The 2025 Atlanta Braves season has been one of unexpected disappointment, marked by a combination of key injuries, underperforming veterans, and a quiet offseason that drew criticism from many pundits.
Entering Thursday, the Braves stand at 47-66, placing them fourth in the National League East and well out of playoff contention. This is a stark contrast to recent seasons where the Braves consistently contended for the division title and made deep playoff runs, including a World Series victory in 2021. So where did it all go wrong?
2025 Atlanta Braves: A Season of Struggle
Underperforming Offense
The once-feared Braves offense has struggled significantly, ranking near the bottom of MLB in runs scored entering Thursday. Many core players have experienced dramatic declines in performance compared to previous seasons.
Ozzie Albies is batting a career-low .224 with a .628 OPS. Michael Harris is batting just .236 with a .629 OPS, when many people expected him to have a breakout season. Matt Olson and Austin Riley have also been less productive than in recent years, with Riley dealing with injuries as well.
To make things worse, the team’s power numbers have plummeted. After hitting a record-tying 307 home runs in 2023, the Braves are on pace for under 180 homers in 2025. Atlanta’s new hitting coach Tim Hyers has not been able to help the Braves produce, and hitters have struggled to adapt to opponent adjustments, hitting too many harmless fly balls. Some players are not fully implementing the new, more selective approach at the plate.
Injuries to Key Players
The Braves have been particularly hit hard by injuries to their starting pitchers. The team is currently without all five of its opening-day starters. Reynaldo López has missed most of the season and may not pitch again in 2025. Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach are also on the 60-day injured list. Even the bullpen hasn’t escaped the injury bug, considering Joe Jiménez has not pitched this season and was a strong bullpen option in 2024.
Spencer Strider wasn’t part of the five opening-day starters, but that’s because he was still recovering from an injury of his own. The ace pitcher missed most of 2024 due to elbow surgery, and he has also spent time on the injured list on multiple occasions this season.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has also missed a big chunk of the season. He missed the start of the 2025 season due to a torn ACL suffered in 2024. After a brief return in May, he was back on the injured list in late July and currently remains there with a Grade 1 right calf strain.
Questionable Front Office Decisions
The Braves’ offseason was surprisingly quiet, with the front office opting for internal improvement over aggressive additions, particularly after falling below the luxury tax threshold. In addition, some key acquisitions, like Jurickson Profar, have not panned out yet. Profar was suspended for 80 games early in the season for a PED violation. By the time he returned, the damage to the Braves’ season had already been done.
The quiet offseason has exposed a lack of depth, especially in the starting rotation and bullpen. The decision to let ace pitcher Max Fried leave in free agency created a significant hole in the rotation that the team has struggled to fill. The bullpen has also been one of Atlanta’s strengths in recent seasons, but it is one of the worst in the league in 2025 after Atlanta decided not to bring in any significant help in the offseason.
Lack of Leadership
The departure of respected figures like Ron Washington and Fried has created a leadership void in the clubhouse. Yes, Washington has been gone for a couple of seasons now, but you could make the argument that the team was on a slight decline even before their epic collapse this season.
The team has struggled to find the spark and chemistry that propelled them to six consecutive division titles. There has certainly been a decline in overall team confidence. Whether Brian Snitker retires or not, it will most likely be his last season in Atlanta, as the Braves desperately need a shot in the arm for 2026.
Main Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
