Revisiting predictions for the 2026 Braves

Just before opening day, we published 26 predictions for the 2026 Braves. Some hit, some are debatable and others were total whiffs.

For accountability’s sake, let’s revisit them:

1. Drake Baldwin earns his first All-Star nod.

Baldwin is an ascending star and we nailed this one. Stop the count?

2. Matt Olson and Austin Riley combine for 70 homers, but neither leads the team in that category.

Not quite. They combined for 60 as Riley managed only 19 throughout a frustrating campaign. Olson’s 41 led the Braves. The expectation here was that Riley would provide a lot more pop while staying healthy.

3. Speaking of, Olson plays in all 162 again.

He sure did. Olson still hasn’t missed a game since May 2021.

4. Ronald Acuña Jr. plays in more than 140 games.

He played in 107 games, again disrupted by injury. Our guess that Acuña would pull off 40-40 again went by the wayside relatively early in the year. He went 20-21. He continues chasing the magnificence of that 2023 MVP season.

5. Braves rank top 10 in stolen bases.

Total whiff. We banked on coach Antoan Richardson making a big difference here, but the Braves finished 23rd in stolen bases with just 83. Acuña’s limitations loomed large. This area just hasn’t been a strength.

6. Walt Weiss proves the right choice.

There isn’t much more anyone could’ve asked of Weiss, who was a home-run hire to replace Brian Snitker as manager.

7. The Braves trade for Byron Buxton at the deadline.

Another whiff. Buxton again wasn’t traded, as the Twins hovered in mediocrity. He professed his loyalty to the franchise and doesn’t appear to want a move. Buxton also noted this summer, per the New York Post, that Atlanta isn’t as special to him as it’s sometimes painted. The Baxley native said, “I’m (from) five hours from Atlanta. I’m from the South. I’m closer to Savannah. I’m closer to Jacksonville than Atlanta. That’s not home.”

8. Concerns around Braves’ rotation are validated.

Yes and no? The Braves actually pitched well this year. Their 3.76 rotation ERA ranked fifth in the majors. They acquired Tyler Mahle at the deadline, and he proved a godsend that helped that number. Chris Sale staying healthy was a coup, too.

But remember they fell a starter short in the postseason. There’s no doubt adding another viable option would’ve helped this club. Still, their starting pitching exceeded expectations across 162 games.

9. JR Ritchie makes his major league debut.

This was an easy hit. We even guessed late April, which was accurate (April 23). He had a 4.91 ERA in 17 games (11 starts).

10. Owen Murphy makes major league debut.

Murphy debuted in July, making five appearances (one start) over the season. This was considered a bolder prediction at the time, but Murphy had impressed in spring. He and Ritchie will be intriguing factors moving forward.

11. Chris Sale strikes out 200.

Sale remained healthy and struck out exactly 200 over 162⅔ innings. His Braves tenure is securing his spot in Cooperstown.

12. Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep return and make positive impact.

Unfortunately for the players and team, this didn’t come to fruition. Both ended the year with serious injuries. Schwellenbach never pitched, undergoing elbow surgery in August after multiple setbacks. The Braves can’t count on him in 2027, which is just a shame, considering how promising Schwellenbach looked.

Waldrep appeared in only three games. He felt elbow discomfort in Triple-A in July and it was announced he’d need Tommy John surgery the next month. He’s out of the picture for 2027.

13. Braves fans flood Cooperstown in July.

Andruw Jones’ Hall of Fame weekend brought plenty of Braves fan representation, though overall it was a smaller crowd than other recent induction ceremonies. Still, the Braves properly celebrated Jones and he had plenty of family, friends and old teammates in attendance.

14. The Braves are a wild-card team.

Nope. The Braves led the National League East nearly from the start to the finish. They were better than the Phillies the whole way.

15. The Braves are joined in the postseason field by the Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies, Reds and Padres. The American League features the Blue Jays, Tigers, Mariners, Yankees, Orioles and Royals.

Do we need to scrutinize this? Picking the Reds over the Brewers was embarrassing enough. We won’t worry too much about the bad American League predictions since that whole league was a mess. You might as well have thrown darts at insignias. Credit to the Rays and Guardians, who just keep doing it.

16. The Cubs eliminate the Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.

The Cubs were eliminated by the Padres in the NL Wild Card Series while the Braves advanced past the Phillies in the same round.

17. The Braves are linked to a Jacob deGrom trade.

This was one of our best calls. The Braves tried to acquire deGrom in August but he invoked his no-trade clause. These parties have circled each other for a while, so perhaps the conversation is revisited this winter.

18. Nacho Alvarez gets traded at the deadline.

The Braves dealt Alvarez to the Angels for rental reliever Brent Suter.

19. Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suárez are dynamic duo.

It’s a shame Suárez missed time because he was brilliant, posting a 1.06 ERA in 33 games. Iglesias had a 2.55 ERA with 34 saves. He’s set to be a free agent, so the Braves will have to decide whether they want to try retaining him or let Suárez take over as closer.

20. Ozzie Albies has solid year, and Braves pick up his option again.

Albies played in all 162 games, hitting .237 with a .685 OPS. A strong first half (particularly his April) earned him his fourth All-Star nod. Albies tailed off later in the season, hitting .194 with a .575 OPS in the second half, but he was one of the players who showed up in October. His $7 million team option is a shoo-in, but his future with the team will be debated as he approaches free agency after next season.

21. There is no Acuña extension.

The Braves will almost certainly pick up their next two club options on Acuña ($17 million) but there’s no indication that they’ve engaged in extension talks. Fan speculation has centered on the possibility of trading Acuña to maximize his value, but that’s a nuanced conversation. Acuña needs another mega season to earn the contract he surely wants in a couple of years.

22. The Braves have a new shortstop in 2027.

Ha-Seong Kim was the assumed shortstop when this was written. If the team re-signs Mauricio Dubón, he would technically be a returning starting shortstop (he obviously handles multiple positions).

23. Cam Caminiti becomes top-30 prospect.

After a slow start, Caminiti caught fire and looked every bit the potential ace prospect he was hailed as. He’s No. 59 overall in Baseball America’s top 100, so this was a miss. But the Braves should feel excited about where Caminiti is trending.

24. Jurickson Profar never plays for the Braves again.

President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Sunday that the team will discuss Profar’s future, so he gave no indication of what the club will do. Perhaps they still see value in his on-base ability at $15 million and opt not to eat the money for the 2027 season, but he’ll need to re-earn the respect of his teammates and coaches that he failed with another positive test for a performance-enhancing substance.

25. The Braves’ 2026 All-Stars: Baldwin, Sale, Acuña, Olson.

Baldwin, Sale and Olson were hits. The team also had Albies and Iglesias.

26. BravesVision is a resounding success.

BravesVision delivered an entertaining product for fans, whether it was insight or humor. There were occasional technical hiccups, but it delivered well as an in-house multimedia production. It always helps that the team was winning.