{"id":125621,"date":"2025-11-26T23:21:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T23:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=125621"},"modified":"2025-11-26T23:21:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T23:21:18","slug":"braves-2026-opening-day-lineup-projection-might-reveal-offseason-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=125621","title":{"rendered":"Braves 2026 Opening Day Lineup Projection Might Reveal Offseason Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Braves 2026 Opening Day Lineup Projection Might Reveal Offseason Plans\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" \/><\/figure>\n<div>\n<p>Getty<\/p>\n<p>Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Atlanta Braves had been known as an MLB organization that was almost a lock to make the MLB playoffs every year in the early 2020s. However, after missing the 2025 playoffs, Atlanta is now in jeopardy of missing the playoffs two years in a row. The Braves have a very strong core and have shown early-ish aggression this offseason in terms of making deals and signing players.<\/p>\n<p>However, Atlanta\u2019s GM Alex Anthopoulos has a decision to make regarding DH Marcell Ozuna, who is a free agent. The Braves do have the luxury of knowing, for the most part, who will be the starter at each position on the diamond, but a recent 2026 Opening Day lineup projection highlights that the Braves might be quiet this offseason in terms of signing hitters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More MLB on Heavy: Braves Could Target This 2.18 ERA Starter in Free Agency<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Braves\u2019 2026 Opening Day Lineup Projection Features No Changes<\/h2>\n<p>In a recent article by Bleacher Report\u2019s Joel Reuter, the writer projected all 30 MLB teams\u2019 starting lineups heading into next season.<\/p>\n<p>For the Braves, there are no notable changes or additions, except for Mauricio Dub\u00f3n, who was recently acquired in a trade for Nick Allen. Dub\u00f3n is projected eighth in Atlanta\u2019s order, and here is what Reuter believes the Braves\u2019 Opening Day lineup will be next season:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cProjected Lineup\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"id\/article\/slide\/5299920\/element\/1\">\n<p>\u201cLF Jurickson Profar<br \/>\n1B Matt Olson<br \/>\nRF Ronald Acuna Jr.<br \/>\n3B Austin Riley<br \/>\nDH Drake Baldwin<br \/>\n2B Ozzie Albies<br \/>\nC Sean Murphy<br \/>\nSS Mauricio Dub\u00f3n<br \/>\nCF Michael Harris II\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5489836\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=150,84 150w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=782,440 782w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=780,439 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=425,239 425w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=320,180 320w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg?resize=267,150 267w\" alt=\"Braves 2026 Opening Day Lineup Projection Might Reveal Offseason Plans\" width=\"782\" height=\"440\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5489836\" data-lazy-load=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5489836\">GettyAtlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>There certainly could be a few tweaks within that lineup. For example, Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. could also be the team\u2019s leadoff hitter and the NL Rookie of the Year, Drake Baldwin, may be the team\u2019s 2-hole hitter. The most notable omission is Marcell Ozuna, who is not in the DH spot.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More MLB on Heavy: Cubs Reportedly Interested in 2-Time All-Star Pitcher Amid Free Agency<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Braves Lineup Projection May Reveals Atlanta\u2019s Offseason Plan<\/h2>\n<p>Either way, the main point of this lineup projection is that it might reveal the Braves\u2019 offseason spending plans. It shows that Atlanta is not predicted to make any big splashes in the market for any position players.<\/p>\n<p>It makes sense when you consider the Braves\u2019 top priority should be adding pitching, and most of those hitters in that lineup are signed long-term, or at least under contract for a few more seasons. That includes Sean Murphy, Acu\u00f1a Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Jurickson Profar, and Michael Harris II.<\/p>\n<p>So yeah, it makes sense why Atlanta would roll with primarily the same everyday lineup members.<\/p>\n<p>Considering the Braves were without Austin Riley, Jurickson Profar, and Acu\u00f1a Jr. all at the same time, they have a lot of room for improvement as a team if all the mainstays are able to stay healthy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More MLB on Heavy: MLB Execs Predict the Mets Will Sign Dylan Cease in Free Agency<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>More Heavy on Braves<\/h2>\n<p>Loading more stories<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Will the Atlanta Braves make any meaningful moves this offseason that causes the Opening Day lineup to change?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":125622,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - 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