What to know as Braves’ 2026 season approaches
The calendar is taking us quickly to baseball season, and spring training begins in less than a month when Braves pitchers and catchers report to North Port, Florida, on Feb. 10.
Here’s a little bit to know ahead of the season’s outset:
A busy offseason
Walt Weiss takes over as Braves manager, replacing Brian Snitker, who transitioned into an advisory role. The Braves have almost an entirely new staff surrounding Weiss, other than hitting coach Tim Hyers and longtime coach Eddie Perez. That includes pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, whose arrival drew industry acclaim after his fruitful tenure with the Mets.
Roster-wise, the Braves were aggressive following their 76-win campaign. They re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias and brought in All-Star reliever Robert Suarez to join him. It gives them a dynamic 1-2 punch at the back end of their bullpen, and it positions them for the future, as Iglesias is on a one-year deal and Suarez, on a multiyear agreement, could eventually replace him.
The team also signed veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, improving their depth and lineup flexibility, and retained shortstop Ha-Seong Kim on a one-year, $20 million deal. The Braves had little offensive production from their shortstops a season ago, so Kim should be a sizable boost.
The Braves remain in the hunt for another starting pitcher, but this already has been a successful offseason. The key, as it’s been in recent years, will be to stay healthy. The Braves have a core easily capable of returning to the postseason if it can remain on the field.
Who’s back?
The familiar faces of recent seasons all return as significant contributors. The Braves’ infield still includes first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and Kim, who finished the 2025 season with the club. The catcher position again will feature Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin. The designated hitter spot is open — Marcell Ozuna is a free agent and won’t be re-signed — which will allow the Braves to deploy both their backstops in the lineup, as well as the opportunity to give some regulars a semi-rest day by not playing the field.
The outfield is headlined by former National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., who’s healthy and thriving after a delayed debut last season while he worked his way back from a second ACL tear. Center fielder Michael Harris II is back hoping to recapture some of that red-hot offensive production of the second half. Harris has been a slow starter, so it’s paramount he begins 2026 strong. Jurickson Profar returns in left, distanced from the 80-game suspension (for a banned substance) that interrupted his first season with the club.
Chris Sale, Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach top the rotation. When healthy, there are few teams with such a thrilling trio. The Braves will fill out their rotation with Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, Hurston Waldrep and others depending on health and roster mechanics. The bullpen construction will be fluid, as is always the case, but Dylan Lee is a key returner to pave the path to Suarez and Iglesias.
Spring training storylines
The Braves will have their first full-squad workout Feb. 15. It shouldn’t be an overly eventful spring as much of the roster is set. There will be clarity with several players who had their 2025 campaigns prematurely ended by injury — from Murphy to Schwellenbach to Holmes — and there will be competition for bullpen spots. It’ll be fascinating to see the new coaches’ approaches. But there won’t be much debate about the Braves’ roster before opening day. That’s usually a good sign.
Single-game tickets are on sale
The Braves will begin the 2026 season March 27 against the Royals at Truist Park. It begins a six-game homestand against the Royals and A’s, a rare opportunity for the Braves to start their season in front of their home fans.
Since Truist Park opened in 2017, the Braves have celebrated opening day at home twice (2018, 2022). They’ve started their season in Philadelphia three times over that same stretch.
Tickets are available at the Braves’ website.
Expectations
There still are dominoes to fall in this offseason, which includes the decisions of multiple big-time free agents like Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette, Zac Gallen and others. The next wave of transactions, which is expected soon, might include the Braves. As previously mentioned, they could still add a starter.
But even if the roster is set, expectations should be set extremely high for this team. If healthy, they were better than their 76-win record last season. The team has improved its depth — even a utilityman like Mauricio Dubon makes a difference — and the team’s more important players should return healthy and refreshed after what was surely a physically and mentally taxing 2025.
Other NL teams have improved, like Chicago, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but the Braves should remain favored for a postseason berth. The Mets, meanwhile, lost pillars Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz while signing Devin Williams (as Diaz’s replacement) and swapping Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien in a salary-motivated deal. It’s possible they’re worse than the 83-win club of last season.
Philadelphia could be the front-runner to sign Bichette, and the team will feel urgency as its best players age without having yet won a championship. The Phillies will enter the season the betting favorite to win their third consecutive NL East title, but the Braves seem well positioned to threaten or overtake them. The Braves will be a popular NL East pick themselves.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
