Do the Atlanta Braves Have What It Takes to Reach the Top of the NL East Standings?
As the 2025 MLB season progresses, the Atlanta Braves are gaining ground. With their recent three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins, they extended their winning run against the Twins to 11 games since 2019 and recorded their first series sweep of the season. The Braves defeated the Twins 6-2 on Sunday with two home runs from Marcell Ozuna, Drake Baldwin, and Matt Olson. Pitcher Grant Holmes pitched well, giving up just one run in five and a third innings while striking out seven batters. Alex Verdugo, the recently acquired outfielder, had a fantastic game on Saturday. He went four-for-five with two doubles and drove in the game-winning run in the sixth inning. Olson achieved his 1,000th career hit, and Michael Harris II made a contribution with a 446-foot home run. The Braves prevailed 4–3. Baldwin's game-winning pinch-hit single in the eighth inning helped the Braves rally to a 6-4 victory over the Twins on Friday.
This past month, the Braves have had many roster updates, which may be the reason behind their winning. The Baltimore Orioles traded right-handed reliever Scott Blewett to the Braves in exchange for cash. The 2025 season has started off well for Blewett, who has a 1.00 ERA over nine innings pitched. Left-handed pitcher José Suarez was assigned to clear space on the roster. Verdugo, a veteran outfielder, was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett after hitting two home runs in nine games with a batting average of .207. Bryan De La Cruz, an outfielder who hit .191 in 16 games with the Braves, was optioned to Gwinnett in a matching transaction.
After recuperating from surgery on his right elbow, starting pitcher Spencer Strider was activated from the 15-day disabled list. With a final appearance of 5.1 innings pitched with one run allowed and three hits, he had a good recovery stint. Zach Thompson, the pitcher, was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to make room for his return. Jason Delay, a catcher, was traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Braves for cash. Due to his defensive prowess, Delay was optioned to Double-A Columbus. Due to a shoulder ailment, right-handed pitcher Reynaldo López was placed on the 60-day injured list in order to clear space on the 40-man roster. Lastly, Jurickson Profar, an outfielder, tested positive for a prohibited drug, HCG, and received an 80-game suspension. In 2025, he won't be able to play in the postseason.
The Braves have had a bunch of accomplishments this season, although it is early. Olson hit 1,000 hits in the game on April 19th, which is a noteworthy accomplishment that helped the team win. Harris tied the game with a majestic solo homer of 446 feet on April 19th, demonstrating his offensive power. The Braves have shown resilience and progress in recent games, despite a difficult start to the season, which included a 0–7 start, their lowest since 2016. On Monday, April 21st, 2025, at 7:15 PM ET, the Braves will host the St. Louis Cardinals at Truist Park.
