As the Braves learned in 2025, there are some situations, such as losing essentially your entire starting rotation to injury, that you cannot anticipate or plan for during the offseason. Still the winter is a crucial time for teams to take stock and retool for next year. Here are three questions that face the 2026 Braves.
Here are just a few burning questions facing the Braves this offseason
1. What will the “Walt Weiss Braves” look like?
Every manager brings their own tactics, style, and areas of emphasis. Brian Snitker, for example, was old school. He was a traditionalist who sometimes butted heads but always made up with the young flashy stars on the team. The legendary Bobby Cox, who molded Snitker, could be fiery on the field and sly as a fox off it. Now it’s time for Walt Weiss to shape this team.
Weiss has served as the bench coach under Snitker for eight seasons and managed the Rockies prior to that. His time in Colorado was far from spectacular as he compiled a .437 winning percentage, but he did help Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, and others blossom into legitimate stars. Unlike in Colorado, Weiss will inherit a more complete team filled with players he has known for years. How he uses and guides that team remains to be seen.
2. Are the Braves really going to start spending?
Although the Braves are perennial contenders, they don’t spend anywhere near as much as the Dodgers, Mets, and other NL pennant hopefuls. Chairman Terry McGuirk has indicated that that is about to change. This year, Atlanta hopes to break into the top five payrolls in baseball, but the club will have to fight off the big dogs to get there.
The Braves usually aren’t big spenders in free agency. The largest (and perhaps worst) deal in franchise history was the 2013 signing of B.J. Upton for $75.25 million over five years. Considering the top free agents today could ink contracts with an annual value of $30 million or more, the Upton deal looks like chump change. If the Braves jump into the fray and battle for Dylan Cease or Bo Bichette, for example, they could easily see the payroll skyrocket.
3. What do the Braves do with Sean Murphy?
The Braves now have to juggle a former All-Star and the newly minted Rookie of the Year behind the plate. Sean Murphy’s recovery from hip surgery may make the decision a little easier, but sooner or later, Atlanta will need to find a solution. If the team acquires a big bat this offseason, the decision becomes even more pressing.
Part of the difficulty of the Drake Baldwin vs. Murphy scenario is that even when Murphy wasn’t healthy, he still put up fairly solid seasons. He hit 16 home runs in 2025 and contributed 3.7 bWAR over the past two years despite hitting below .200. The stats, though, may be enough to scare away trade partners, leaving the Braves with two solid catchers. Not the worst position to be in.