First-place Braves are ‘worlds apart from last year’

Think back to life in late May 2025. Circumstances could be better, worse or the same as then, but a whole lot occurred during those 12 months.

In the Braves’ case, they’re doing better. Much better. They’ve taken “new year, new me” to the extreme.

One year ago, the Braves weren’t far removed from securing a winning record for the first and only time in the season. They left Boston 24-23 on May 18 before fizzling out. By May 26, they were 25-27.

Those days, the Braves could do nothing right. Their glorious seven-year run was coming to an apparent end. They were underperforming, derailed by injuries and the entire operation felt stale.

These days, the Braves can do nothing wrong. Even after dropping their first home series of the season, they’re a National League-best 36-18 and have the most wins in baseball.

They’ve reemerged in emphatic fashion. They’ll almost certainly return to the postseason. They’ve overcome injuries. And the stale feeling has been replaced by renewed energy and urgency.

All that to say, they’re returning to Boston for a three-game series in much better spirits than a season ago.

“You could say there are a number of things, but it’s hard to put your finger on just one thing — like most of the time, it’s a combination of a lot of things,” manager Walt Weiss said, reflecting on the differences between then and now. “It was important to get off to a good start. It always creates momentum. I like the fabric and makeup of our team. It’s more well-rounded than a year ago.

“There’s a number of things when you look at last year compared to this year, but we’ve gotten on a roll. Our bullpen is really good. The starting rotation has been really good. It’s a lot of things. But it seems worlds apart from last year.”

The Braves’ enthusiasm oozes from their dugout throughout their stadium. It can be felt through the BravesVision broadcasts. It’s unrelenting, making them feel like a team of superhumans at times. And none of that feels different after they dropped two of three to the Nationals during an odd, rain-soaked weekend.

They experienced failures a year ago. Consider it embarrassing, humbling, devastating, a learning experience; they knew it was unacceptable. For many of their core players, that was their first time enduring a lengthy stretch of poor baseball.

“I think that’s the biggest thing, struggling last year,” starting pitcher Bryce Elder said. “Nobody wants to lose. We lost enough last year. We figured out that this year we’d have to handle things differently. I think we’ve done that very well.”

We’ve seen many a regular-season behemoth flame out in this town, so few will start expecting a championship, especially amid the Dodgers’ budding dynasty. But this team is going entertain for the entire summer. There are going to be a lot of highlights, a lot of wins and plenty of reason to celebrate for those invested in their results.

The Braves are back with a vengeance.

A ‘multidimensional’ offense

This offense won’t reach 2023 levels of dynamism, but it’s been superb overall. It might not feel that way at the moment after the Braves scored just one run over 18 innings in consecutive losses to Washington, but note they scored 26 runs over a three-game stretch in Miami earlier in the week.

“We’re more multidimensional offensively (than in the past),” Weiss said. “We’ve scored in a variety of ways, while in the past we’d outslug you, we’d hit homers. If that didn’t happen, sometimes it could go a little flat. There are always going to be ebbs and flows to offense in this league because the pitching is so tough, but I feel like our offense is accomplishing that, being more multidimensional and keeping the line moving.”

The Braves are second in baseball in home runs with 72, three behind the Yankees. They’re first in batting average (.260) and average with runners in scoring position (.294). They’re second in runs (282) and OPS (.755). Find an offensive stat and the Braves almost certainly will rank among the top five or six.

Concerns: How will it hold up over catcher Drake Baldwin’s absence?

Third baseman Austin Riley simply has to provide more than his .672 OPS. The Braves likewise need more from outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (.714 OPS). They’re afforded the luxury of time for their big bats to figure it out given their place in the standings.

Pitching staff leads the majors in ERA

There were myriad concerns about the Braves’ rotation during spring. There was fan outrage when the team passed on pursuing veteran starters such as Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito. Yet the rotation is among the most effective in the majors, leading in ERA (3.04) by a comfortable margin. Chris Sale and Elder — yes, the same righty fans had long treated as a piñata — will be All-Stars if they remain healthy.

Spencer Strider recapturing and maintaining peak form, and Spencer Schwellenbach’s eventual return, will determine the ceiling here.

Some of the concerns about this group could come to fruition this summer, and the Braves might add a starter at the deadline, but it’s been rosy thus far even when the team has scrambled for starts. Who could’ve foreseen Martín Pérez and his 2.70 ERA?

As for the bullpen, just get into the final three frames with a lead and Dylan Lee, Robert Suárez and Raisel Iglesias will handle the rest. They have a strong case as baseball’s best trio, and they’re almost certainly the best in the Braves’ bullpen since the Craig Kimbrel, Eric O’Flaherty and Jonny Venters days.

Like all contenders, the Braves will explore adding more at the deadline. But internal option Reynaldo López could end up a pivotal piece when the Braves find his best usage.

The pleasant surprises

Dominic Smith was a nonroster invitee who only sneaked onto the initial roster because Jurickson Profar was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs. Smith has been a godsend, prolific with the bat and a terrific teammate who’s fit the clubhouse beautifully.

The same can be said of utility man Mauricio Dubón, who’d have even the greatest skeptics believing there’s merit to a “clutch gene.” Just before the Astros would’ve nontendered him, they dealt Dubón to the Braves. He feels destined to become one of president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos’ finest acquisitions.

Chadwick Tromp won the Braves a game over the weekend. Sandy León has contributed and been even more important with the pitching staff. We acknowledged Pérez. Rookie Didier Fuentes, too, deserves praise.

Reinforcements

The Braves have withstood injury blows. Schwellenbach is a major domino yet to fall. If he can return at full capacity, the team could add an ace-level starter to its rotation.

Hurston Waldrep, who broke out in the second half last summer, will also come back. Baldwin was an MVP candidate and could be back in roughly a month or so (the team hasn’t shared a timetable). Fellow backstop Sean Murphy will also eventually return.

Riley has had a disappointing start. Acuña has yet to surge. Ha-Seong Kim surely has more to provide with free agency looming.

There are plenty of ways for this team to improve, which makes their circumstances all the more exciting. They haven’t fielded their best form.

The NL East

Even with the Braves ahead by nine games, the NL East is far from decided. But it’ll take a Herculean effort from a team — likely the two-time reigning champ Phillies — to overtake the Braves, who’d also need to cool off from their pace of around 110 wins.