The Braves are close to another NL East title, but the bigger question is what happens when the lights get brighter. Atlanta’s offense has been all over the place, the rotation isn’t especially deep, and that combination leaves very little margin for error once October arrives.
If the Braves are going to make a real postseason run, they need a few of their scuffling regulars to come alive fast. Three names stand out: Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley and Mauricio Dubon.
Albies has been up and down since the second half began, and the issue has been more than just a cold stretch. He’s had trouble getting on base, and the timely hits that usually help carry his value have mostly vanished.
Braves fans have also watched too many ugly swings from him lately, and that’s not the version Atlanta can afford in the postseason. When Albies is more patient at the plate, he does a lot more damage.
Walt Weiss seemed to get that when he moved Albies to the bottom of the lineup against the Cubs, and the move paid off quickly. But the change didn’t stick, since Weiss put him right back up in the order the next day.
Keeping Albies lower in the lineup could be the best way to help him find something before the playoffs start.
Riley’s slump has been even harder to ignore. He’s been absolutely putrid at the plate, and the numbers over his last 30 games make the struggle plain: .216/.283/.324 with two homers, 11 RBI, nine walks, 40 strikeouts and a .607 OPS.
There have been flashes that suggested a turnaround might be coming, but nothing has really taken hold. He hasn’t reached 20-plus homers since his huge 2023 season, and he’s now 10 strikeouts away from 200 this year.
Like Albies, he’s chasing too much. His strikeout rate is the second-highest of his career, behind only his rookie year.
For Atlanta to have any real shot in the playoffs, Riley has to look like himself again.
Dubon brings a different kind of concern. At the plate, he’s been fine lately, hitting .291/.344/.418 over his last 15 games.
He was also one of Atlanta’s most clutch hitters in the first half. But the second-half line is less comforting, with a 78 wRC+.
The bigger issue, though, has been on defense. Dubon has committed a couple of rough errors and had a misplay or two in the outfield over the last week that directly led to multiple runs.
On top of that, he’s been the Braves’ worst defensive player in the second half, with a -3 fielding run value (FRV).
That’s a strange place for Dubon to be. He’s usually a Gold Glove defender, and overall this season he’s been one of the best defensive players on the roster.
He has 4 OAA, which puts him in the 87th percentile among MLB players, and he brings strong arm strength along with good range. That’s exactly why this defensive dip stands out.
With Atlanta’s offense already failing to deliver consistency, the Braves can’t afford slippage in the field, either.
In Other News...
Braves Have A Fast-Rising Prospect Fans Need To Start Watching
Canadian baseball has produced plenty of big-league names over the years, from Hall of Famers like Fergie Jenkins and Larry Walker to current stars such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the next wave is starting to take shape. In the latest look at the best prospects from north of the border, the attention lands on Eric Hartman, whose breakout 2026 minor league season has pushed him to the top of the list and given evaluators a new name to track closely.
For Braves fans, Hartman is the kind of prospect worth filing away now rather than later. The ranking puts him ahead of a broader group of top 10 Canadian hopefuls spread across the majors farm systems, and that kind of placement usually signals both performance and projection are starting to line up. The only question now is how quickly the rest of the industry starts treating him like more than a fast-rising name on a prospect list. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Riley Is Representing The Braves For Something Bigger Than Baseball
Austin Riley is being recognized for more than what he does at third base. The Braves named him their 2026 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor that goes to players whose impact reaches well beyond the field and into the community. Riley has built a steady reputation for that kind of work in Atlanta, especially through Operation Home Team, the clubs program that honors military veterans during home games.
Riley and his wife have also been active in supporting military families and veterans through a range of initiatives, including a Military Appreciation lunch and a charity golf tournament that benefited veterans. For a Braves team that has watched Riley grow into a central figure on the roster, the nomination is another reminder that his presence in the organization extends far past game night. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Bullpen Just Got A Joe Jimnez Twist Fans Did Not Expect
Joe Jimnezs path back to a major league mound has taken another step, and it is the kind the Braves have been waiting on for a long time. After dealing with cartilage damage and then going through three knee surgeries, the reliever has not pitched in nearly two years, leaving his status one of the more difficult injury stories on the roster to track.
Now, Atlanta has sent him out on a rehab assignment with the Stripers, which at least puts a return back into the conversation. Given how complicated the recovery has been and how unusual his timeline looks compared with other pitchers who have dealt with similar knee issues, any late-2026 comeback would be the kind of development that still feels very much in progress. [Read more 🡒]