hardball Joel Sherman Braves have overcome adversity to take control of NL East — and once again outmanuevered Mets By Joel Sherman Published April 25, 2026, 11:37 a.m. ET The Braves signing Robert Suarez has paid off and has helped them build a big lead over the Mets and Phillies. Getty Images No team endured a worse spring training than the Braves.
They entered beset with questions if they had done enough to address a fragile rotation in which they already had known that AJ Smith-Shawver post-Tommy John surgery might be unavailable in 2026. Then Joey Wentz was lost for the year, and Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider and Hursten Waldrep for an extended period.
Jurickson Profar, who was expected to play daily in left field or as the designated hitter, tested positive for a banned substance for a second straight year and was suspended for the season. That thinned a positional group that already would be without shortstop Ha-Seong Kim and backup catcher Sean Murphy until May.
This all came after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017 then changing managers and undergoing a coaching upheaval. Add it all up and a poor start would not have been surprising.
