This story was taken from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full version, click here and subscribe to receive it straight to your inbox.
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Recall how eager you were to move on from the injury-plagued 2024 season and get a glimpse of the Braves’ true potential when fully healthy? Now that 2025 is here, Atlanta fans can once again embrace the World Series aspirations they had before a series of major injuries derailed last year’s hopes.
Can the Braves bounce back to reclaim their dominance in the National League East and make a push for their first World Series title since 2021? The PECOTA projections from Baseball Prospectus back up the optimism, suggesting both goals are within reach.
PECOTA gives the Braves a 9 percent chance of winning the World Series, the same as the Yankees. The only team with better odds? The Dodgers, at 22 percent.
The Braves are once again looking strong on paper. However, after seeing six key players from their Opening Day lineup sidelined for at least two months last season, this team won’t be taking anything for granted.
As Braves pitchers and catchers prepare for their first workout on Wednesday, here are three key storylines to follow throughout Spring Training.
1. When will Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider return?
Both superstars are set to start the season on the injured list, but it’s clear they’ll be pushing hard to return as soon as possible. Strider has been working through bullpen sessions and may even get the chance to pitch in at least one game before Spring Training wraps up. If his recovery from elbow surgery goes smoothly without any setbacks, he could be back in Atlanta’s rotation by the end of April. His progress during camp is sure to generate plenty of excitement.
The same goes for Acuña, who tore his right ACL late in May. There’s a possibility he won’t be back until the second half of May. Does he need a full year to recover? Keep in mind, he tore his left ACL in July 2021 and was back by the end of April 2022. Despite being the 2023 NL MVP, Acuña dealt with discomfort throughout that season. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Braves give their right fielder extra time to make sure there are no lingering issues when he returns. Regardless, all eyes will be on him as he looks to reclaim his spot as a top MVP contender.
2. Will Chris Sale prove 2024 wasn’t just a fluke?
Sale’s performance during Spring Training won’t determine his chances of winning a second consecutive National League Cy Young Award. The revitalized lefty has already demonstrated he remains elite when healthy. However, his ability to go through a normal spring preparation will only heighten excitement about the prospect of him putting the injuries that limited him to just 151 innings from 2020-23 further behind him.
Unfortunately for Sale, his strong 2024 season ended with a sore back that kept him out during the final week of the regular season and into the postseason. A side session he completed before heading into the offseason eased concerns, leading many to believe the back issue was just a result of the 35-year-old pitcher completing a full season for the first time since 2019. But the work he puts in over the next six weeks will give Sale the opportunity to prove he’s entering the 2025 season in top form.
3. Will the bullpen overcome a couple of key absences?
With Max Fried and Charlie Morton gone, the rotation still has the potential to be one of the best in the league. However, the bullpen faces challenges with the departures of A.J. Minter, who joined the Mets, and Joe Jiménez, who will miss much, if not all, of the upcoming season due to knee surgery. Dylan Lee and Pierce Johnson are currently positioned as top setup options for closer Raisel Iglesias. The big questions are: Will Aaron Bummer rise to the occasion in high-leverage spots? Can Daysbel Hernández seize his opportunity to secure a permanent role in the Majors? And what can be expected from Angel Perdomo, who racked up 44 strikeouts in 29 innings with the 2023 Pirates but missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery?
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