The Atlanta Braves are no strangers to early-season adversity, but after falling into a disappointing three-game skid in early April, the initial confidence surrounding the club has begun to show cracks. While the season is long and the team still boasts immense talent, this recent losing streak, marked by missed opportunities against the Los Angeles Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks, has highlighted several glaring issues.
Despite solid pitching stability so far, the inability to win close games, combined with anemic offense, has sparked concern in the clubhouse and among fans. Following the recent three-game losing streak, here are the four major concerns surrounding the Braves early in the 2026 season.
Major Concerns for the Atlanta Braves
1. Offensive Inconsistency and Lack of Timely Hitting
While superstar talents like Drake Baldwin have provided a bright spark early on, the Braves’ offense overall has struggled to find its rhythm. Some would say Baldwin has been the only offense in several of these games already. A major issue during the losing streak is their inability to capitalize on runners in scoring position. The team has struggled to produce that “big hit,” often leaving traffic on the bases.
The lineup, when not relying on solo home runs, has shown a tendency to strand runners, leading to low-scoring efforts that put immense pressure on the pitching staff. The team has seen a lack of a consistent approach at the plate, failing to produce when the pressure is highest, resulting in a frustrating lack of run production during critical series.
2. Lingering Starting Rotation Depth Issues
While Chris Sale has provided stability and had a dominant outing earlier in the season, he surprisingly struggled in the midst of this skid, allowing six runs against the Angels. More concerning, however, is the patchwork nature of the rotation. With several starters beginning the season on the injured list, including star pitcher Spencer Strider, the depth of the starting staff is currently being stretched to its limits.
If Sale or other key arms falter, or if the injured list continues to grow, the Braves could be relying on Triple-A depth much earlier than expected, jeopardizing their ability to win tight, high-leverage games.
3. Sluggish Start from Key Position Players
Beyond general team struggles, several key figures in the lineup have started slow. While injuries to the pitching staff have been the primary headline, key personnel such as Ronald Acuna Jr. and Austin Riley, are struggling to find their stride in the early days of the season. Fans are patiently (or maybe impatiently) waiting on Riley specifically to get it turned around, as he was expected to have a strong bounce-back season.
For the Braves to succeed, they need their star players to produce at an MVP level. When the team’s core underperforms simultaneously, the offense lacks the depth to compensate, as evidenced by the inability to score runs during the three-game losing stretch.
4. Baserunning Blunders and Lack of Stolen Base Output
A signature aspect of recent high-powered Braves teams has been aggressive baserunning. However, through the early parts of the season, the team has shown a surprising lack of success in the stolen base department. The team has stated that they intend to be more aggressive on the bases this year, but so far this has led to players getting picked off at first or caught stealing. As of Tuesday morning, the Braves are tied for second in all of MLB in the caught stealing category, but tied for 27th in the stolen bases category. This indicates that the high-octane, pressure-inducing style of play has not yet materialized.
These failed opportunities are forcing the Braves to rely entirely on base hits to drive in runs, decreasing their margin for error and limiting offensive potential. I would expect this aggressive style of baserunning to improve over time, but time will tell.
Final Thoughts
The Braves possess the talent to dominate, but this three-game skid serves as an early wake-up call. Addressing the consistency of the offense, strengthening the depth of the rotation, getting stars back on track, and reclaiming a fast-paced identity are essential for the club to move past this challenging start and avoid the pitfalls that hampered them in 2025.
Main Image: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
