Braves Named a Top Team to Win World Series

Time and time again, it's proven to be difficult to count out the Braves as a contender to win the World Series

It's hard to count out the Braves | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves expectations are a bit lower heading into 2025 compared to last year - at least for some. However, MLB.com’s Will Leitch still has the Braves as a heavy World Series favorite.

He and fellow MLB.com writer Mike Petriello “drafted” World Series favorites and the Braves are second behind the Dodgers. National League East competitors in the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets are ranked third and fourth. 

The big sticking point for Leitch is the Braves are healthy again. Even without key stars, right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and starting pitcher Spencer Strider, to start the season, they will be in a better shape. 

Other teams have made significant additions this offseason, notably the Mets with Juan Soto. These additions put the division rivals among the most likely to win it all.  

However, Leitch still sees the Braves lineup as one of the best in the game when healthy. He also viewed the pitching staff as better than what the 2023 team that won 104 games had or even the team that won the World Series in 2021. 

“I know this is a stacked division,” Leitch wrote, “but there’s a reason the Braves were considered the “kings”...Last year’s black swan injury event can’t possibly repeat itself. The Dodgers are No. 1. But the Braves are 1A. And maybe even more than that.

The Braves finished last season with an 89-73 record and finished in second in the National League East and with the second NL Wild Card. It’s a 15-win dropoff, but they missed most of their stars for chunks at a time. 

A number of the injuries were freak as well. For example, Austin Riley went down to due to a hit by pitch on the hand that broke it, and Ozzie Albies went down with a wrist injury that came on a tagging play at second base. 

Take away those two injuries, and the lineup is likely in a better position down the stretch. 

The health of the starting rotation will be a question mark. Reynaldo Lopez had two stints on the Injured List last season. Being better conditioned for a starter's workload could help, but that’s a wait-and-see. The same is true for Chris Sale. He dealt with injuries for nearly five years but was healthy until the end of last season. 

In a Cy Young-winning year, he was unavailable for postseason action, and that can make a difference in a World Series run. 

But Leitch’s point holds true. If the team is healthy, it's difficult to count them out.