The Braves keep stacking wins on the field, and the bigger picture is lining up nicely too. Atlanta has handled the Astros this weekend, and even if Sunday’s finale breaks the other way, the math still points the Braves toward the NL East. Any Braves win or Phillies loss the rest of the way would lock it up.
That’s the backdrop. But there’s been plenty happening beyond the division race, and a few developments around the club deserve attention.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is one of them, because the bat has finally started to look like the bat. After a season shaped by multiple hamstring injuries and the mental strain that comes with multiple major knee injuries, Acuña has spent most of 2026 looking like a shell of the player Braves fans remember. That changed after a recent adjustment that appears to have flipped the switch.
Braves beat writer Mark Bowman reported over the weekend that Acuña recently widened his batting stance so he could handle opposing fastballs better. It took some time for him to get comfortable with it, but once the adjustment settled in, the production followed.
In 17 games this September, Acuña has put together a .343/.382/.714 line with seven homers and 19 RBI. For Atlanta, that’s about as timely as it gets.
Grant Holmes is giving the Braves something else they needed, too: a late-season version of himself that looks far more useful in a playoff setting. Not long ago, Holmes seemed headed for the bullpen after having trouble getting through a lineup more than once. There were questions about whether the elbow injury he suffered late last season was still bothering him, and his heavy reliance on the fastball made him easier to read.
Holmes has changed the script. He said he cut back on his bullpens between starts to stay fresher, and he also made delivery tweaks that made him more upright and helped him use his legs more efficiently.
The result has been better fastball life late in the year and a stronger ability to hold that velocity deeper into games. Over his last six starts, Holmes has a 2.10 ERA and 3.63 FIP, and the Braves have gone 4-2 in those outings.
He’s still capable of some wild swings - and 17 strikeouts in his last 30 innings isn’t exactly eye-popping - but the direction is clearly positive.
The organization also paused to recognize Bill Lucas on the 50th anniversary of his hiring as the first African-American general manager in the AL or NL. Lucas, who was named to the post in 1976, remains a significant figure in Braves history. He died suddenly just a few years later, but his influence on the franchise ran deep enough to earn him a spot in the Braves Hall of Fame in 2006.
His legacy also lives on through the Bill Lucas Fellowship, which is focused on increasing diversity and opening career paths in baseball. And beyond the broader significance of his role, Lucas helped shape the Braves during a successful rebuild under Ted Turner.
He was part of the process that brought in future Braves legend Dale Murphy, and he made the decision to hire Yankees first-base coach Bobby Cox to manage the team. Both moves turned out pretty well.
In Other News...
Braves Could Put Expensive Core Pieces On The Block This Winter
With the Braves already locked into a postseason spot for 2026, attention is turning to what this roster looks like beyond the present push. A club built around expensive, established pieces does not often invite questions about change, but this winter could force Atlanta to weigh production against commitment as it tries to keep the core competitive and healthy.
Austin Riley, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Strider all fit into that uneasy conversation for different reasons. Riley has had a disappointing offensive season despite the long-term contract on his ledger, Lopez has battled injuries and inconsistency, and Strider has fought through injury while searching for his sharpest form. None of that means a move is inevitable, but it does leave the Braves with a complicated set of decisions if they decide the easiest path forward is not to keep every major piece in place. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Are Honoring A Franchise Figure Who Helped Shape Atlanta Baseball
The Braves spent part of their recent spotlight honoring a pivotal figure in the organizations history, marking the 50th anniversary of Bill Lucas becoming the first Black general manager in Major League Baseball history. Lucas was appointed vice president of baseball operations in 1976, but his influence went far beyond the title, as he handled the duties of a general manager and helped shape the direction of Atlanta baseball for years to come.
His imprint still shows up in the franchises memory through key personnel decisions and player development, including Bobby Cox and Dale Murphy, and the Braves used both a game broadcast and social media to call attention to that legacy. Lucas is already in the Braves Hall of Fame, but the anniversary serves as a reminder of how much of the clubs modern identity was built under his watch, and how long his place in baseball history has deserved more than a passing mention. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Delivered The Late-Season Win Fans Needed
Ronald Acua Jr. gave the Braves exactly the kind of lift they needed in a late-season push, breaking open the game with a go-ahead grand slam as Atlanta finished off a 6-3 win and sealed the series victory. It was the sort of complete night that has mattered so much down the stretch, with quality starts from Grant Holmes and Hayden Wesneski helping keep the game on Atlantas terms from start to finish.
At 91-64, the Braves are now close to clinching the NL East title, and the timing of this win only adds to its value. The rotation has steadied, the lineup delivered in a big moment, and the club is suddenly lining up the final stretch with a little more breathing room and a lot more momentum. [Read more 🡒]