Opening Day is just a couple of weeks away, and the Atlanta Braves are finally closing in on their outstanding roster decisions. Ronald Acuña Jr. is off playing in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela, but his absence isn't changing much about the Braves' decision-making process, and pretty much everyone else is back in camp. That means more roster cuts are coming, and we are going to get a very good sense as to what their roster will look like when the 2026 season opens up.
Most of the Braves' roster is pretty self-explanatory, and barring injuries (crosses fingers and toes), we know who is going to compromise 90% of it. However, there are a few unsettled spots, and it is becoming increasingly likely that they will be carrying some rather short-term fixes to their current depth problems.
Braves' Opening Day roster is likely to include these temporary roster solutions
In some respects, a few of these names are interchangeable with others with similar profiles, so there is a chance that we could see some other names in their place. However, there is enough smoke when it comes to reports from Spring Training about the most likely roster candidates to make some pretty educated guesses here. Of those options, these are the guys that probably are not going to be sticking around on the big league roster for long if they make it.
Bryce Elder
As frustrating as he can be, Bryce Elder being in the Braves' rotation may be a necessary evil. He is out of minor league options and is familiar with the organization, which may be all it takes for him to get in. Other options (like JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes) would likely be better and certainly have more upside, but Atlanta is going to take great pains to preserve what little pitching depth they have early on. That said, Hurston Waldrep will be back at some point, and both Ritchie and Fuentes have a real chance to force the Braves' hand. When that happens, Elder is probably the guy who will get axed.
Jose Suarez
The news that the Braves sent James Karinchak to the minors earlier this week came as a bit of a shock to those who had seen him excel in camp this year. However, Braves beat writer Mark Bowman recently noted that Atlanta's crammed early schedule makes carrying a long reliever basically mandatory, and Suarez, you guessed it, doesn't have any minor league options left, either. That said, there has not been any indication that he will pitch well enough to stick beyond that, and it is likely he gets replaced quickly.
Jonah Heim
This is a pretty easy one to understand. Jonah Heim hasn't been good for a while, but he is a veteran catcher, and that is pretty much all he needs to be with Drake Baldwin getting most of the reps while Sean Murphy is out. So far, there is no reason to think Murphy will be out long after Opening Day, and when that happens, Heim is going to get his walking papers.
Ben Gamel
This is a tricky one because the Braves could theoretically go in a number of directions with this area of the roster in the wake of Jurickson Profar's suspension. It would not be all that surprising if Dom Smith got the nod, but Gamel has played well and gives Walt Weiss more defensive options off the bench. Whatever the case may be, it does feel like that outfield spot is a fluid situation and could be a spot the Braves use to shuffle their roster around on a short-term basis, and that isn't great news for Gamel.
Martin Perez
Very similar story to Elder above. Perez is a veteran who can hopefully eat some innings early in the season, but there is not much in the way of upside at this point in his career. Assuming he makes the Opening Day roster, it is probably only for a short stint while other, better options season in the minor leagues. If Perez is still starting games for the Braves after May, something (else) must have gone very wrong.