Looking ahead to the Atlanta Braves' 2026 season, it is easy to see veteran pieces under pressure heading into spring training. Part of what defined last year's failures was that highly-paid players failed to live up to expectations. These weren't unrealistic projections, but simply expecting star contributors to continue to live up to career averages.
Instead, key Braves failed to stay healthy, and the majority of both the rotation and lineup dealt with injuries at some point in the 2025 season. With that in mind, here are four Atlanta vets who are dealing with the most pressure to turn things around before it's too late this season.
1. Austin Riley, 3B
Austin Riley broke his hand in the 2024 season and missed the end of the season. A year later, the third baseman suffered a core injury that forced season-ending surgery, removing Riley from Atlanta's lineup just when the team needed to make a push. Having the infielder miss so much time in back-to-back seasons is a trend that has to come to an end. Riley needs to be the force in the middle of Atlanta's lineup and provide protection for the top of the lineup.
Having Riley behind Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna Jr. completely changes the ceiling of the lineup and takes the Braves from a borderline contender to a clear World Series lineup. That can't happen unless Riley stays on the field for the bulk of the season.
If he is going to miss time, it must be early in the season, not in clutch time when the games matter most. Riley was still productive despite missing extended time, slashing .260/.309/.428 with 16 home runs and 54 RBIs in 416 at-bats, flashing the ability he brings anytime the infielder is in the lineup.
2. Sean Murphy, C/DH
Sean Murphy hit .251 in the 2023 season and provided consistent power numbers while driving in 68 runs. Atlanta believed they had found their catcher of the future, not only providing elite defense, but also a consistent presence in the lineup. In the two seasons since, Murphy hasn't managed to reach the Mendoza line by the end of the season, putting his future with the Braves up in the air.
Murphy's struggles weren't helped by the emergence of Drake Baldwin, who is the reigning National League Rookie of the Year. Still, the current roster construction of Atlanta is going to rely on Murphy, Baldwin, and Mike Yastrzemski to rotate in the designated hitter role, with both catchers consistently getting time in the lineup.
All Atlanta needs from the veteran is for him to return to his career average of .228 and offer consistent power numbers. This will be enough to offer production at the bottom of the lineup and not be the automatic out Murphy has often been at the end of the season.
3. Ozzie Albies, 2B
While they offer different ceilings as hitters, Ozzie Albies and Riley have a lot of similarities over the past two seasons. Albies has dealt with consistent injuries that have kept him out of the lineup and limited his offensive production. The second baseman's presence previously served as a spark in the lineup and an aggressive force that often started rallies.
Now, opposing teams are using this aggressive nature against Albies and getting easy outs. With the injuries added on top, there simply hasn't been the expectation that Braves fans had come to expect. Albies is now playing for his future in Atlanta, with the team having an option for the 2027 season already utilizing their option for the upcoming year.
Albies is going to benefit from playing in one of the better lineups the Braves have put together over the last four years and only needs to stay healthy and prove he can return to the player he has been for the rest of his career.
4. Spencer Strider, RHP
Spencer Strider finished the 2025 season with 14 losses and a 4.45 ERA, exposing just how much the right-hander struggled to pitch at the level he had previously. A once dominating force seemed extremely hittable with the starter allowing consistent hard contact and unable to string together productive starts. For the Braves to be truly great, Strider needs to return to the form he was prior to 2024's season-ending injury.
Having Strider back at the peak of his powers would give Atlanta a top-three options of Strider, Chris Sale, and Spencer Schwellenbach. This is a trio that is good enough to match up with any team in the league and gives Atlanta an incredible postseason ceiling.
If Strider continues to struggle at the level he did a season ago, Atlanta has a real cause for concern and is going to have an uphill battle to win the National League East.