The Atlanta Braves are running out of time to wait for things to click.
As ESPN bluntly put it in their latest MLB Stock Watch: “Something has to change.” Five weeks into the 2025 season, what was once a forecast of 96.5 wins and a 91.1% playoff chance for Atlanta has nose-dived. Now, ESPN’s projections show just 86.7 wins and playoff odds under 44%, a stunning fall for a team that entered the season among the National League favorites.
The biggest issue? Injuries — and the ripple effects they’re causing.
Per ESPN: “Hopes that the Braves can still reach their ceiling hinge on the longed-for returns of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr.