Braves Today

Lindsay Crosby breaks down how the Braves’ strong offense is being propped up by overperformance from lower-order bats, focusing on Mauricio Dubón’s .333 BA, .918 OPS start and why his results may regress based on expected stats despite elite contact and a high squared-up rate. He contrasts that with underperforming stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, and Michael Harris, and notes Drake Baldwin’s production closely matches his expected numbers. Crosby then examines the near-term decision on Didier Fuentes: whether to recall him soon to preserve an option year or keep him in AAA to develop a more complete mix, especially a reliable splitter, given heavy four-seam reliance and command concerns. Finally, he previews the Guardians series at Truist Park, emphasizing Cleveland’s strikeout-heavy pitching staff, solid bullpen, low-scoring profile, and lineup versatility.

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Host Lindsay Crosby recaps what the Braves’ first 13 games (8–5, first in the NL East) have revealed, highlighting that pitching—despite injury concerns—has been the team’s biggest strength, with MLB-best overall ERA (2.03), a dominant bullpen (0.82), and strong early rotation results from Reynaldo López, Bryce Elder, and Grant Holmes. Offensively, Atlanta ranks near the top in runs and home runs (second with 17) despite slow starts from Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, and Michael Harris, while Drake Baldwin, Mauricio Dubón, and Matt Olson have carried production. Crosby previews upcoming matchups vs. the Guardians and Marlins, shares details on Sean Murphy’s rehab plan at Gwinnett and the Jonah Heim question, discusses run differential as a performance indicator, and explains the Discord’s “Braves imperialism” series-win player-draft game.

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Lindsay Crosby recaps the massive Braves-Angels brawl sparked when Jorge Soler, after homering off and being hit by Reynaldo López, stared him down and charged the mound following an inside pitch that got away, leading to punches, benches clearing, and third-base coach Walt Weiss tackling Soler to end it. Crosby explains likely suspensions and appeals, how punishments can be staggered, and how a potential hand injury to López (who was holding the ball while swinging) could force Atlanta to adjust the rotation, possibly calling up Didier Fuentes or considering JR Ritchie. He then addresses Ronald Acuña Jr.’s metrics, saying bat speed isn’t a concern but sprint speed is trending down, affecting baserunning, defense, and long-term extension/DH considerations, before noting Wednesday’s getaway day game and Thursday’s first off day.

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Lindsay Crosby discusses Sean Murphy’s progressing rehab from a hip injury and the roster decision his return will force, weighing Kyle Farmer’s infield versatility and lack of at-bats against Jonah Heim’s minimal offense but presence behind the plate for three Braves shutouts, plus the defensive and DH implications of keeping each. He then breaks down how Atlanta may adjust the rotation when Spencer Strider returns, comparing José Suárez and Martín Pérez for the back-end role and explaining why waiver/option rules and the likelihood of a claim could influence who is DFA’d. Finally, he reviews early-season sample-size realities, noting which metrics stabilize quickly—like pitcher strikeout rate and swinging-strike rate—and cites early Braves examples including Grant Holmes, Chris Sale, Bryce Elder, and Reynaldo López.

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Lindsay Crosby breaks down Austin Riley’s rough start to the season (six hits in 38 plate appearances, no homers, nine strikeouts, five infield fly balls) and why the process is concerning, noting how often Riley has made inning-ending outs and how his popups and missed pitches have hurt rallies. Crosby discusses whether Atlanta may need to move Riley down in the order and hopes increased involvement from Chipper Jones can help. The episode highlights the Braves’ standout defense—no players grading negative in key metrics, a perfect 12-for-12 on double-play chances, and how that support has contributed to MLB-best pitching numbers so far. Crosby then previews a three-game series in Anaheim, including the pitching matchups, Mike Trout’s day-to-day status, the Angels’ three-true-outcomes profile, and bullpen injuries the Braves could exploit.

