Despite returning nearly every bat from a lineup that has an argument for the greatest offense in baseball history from a couple of seasons ago, the Braves are rarely talked about among the best lineups ahead of the 2025 campaign.
During that 2023 season, the Braves offense broke the National League record for home runs in a season and tied the 2019 Twins with 307 home runs, which was notoriously marred as the juiced ball era. The Braves also set the record for highest team slugging percentage at .501.
The Braves will be without Ronald Acuna Jr. for a month or so, but they did add Jurickson Profar to the outfield in the meantime. The veteran is coming off his first All-Star campaign, and Atlanta is betting that breakout is here to stay.
So, we will essentially have the same historic lineup from 2023, with the addition of Profar, and yet all anyone can talk about is everyone other than the Braves. Thankfully, there are still people with brains covering the game. Jim Bowden ranked the lineup baseball’s second best, behind only the Dodgers.
“The Braves’ 2024 offense was hampered by injuries and subpar performances from most of their star players. Their team OPS fell from .845 in ’23 to .724 in ’24. Ronald Acuña Jr., the 2023 NL MVP, blew out his left knee in May and missed the rest of the season. DH Marcell Ozuna was the only hitter to produce up to his accustomed level as he belted 39 home runs with 104 RBIs. However, when healthy and playing up to their potential, the Braves have as good an offense as there is in the game, led by Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II and Acuña, who should return sometime in May. All-Star left fielder Jurickson Profar, whom the Braves signed in free agency, lengthens their lineup even further.”
The Braves still have the deepest lineup in baseball when fully healthy, even deeper than the Dodgers. Everyone was either hurt or regressed last year. That isn’t going to happen again, and it will once again be the Atlanta Braves belting home runs that will be the talk of the town.
—
John Adams/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.