hasn’t materialized yet, but a lot can change in the days leading up to — and during — the draft.

Expect the Falcons to be active in moving down the board in exchange for additional picks, particularly later in the draft. For now, though, here’s who The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler has Atlanta selecting with their current five picks.

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Brugler’s 2026 Falcons Draft Class

2 (48). Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
3 (79). Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
4 (122). Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan
6 (215). Carver Willis, OL, Washington
7 (231). Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana

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Christen Miller

Under Terry Fontenot, the Falcons passed on countless star players out of Athens before finally selecting Jalon Walker in last year’s draft. Shockingly, it turned out to be a pretty good idea to draft a defensive player from Georgia — a program that has produced more NFL defensive stars over the last decade than any other.

Hopefully, it doesn’t take the new regime half a decade to fully buy into that, and if their massive presence at UGA’s Pro Day was any indication, they’re paying close attention to Kirby Smart’s group.

Miller is a 6-foot-4, 320-pound interior defensive lineman who would immediately fill one of Atlanta’s biggest needs. For all the improvements the defense showed last season, it still lacked impactful bodies on the interior and, as a result, struggled mightily against the run. With David Onyemata departing for greener pastures, defensive tackle may very well be the Falcons’ top priority heading into the draft.

Bryce Lance

If defensive tackle is the Falcons’ biggest need heading into the draft, wide receiver isn’t far behind. Atlanta did add Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency, but neither profiles as a true No. 2 option or a long-term answer at the position. With Kyle Pitts’ future also uncertain, adding another pass catcher in this year’s draft feels like a non-negotiable.

Lance posted back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons at North Dakota State, but don’t let the small-school label fool you — he is one of the most athletic players in this draft class. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.98 ranks in the 99th percentile among wide receivers tested since 1987. Pair that with a 4.34 40-yard dash, strong ball-tracking ability, and a 6-foot-3 frame that allows him to go up and win contested catches, and you’ve got one of the more intriguing mid-round receiver prospects in the draft.

Jimmy Rolder

Rolder spent four years at Michigan, patiently waiting his turn to become a starter. That opportunity finally came during his senior season, and he made the most of it — earning Second-Team All-Conference honors after recording 73 tackles, 11 for loss, along with two sacks and a couple of pass breakups.

The Falcons’ linebacker play was elite last season when Kaden Elliss and Divine Deablo were on the field, but Elliss is now back in New Orleans and Deablo is entering the final year of his contract. Troy Andersen is still in the mix, but injuries have continued to hold him back, and Atlanta also added veteran Christian Harris on a one-year deal this offseason.

It’s not a glaring need in the short term, but it’s definitely a position the Falcons need to start thinking about long term.

Carver Willis

Once you get into the final rounds, teams are really just looking for guys they believe can carve out a role and potentially stick as reserves.

Willis spent the last three seasons starting at both right and left tackle for the Washington Huskies. Ironically enough, the last tackle the Falcons drafted out of Washington just retired, so it’s another long-term need for the organization.

That said, Willis is undersized for a tackle at the pro level and could very well have to kick inside to the interior if he’s going to carve out a role in the NFL.

Riley Nowakowski

Nowakowski spent the first five years of his collegiate career at Wisconsin, but he’s best known for his final season at Indiana, where he played a pivotal role in the Hoosiers’ National Championship run.

He’s not some dynamic receiving threat at the tight end position — though he’s capable enough — but that’s not why teams will be interested. He’s the kind of player who will hear his name called in the later rounds because he’s tough, physical, and willing to do whatever is asked to help his team win.

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From Anthony Swarzak and Matt Joyce early on to guys like Jesse Chavez, Pablo Sandoval, Jorge Soler, Orlando Arcia, and Adam Duvall, the list of names Anthopoulos acquired for pennies — who ended up playing key roles in six straight division titles and a World Series — is extensive. Some played 162 games, some platooned, others were lightning in a bottle, but all of them mattered.

You could argue that, of everything Anthopoulos did well during that stretch, this was the most important piece of the puzzle.

But the last few years haven’t been nearly as fruitful. Jarred Kelenic was a colossal failure. Jorge Soler’s return was a swing and a miss. Alex Verdugo, Bryan De La Cruz, and Stuart Fairchild all flopped. It was back to the drawing board this offseason, and while the Braves didn’t take any big swings offensively, their two under-the-radar additions are a major reason they’re sitting at 12–7, three games clear of the Marlins for first place.

Dominic Smith has been the most pleasant surprise, already directly responsible for two Braves wins thanks to a pair of game-winning knocks. He’s hitting damn near .400 through his first 15 games with a tomahawk across his chest, along with three home runs, an OPS north of 1.000, and — perhaps most importantly — 15 RBIs. Through 19 games, Smith has been the MVP of the Braves, and that’s no slight to Drake Baldwin, who is quickly proving he belongs in the conversation for the best offensive catcher in baseball.

Right behind them is Mauricio Dubón, whom the Braves acquired early this offseason in a trade with the Astros for Nick Allen. Why Houston was willing to move such a valuable utility piece for the worst offensive player in baseball is something few can explain. Maybe former Braves executive Dana Brown was doing his old boss a favor. Either way, Atlanta is cashing in. Dubón is hitting .333 with an .887 OPS while playing elite defense at the most important position on the field in place of the injured Ha-Seong Kim.

History suggests both Smith and Dubón will come back down to earth. And frankly, how they fit once everyone gets healthy is still up in the air. But none of that really matters right now. These two are making a combined $7.35 million this season. In just 19 games, they’ve already outperformed that value, helping steady the Braves through the early stretch with so many key players sidelined.

At the end of the season, when division races are decided, the games in March and April count just as much as the ones in September. Over a 162-game grind, every team deals with injuries, making depth an undervalued asset that can swing a season.

When the Braves were stacking division titles, nobody in the NL East could match their depth. The past two seasons, everybody could. That’s something Alex Anthopoulos clearly emphasized this offseason — and just three weeks in, the Braves are already seeing the payoff.

Ruke Orhorhoro played sparingly for the Falcons in his rookie season, appearing in just eight games and totaling 11 tackles. However, he was much more productive under Jeff Ulbrich, recording 25 tackles, four for loss, and 3.5 sacks.

With David Onyemata signing with the New York Jets in free agency, Orhorhoro looked poised to take on a much larger role in Atlanta’s defense. But those snaps could now be heading to Maason Smith, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound interior presence who was selected just 13 picks after Orhorhoro.

In 24 games over the last two seasons, Smith has recorded 35 total tackles, five for loss, and three sacks — similar production on paper, though most of it came during his rookie year.

It’s a bit of a head-scratcher on the surface, but this new front office had nothing to do with the previous regime’s draft picks, and they’ve made it pretty clear they weren’t overly impressed with how the roster was constructed under former GM Terry Fontenot.

We’ll see how it plays out, but what I can tell you about Smith — as someone who attended LSU and watched every snap of his college career — is that he has all the physical tools to be a disruptive force on the interior. If not for the injuries he suffered in college, he likely would’ve been a top-half-of-the-first-round pick. Clearly, the Falcons see that upside in the 23-year-old.

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The first quarter was the Brunson show. He simply could not miss, even with the Hawks playing about as good of defense as you can ask for, pouring in 19 points. Despite that, Atlanta hung around, trailing by just six, with CJ McCollum leading the way. He was easily the Hawks’ best offensive presence in Game 1, finishing with 26 points. Without him, this one probably gets out of hand early.

Jalen Johnson added 23 points and seven rebounds, while Onyeka Okongwu chipped in an efficient 19 points on just nine shots, knocking down four of his six attempts from deep.

The second half belonged to Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 19 of his 25 points after the break, quieting — at least temporarily — some of the postseason criticism that’s followed him. Towns has been a problem for the Hawks all season, averaging nearly 30 points and 13 rebounds in his matchups against Atlanta. The lack of size and depth in the frontcourt — especially without Jock Landale — was evident in Game 1 and figures to remain a major issue throughout the series.

But the concerns don’t stop there. Atlanta’s depth, as a whole, was a problem. The Hawks managed just 13 points off the bench, and outside of Jonathan Kuminga, the second unit was essentially nonexistent. There’s simply no path to winning a seven-game series if that continues, and the solutions might not be conventional. It’ll be interesting to see if Quin Snyder shakes things up in Game 2, possibly turning to players who didn’t even see the floor in the opener.