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Lindsay Crosby recaps the Braves’ 4-2 start and first two series wins, highlighting Drake Baldwin’s hot start (three homers, 1.196 OPS) and timely production from the bottom of the order despite limited early power from stars like Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Ronald Acuña Jr. He previews a road series in Arizona, noting the Diamondbacks’ strong top of the lineup and pitching matchups (Reynaldo López vs. Ryne Nelson, Grant Holmes vs. Eduardo Rodríguez, Bryce Elder vs. Michael Soroka, and a Braves TBD on Sunday). Crosby discusses Atlanta’s rotation exceeding expectations with one of MLB’s best ERAs, Chris Sale pitching effectively while sick, and possible changes for the fifth spot, with Spencer Strider progressing toward a return. He also explains Atlanta’s record $15.87M MLB draft bonus pool, slotting strategy, under/over-slot deals, senior signs, and bonus-pool penalties.

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Lindsay Crosby breaks down the Atlanta Braves’ 2026 minor league assignments, highlighting notable and surprising placements across the system as the season begins. In Single-A Augusta, he focuses on prospects including Nick Montgomery and Tate Southisene, with special attention on unexpected demotion candidate Alex Lodise and the approach issues (chase/whiff rates) that may explain it, plus pitchers like Davis Polo, Ethan Bagwell, and Landon Beidelschies. High-A Rome is described as extremely loaded with impact talent on both sides, led by top pitching prospect Cam Caminiti and arms like Cedric de Grandpré, along with a deep position group featuring names such as John Gil, Cody Miller, Isaiah Drake, and Eric Hartman. He also previews AA Columbus’ exciting arms (Owen Murphy, Garrett Bowman, Herrick Hernandez, Yancarlos Lara) and notes key Gwinnett names including JR Ritchie, Didier Fuentes, Nacho Alvarez, and Jim Jarvis.

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Lindsay Crosby breaks down early concerns about Atlanta’s offense through four games, noting the Braves have 17 runs (tied 16th) with inconsistent run clusters and no home runs yet from Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Austin Riley, but argues the process is strong because the team is hitting the ball hard and sometimes prioritizing situational contact over power. He highlights Drake Baldwin’s loud contact and explains why the homers should come. Crosby then reviews baserunning as a mix of positives on balls in play and negatives on pickoffs and steals (1-for-4), attributing struggles to learning first-base coach Antoine Richardson’s “walking start” technique aimed at smarter, high-success steals. Finally, he praises the pitching’s efficiency and two shutouts, previews José Suárez’s start, and shares updates on Spencer Strider’s potential return timeline and Sean Murphy beginning a rehab assignment in Rome.

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The Braves opened the season by winning two of three, avoiding last year's 0-7 start, with encouraging signs in both approach and execution. Lindsay Crosby highlights strong early hitting from Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, and Michael Harris, lineup tweaks that created better matchups, improved baserunning decisions compared to last year, and several standout defensive plays. Sunday’s loss is framed as a process win, with Atlanta producing plenty of hard contact that was muted by wind and bad luck on balls in play. The rotation turned in solid starts from Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, and Grant Holmes. Injury updates include optimistic timelines for Spencer Strider’s mild oblique issue and Sean Murphy beginning a rehab assignment April 8, while Ha-Seong Kim remains more likely for a May return. The episode closes with a three-game preview vs the Athletics and their pitching matchups and bullpen concerns.

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On Opening Day, host Lindsay Crosby identifies the most important Braves for 2026 by predicting team awards and key roles. He names Ronald Acuña Jr. as the clear MVP favorite if healthy, with Matt Olson and Austin Riley as alternatives, and discusses a high-upside scenario for Michael Harris II. Crosby tabs Chris Sale as the internal Cy Young favorite, citing his dominant stretch after early mechanical fixes, and notes Grant Holmes as the main potential challenger if his fastball improvements stick. He picks Harris as the offensive X-factor, Eli White as a breakout candidate due to his role versus lefties and encouraging batted-ball data, and Robert Suarez as top reliever. He then previews the Royals: an offense led by Bobby Witt Jr., key bats like Garcia, Pasquantino, and Perez, a rotation headed by Cole Ragans, and lingering outfield questions, while expecting Atlanta to take the series.

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