Braves panic meter following 5-13 start

In no world did I expect to be doing “Braves panic meter” pieces this early in the season, let alone multiple, but there’s reason for them.

Quite literally every single hole that was called into question during the offseason has quickly become a massive issue. Great teams can overcome a sore spot or two throughout the season, but when you have so many of them, are you really a great team? That’s a fair question to ask about this Braves club, who is off to its worst start in franchise history.

Beyond the record, Jurickson Profar getting popped for PEDs just four games into a three-year, $42 million contract has been a gut-punch to the entire organization. Outfield was the single biggest need for the Braves in the offseason, and it’s the one area they actually spent money to fix, only for it to backfire. Now, both corner outfield positions are a black hole, featuring a quartet of players that really don’t even belong on major-league rosters, providing nothing for the Braves.

But again, if that were the Braves’ only problem, they wouldn’t be 5-13. Atlanta’s bullpen might be the worst in baseball, something everybody should have seen coming. The club lost its top two set-up men from a year ago in A.J. Minter and Joe Jimenez, and just decided not to replace them at all. Some might give Alex Anthopoulos a pass on Profar, but not adding a couple of proven relievers is borderline unforgivable.

The rotation also needed work. While the star-power was evident, the depth was concerning, and it didn’t take but one turn through the rotation for that depth to be tested, as Reynaldo Lopez went down with a potentially season-ending shoulder injury. With Ian Anderson not working out and AJ Smith-Shawver not looking quite ready, it’s another area where the Braves are scrambling for answers so early in the season.

For the cherry on top, shortstop is once again a disaster. Ever since Dansby Swanson walked out the door, the Braves have gone cheap at arguably the most important position in the game. It worked for about half a year in 2023, as Orlando Arcia earned All-Star honors. However, he’s been unplayable ever since, and now little known Nick Allen is starting games for the Atlanta Braves. That’s nothing other than pathetic.

This is an abysmally constructed roster. The Braves are not 5-13 because of poor luck or whatever other excuse that might come to mind. Right now, they are not a good baseball team. Perhaps everything goes right for them moving forward. They are certainly due for a couple of breaks.

Ronald Acuña Jr. returns and immediately starts playing like an MVP. Spencer Strider challenges for the Cy Young. Craig Kimbrel turns back the clock to 2012, and Alex Anthopoulos pulls off a trade deadline similar to 2021. If all those things happen, the Braves will be World Series contenders again. But what’s more likely is one more key piece goes down with an injury, and this thing spirals even further out of control.

Panic Meter: 8