The Atlanta Braves kick off their 2025 season against the San Diego Padres on March 27, carrying high expectations after a disappointing 2024 campaign that ended with a wild-card series loss to the same Padres. Labeled as a top threat to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ NL crown, the Braves are banking on a healthier roster to make a deep postseason run, a hope manager Brian Snitker voiced to USA Today Sports. “Just once, I’d like to take a healthy team into the playoffs again just to see what we could accomplish,” Snitker said, reflecting on the team’s injury-plagued 2024 season. “We haven’t had our best players, so I’d like to try and do that again.”
Last year’s postseason was a stark reminder of the Braves’ injury woes. They were without key players like Austin Riley, Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, and Chris Sale, while Ozzie Albies, despite playing, was limited to hitting right-handed due to a broken wrist. Riley, who missed 52 games in 2024 after playing 160, 159, and 159 games the previous three seasons, echoed Snitker’s sentiment. “Obviously, we have the talent,” Riley said. “I’m excited. We’ve got the pitching. The offense is there. This team is so talented… We just have to stay healthy, that’s the name of the game. If we do that, we’ve got ourselves a chance.”
The Braves, who finished 2024 with an 89-73 record and second place in the NL East, return a loaded roster with stars like Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna, and the recovering Acuña, Strider, and Sale. But Snitker knows the division won’t be easy, with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies also eyeing a World Series. “The division keeps getting tougher and tougher,” he said, acknowledging the challenge. He also pointed to uncertainties in the back end of the rotation and bullpen, especially after losing reliable relievers Joe Jimenez and A.J. Minter. “Those are hard guys to replace because they were just so dependable… But somebody will step up. Someone always steps up. Everything has a way of working itself out.”
Snitker’s confidence stems from the Braves’ depth and history of resilience, but health remains the X-factor. If Atlanta can keep their stars on the field—unlike last year when injuries derailed their postseason hopes—they could make good on their status as a Dodgers threat. As they face the Padres in the opener, the Braves are looking to set the tone for a season where staying healthy could finally lead them back to a World Series title.
