Opening Day could have gone better for the Atlanta Braves, who lost to the San Diego Padres 7–4. The Braves held a 4–3 lead going into the seventh, thanks to an Austin Riley go-ahead homer in the top of the fourth inning. Then Atlanta’s bullpen surrendered four runs, starting with a 405-foot pinch-hit homer by Gavin Sheets.

It’s just one game, with 161 to go over a long season. But this is a Braves team that once again has high aspirations, with the goal to return and win the World Series like they did back in 2021. They don’t want to wait another 26 years to win another.

When it comes to Opening Day, the roster that begins the season might not necessarily be the one that finishes. For the Braves, that’s what they’re hoping for. Atlanta was without top stars outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., catcher Sean Murphy, and last year’s Opening Day starter Spencer Strider. All three are expected back at some point this season, as the Braves hope to regain the NL East title.

With what should be three of their main contributors out, that meant the Opening Day roster was going to include some surprises — none more than Murphy’s replacement, Drake Baldwin.

Drake Baldwin makes first-career MLB start

With Murphy out with a broken rib, the Braves had to reach into their farm system to find a replacement. Baldwin, surprisingly, got the nod not just to join the roster but to make the start in the first game, catching for 2024 NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale.

The 24-year-old is the Braves’ top prospect and ranked No. 63 overall, according to MLB. Baldwin got the nod over Chadwick Tromp, who has been called up several times over the last couple of seasons.

What’s so surprising about Baldwin’s move is that many feared bringing him up to the big leagues was a bit premature. But the Braves found themselves in a predicament after letting veteran Travis d’Arnaud hit free agency, where he landed with the Los Angeles Angels.

Once Murphy is healthy, it’s likely that Baldwin is sent back down to Triple-A Gwinnett — unless he proves to be productive. On Thursday, he went 0-for-3 with one walk and one strikeout.

Bullpen struggles in opening game against Padres

Again, nothing should be too surprising about the Braves’ Opening Day bullpen, considering the offseason they had — or lack thereof. To be considered a World Series favorite, the Braves were one of the quieter teams in MLB during the offseason, watching as the rest of the league went shopping.

But not only did the Braves make little to no moves to their bullpen, they lost significant pieces in A.J. Minter (free agency) and Joe Jiménez (knee surgery). The two setup relievers were sorely missed against the Padres in Game 1.

Relieving Dylan Lee, Héctor Neris entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and gave up the Sheets home run without recording an out. Braves manager Brian Snitker made the quick decision to go with Aaron Bummer, his current top lefty reliever, to salvage the damage and keep the game tied 4–4. Instead, San Diego scored three more times, eventually giving them the win.

“It was a tough inning in all respects, really,” Snitker said, via The Athletic.

To say the least.

This is what the Braves’ Opening Day bullpen looked like: RHP Raisel Iglesias, RHP Pierce Johnson, LHP Dylan Lee, LHP Aaron Bummer, RHP Héctor Neris, RHP Enyel De Los Santos, RHP José Suarez, RHP Daysbel Hernández.

The relief corps is likely to hit a few snags like this until they find their groove. But for Snitker and general manager Alex Anthopoulos, they had better hope this group figures it out — or they may regret their lack of offseason additions.

What’s really puzzling about the bullpen is that former reliever Grant Holmes relieved Bummer in the eighth. Holmes is now considered the Braves’ fifth starter — likely until Strider returns. He’s slated to be the Braves’ starter in Monday’s game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Right field platoon

Acuña is slated to return sometime in May, so for now, Braves fans will have to settle for a platoon in right field until the slugger makes his comeback. On Thursday, it was last year’s addition Jarred Kelenic getting the start against right-hander Michael King. He’ll be splitting duties mostly with Bryan De La Cruz.

With the addition of Jurickson Profar — by far Atlanta’s most notable free-agent signing this offseason — left field should be taken care of for most of the season. Michael Harris II is also hoping for an injury-free season, holding down center field.

When healthy, this could be one of the most dangerous outfields in all of baseball, as Acuña’s return will be significant — especially if he returns to form from a second ACL surgery. Something to keep an eye on, however, is how Snitker and the Braves position Kelenic, who was a big acquisition for Atlanta last year.