What’s the one lesson the Braves learned in 2025?

There are plenty of lessons to be taken from the Braves’ disastrous 2025 campaign. The question is whether general manager Alex Anthopoulos has too much pride to accept them.

This team simply wasn’t built the right way. It was overly dependent on its core stars staying healthy and repeating past seasons of elite production. Once a few of those pillars wavered, the whole structure collapsed.

Depth was the biggest flaw. The bullpen was never postseason caliber. The rotation featured maybe five reliable arms, when most clubs need closer to 9–10 over the course of a season. And the bench Anthopoulos assembled looked more like Triple-A talent disguised as big leaguers.

But the more pressing question is whether this core is even capable of winning a World Series. Nearly every player from the 2021 championship team is gone. The current group flamed out in the postseason three straight years without winning a single series — and just followed that up with 86 losses after opening the season with the second-best odds to win it all.

It’s fair to say it’s time for the Braves to shake things up, which is how Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report sees it. 

Atlanta Braves: It’s time for some changes

There’s still a lot to like in Atlanta, but after a season in which they were never really in the playoff race, some changes seem in order.

Manager Brian Snitker, 69, will have to decide whether he’s going to walk away after the season.

Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias are two mid-30s free agents the Braves could allow to leave in free agency.

A more difficult conversation might be how to proceed with second baseman Ozzie Albies. Even with a left-hand fracture, it’s hard to imagine the Braves not picking up his $7 million club option for 2025. But he feels like someone who could use a change of scenery if the Braves are looking to shake things up in a significant fashion this offseason.

No matter what, it’s going to be a busy offseason for the president of baseball operations, Alex Anthopoulos.

Marcell Ozuna leaving in free agency feels like a foregone conclusion. The Braves could use another bat, but ideally one who can also play the outfield, especially given the long-term concerns surrounding Ronald Acuña Jr.’s health. Atlanta needs the flexibility to give him a break defensively from time to time.

Beyond that, there aren’t many clear paths to upgrade the offense without moving one of their core pieces.

Kelly points to Ozzie Albies, and his late-season wrist injury does complicate matters, but given his contract, it’s hard to envision the Braves finding a more cost-effective option at second base. Shortstop will be even tougher to address, and moving on from Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson, or Austin Riley seems highly unlikely.

That’s the corner the Braves have backed themselves into by handing out so many long-term extensions. When some of those deals don’t pan out — as has been the case — it leaves them with very little room to maneuver. If Atlanta wants to upgrade its offense, Alex Anthopoulos will have to get creative this winter.

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