Braves Plummet on New MLB Power Rankings

The Atlanta Braves made a significant drop on MLB.com's first in-season power rankings after beginning the 2025 campaign with a 1-8 record.

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It's still early April. But the initial returns from the Atlanta Braves have not been good this season.

As a result, the Braves deservingly fell on the first MLB.com power rankings for the 2025 regular season. In fact, no team dropped more than the 16 spots the Braves did on the list.

Atlanta plummetted to No. 19 among the league's 30 teams.

"The start to the season was, obviously, disastrous, with all those losses and of course the suspension of new free-agent signee Jurickson Profar," MLB.com's Will Leitch wrote. "But help is coming. Ronald Acuña Jr. isn't that far off, and Spencer Strider -- who has looked magnificent in his rehab starts -- is even closer, to the point that his next rehab start, in Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday, may end up being his last before being activated."

In the NL East, the Braves placed in front of the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals on the MLB power rankings. Atlanta's only win this season was against the Marlins.

Leitch aimed to stay positive in his Braves summary of the team's 1-8 start, choosing to focus his Atlanta power rankings description on the team's stars who are returning soon. Leitch wasn't wrong to do that -- the return of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. will be a "shot in the arm" for the Braves.

Obviously, the loss of Jurickson Profar to a suspension is also noteworthy.

But those aren't really the reasons why the Braves are 1-8. The team's surprisingly lack of power at the plate and not so shocking (based on last year's results) struggles with runners in scoring position are much bigger reasons.

The Braves bullpen is also 0-4 with a 4.71 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and .264 batting average against. Last season, the Braves bullpen owned a 3.33 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and .231 batting average against.

Acuña and Strider are going to help, but not that bullpen.

The Braves must turn the page quickly. They will host the No. 2-ranked Philadelphia Phillies this week before an AL East road trip to the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays -- both of whom are playing better to begin the season than expected.

Atlanta's stars besides Strider and Acuña need to play a lot better for the Braves to avoid another drop in the MLB power rankings next week.