Atlanta also has to get something offensively from Dyson Daniels. He finished with just four points on 2-of-7 shooting, missing both of his attempts from beyond the arc. He’s going to be on the floor regardless because he’s the Hawks’ best defensive option against Brunson, but he doesn’t need to score 20. If he can give them 10–15 points, that could be the difference in these tight games.

It’s never ideal to drop Game 1, especially after the long buildup, but the Hawks didn’t play particularly well in any phase and still had a chance to win in the fourth quarter. In a seven-game series, the goal is simple: steal one on the road and handle business at home. That opportunity is still very much alive heading into Game 2.

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The starting rotation has been the best in baseball — yes, the best in baseball — after not one, not two, but three key arms went down with significant injuries in Spring Training. And offensively, much of the production has come from a couple of new faces that made most fans shrug when they were acquired. Dominic Smith has arguably been the MVP of the first three weeks, and right behind him is Mauricio Dubón, who has filled in brilliantly at shortstop both offensively and defensively.

Several of those trends continued in Friday’s 9–0 thrashing of the Phillies. Veteran Martin Pérez spun six shutout innings just days after being designated for assignment, and Dominic Smith launched his fourth home run of the season, pushing his OPS to 1.140.

But if the Braves are going to get where they ultimately want to go, the stars are going to have to start playing like stars. To this point, Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson have carried much of the load at the top of the lineup, but it looks like Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II — and perhaps most importantly, Austin Riley — are starting to find their rhythm.

Riley entered Wednesday’s game without a home run and carrying a .645 OPS. In just two games, he’s raised that number by nearly 100 points, launching his first three homers of the season.

Harris is heating up as well, recording seven hits over his last five games, including a laser over the right-field fence for his first home run as a new father. And Acuña? He’s quietly hitting .344 with an OPS north of 1.000 over his last eight games.

The Braves have found a way to win 13 of their first 20 games while battling injuries and getting limited production from several key players. That’s the mark of a championship-caliber team — one capable of absorbing the blows that come with a 162-game grind.

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One could argue the biggest surprise so far hasn’t even been Atlanta — it’s been the rest of the division. The Phillies look like a shell of the team that’s controlled the NL East the last two seasons, and the Mets — along with their gaudy payroll — are in the middle of a 10-game losing streak and already sit seven games back. It’s far too early to draw firm conclusions, but the Braves found themselves in a similar spot a year ago and never recovered. It may be April, but it’s not nothing.

Atlanta’s hot start, frankly, is shocking in a lot of ways. This is a team that lost three legitimate top-flight starters to the IL right before the season began. Spencer Schwellenbach is one of the best young pitchers in the game, Hurston Waldrep was excellent last year, and Spencer Strider — fortunately — should be back soon.

As if that wasn’t enough, Jurickson Profar was hit with a PED suspension for the second time in as many years. One-year ban, and it came too close to the season for the Braves to do anything to replace him.

Heading into Opening Day, the rotation looked like Chris Sale and four massive question marks. At least, that’s how it looked on paper. Instead, it’s been the best rotation in baseball.

Sale has been Sale, turning in another dominant outing Saturday against the Phillies, but Grant Holmes, Reynaldo López, and even Bryce Elder and Martín Pérez have more than held their own.

If the Cy Young were handed out today, you could make a real case for Elder, whose refined approach — along with the help of Greg Maddux — has him sitting on a 0.77 ERA through four starts. That might be the biggest surprise of the season, though it’s rivaled closely by Pérez, who’s coming off six shutout innings against Philadelphia and owns a 2.21 ERA.

You could single out individuals, but at this point, it makes more sense to credit the entire group. Holmes currently has the highest ERA in the rotation — and it’s still just 3.32. That tells you everything you need to know.

And you can’t talk about surprises without mentioning Dominic Smith. He signed a minor-league deal worth just $1.25 million if he made the roster. He did — and through 21 games, he might be the team’s MVP, hitting .362 with four home runs and already delivering two game-winning hits.

There’s almost no chance this level of production is sustainable. There’s a very real possibility Pérez and Elder aren’t even in the rotation in a couple of months, and who knows how Smith fits once Sean Murphy and Ha-Seong Kim return. It’s probably more likely than not that at least one — if not all three — aren’t around by season’s end.

But none of that matters right now. The Braves needed guys to step up, and these three have carried the load. When the season ends and the division race is decided, they’ll be remembered fondly as integral pieces to the story.

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