Atlanta Braves 2026 Spring Training Storylines to Follow

Fresh off a fourth-place National League East finish in 2025, the Atlanta Braves are relying on several bounce-back seasons in 2025. Even with the additions of outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, relievers Robert Suarez and James Karinchak, and infielder Mauricio Dubón, much of the team’s success will be contingent on the performance of returning players, for better or worse.

In a year that will only see the competitiveness of their division increase, it is imperative that Alex Anthopoulos and company make the proper roster decisions by the conclusion of spring training. Even at this point in the team’s preseason preparations, numerous positional battles remain underway and will seemingly come down to the wire.

With so much roster uncertainty and unclear expectations for the upcoming season, the Braves have been one of the more captivating teams to follow in the Grapefruit League thus far. Let’s dive into which storylines are catching our attention.

Spencer Strider’s Velocity Dip

Prior to his second Tommy John surgery in 2024, Spencer Strider was known as one of the premier pitchers in Major League Baseball, capable of running his fastball up to triple digits. However, upon his return this past season, Strider averaged 95.5 MPH with his four-seam fastball, a significant drop from his last fully healthy season in 2023 (97.2 MPH).

As spring training began just a few weeks ago, Strider’s velocity was something baseball fans across the country were eager to keep an eye on. It’s no surprise rumors spread like wildfire then, after the radar guns at CoolToday Park appeared to be off during one of the right-handers’ live batting practice sessions.

Fast forward to Friday, March 6, when Strider sat 95.0 MPH with his four-seamer–an increase from 93.1 MPH his first spring training start on February 28. Strider ramping up as camp progresses is an encouraging sign, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to touch pre-Tommy John velocities.

We saw last year how ineffective the movement on Strider’s go-to pitch was without high velocity, with hitters managing a .392 xWOBA against the offering. With the absence of Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep for at least part of, if not most of the 2026 season, Strider becomes that much more important to Atlanta’s rotation.

Battle for the Final Rotation Spot

Speaking of Schwellenbach and Waldrep, their recent injuries leave an interesting rotation battle brewing for the Braves. Chris Sale and Strider are virtually locks for the starting staff, and Reynaldo López seems poised to reclaim his spot after missing nearly the entire 2025 MLB season.

With three rotation spots seemingly spoken for already, the final two jobs are wide open, with several players looking to make their case to join the starting-five.

Grant Holmes appears to be one of the frontrunners, after sporting a 3.99 ERA in 21 games this past season. The 29-year-old right-hander’s 2025 campaign was cut short after MRIs revealed damage to his UCL and flexor tendon, but after opting for rest and rehab instead of surgery, Holmes appears completely healthy.

Bryce Elder, another familiar name for Braves fans, is also in consideration for a spot in the rotation. In 28 starts last year, Elder managed a 5.30 ERA, 4.04 xFIP, and a poor 11.8 K-BB%. With his struggles these past two years, it’s hard to imagine Elder lands a rotation spot without a strong Spring Training.

Also joining the battle for a rotation spot are two Braves’ top prospects: JR Ritchie (ATL No. 2) and Didier Fuentes (ATL No. 3).

The former, Ritchie, was one of the most impressive starting pitchers in the minor leagues in 2025. The 22-year-old right-hander managed a 2.64 ERA across 140.0 innings pitched in High-, Double-, and Triple-A. There’s a very high chance Ritchie ends up in Atlanta’s rotation at some point during this coming season; it just happens to be a question of when. With a strong Spring Training, there’s no reason he can’t take a rotation spot away from Elder.

On the other hand, Fuentes also makes a case to join Atlanta’s season-opening pitching staff. The 20-year-old worked his way up to the major league level last year, although he did struggle in a limited showing. Fuentes’ promotion came after 57 innings of work in the minor leagues, where he owned a 23.1 K-BB%. The Braves have moved the young righty through their system relatively quickly, though, and he might benefit from starting 2026 at Triple-A.

For a squad looking to bounce back after a disappointing finish last year, the Braves don’t exactly have the certainty in their rotation that you’d like to see in a contending team. Watching how their staff shapes up in the coming weeks will be one of the more interesting stories in baseball, and it is definitely something to keep an eye on.

Ozzie Albies Potential Bounce Back Season

Amid a disappointing 2025 season in Atlanta, Ozzie Albies‘ lackluster performance was one of many that disappointed Braves fans. The switch-hitting second baseman had been one of the club’s more reliable bats in past years, never recording an OPS below .700 prior to last season.

Albies has always been a guy whose profile doesn’t necessarily amaze, but his ability to frequently pull the ball in the air has aided his success. However, since 2023, Albies has seen a 1.2 MPH decrease in average exit velocity, 3.3% decrease in barrel rate, and 3.9% decrease in LA sweet-spot%. Even with strong pull-air%, there’s only so much a hitter can accomplish with other declining metrics.

Those declining pieces of Albies’ game have also severely limited his power output in recent seasons as well. Before the 2024 season, Atlanta’s second baseman was known as one of MLB’s premier power bats, blasting 30+ homers in both 2021 and 2023 (Albies only appeared in 64 games in 2022). Two years ago, he managed just 10 round-trippers, followed by a modest rebound to 16 last year.

There is a sense of optimism in the air after Albies blasted a walk-off home run for Team Netherlands in a recent victory at the World Baseball Classic. He also managed a much better performance in the latter portion of this past season, posting a .769 OPS after the All-Star break.