The Atlanta Braves are heading into 2026 with a mix of optimism and urgency-and for good reason. Just as spring training kicks off, they were dealt a tough blow: starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach will miss the early part of the season due to injury.
For a team still shaking off the sting of last year’s injury-plagued campaign, this is the kind of news that could rattle a clubhouse. But judging by the energy around the team, especially from their superstar outfielder, the Braves aren’t in the mood to dwell on setbacks.
“I’m healthy now,” Ronald Acuña Jr. told reporters this week-a simple statement, but one that carries significant weight.
Acuña’s health has been a central storyline in Atlanta over the past few seasons. The former National League MVP has battled through two ACL tears and a handful of nagging injuries that have disrupted his rhythm and limited his explosiveness.
Even last season, he never quite looked like the game-breaking force Braves fans had come to expect. But now, heading into a pivotal year for both himself and the franchise, Acuña is saying all the right things-and more importantly, he’s feeling right physically.
Off the field, Acuña’s been plenty visible-most notably with an appearance during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show. But make no mistake: his focus is on baseball.
The Braves need him to be the dynamic, five-tool player who can set the tone at the top of the lineup and ignite the fanbase. If he’s truly back to full strength, that alone could be a game-changer for Atlanta’s 2026 outlook.
The Braves are coming off a disappointing 2025 season that saw them miss the postseason for the first time since 2017. It wasn’t just one thing-it was a perfect storm of regression, underperformance, and injuries, especially on the mound.
The rotation never found its footing, and the bullpen was overworked and inconsistent. That context makes Schwellenbach’s injury sting a little more, but this team knows the path forward starts with getting healthy and staying healthy.
Change has already arrived in the dugout. Longtime manager Brian Snitker stepped away from the top job and moved into a front office role, ending a memorable run that included a World Series title and multiple division crowns.
In his place, the Braves turned to a familiar face: Walt Weiss, who had been serving as bench coach. Promoting from within gives Atlanta some continuity, but also a fresh voice to help steer the ship back on course.
There’s also hope that some of the team’s core players, who struggled to find consistency last year, will bounce back. Ozzie Albies, always a fan favorite for his energy and versatility, is one of several veterans the Braves are counting on to return to form. If the lineup can click and the pitching staff avoids the injury bug that plagued them last season, this is still a team with the talent to contend in the National League.
The NL East won’t be a cakewalk, especially after back-to-back seasons of falling short of the division title. But the Braves aren’t lacking motivation. With Acuña healthy, Weiss at the helm, and a roster hungry to prove last year was an outlier, Atlanta is aiming to reestablish itself as a force in the National League.
Opening Day is just weeks away. The countdown is on-and the Braves are ready to turn the page.