The Atlanta Braves are not off to the start that anyone wanted other than their rivals in the National League. The starting pitching as a whole has been uneven at best, the bullpen has been unreliable, and the offense looks like a shell of their former selves. For many fans, it is unclear where to even start to fix what is ailing the Braves right now.
Some of these roster issues should sort themselves out. Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna Jr. returning from the injured list will force Atlanta to remove some of the less desirable options from the roster or at least into roles that suit them better. However, others will require the Braves to be decisive as the weather warms up.
Here are the biggest roster decisions the Braves have heading into the summer
As the season rolls on, the needs of the roster are inevitably going to change and some or all of these questions will either get answered or look silly in the coming weeks and months. However, here is a quick look at some of the bigger roster decisions Atlanta has coming in the first half.
Who is going to end up winning the Braves' last rotation spot?
In an ideal world, Strider's return from the IL would have either pushed Grant Holmes to the bullpen or AJ Smith-Shawver back to the minor leagues. Unfortunately, Reynaldo Lopez's shoulder surgery has created yet another void that the Braves have to figure out how to fill.
As to how they will go about that, well that is the real question. Early season trades can be very difficult to pull off, but become more possible around June if Atlanta can't figure out a workable solution before then. Perhaps AJSS or Holmes pitch well enough to hold on to their spots or perhaps Hurston Waldrep can make the needed adjustments to succeed in the big leagues. Whatever the case, the rotation is going to be a hot topic.
Do the Braves have the bullpen depth to hold up for the entire season?
It was bad enough that the Braves lost AJ Minter to free agency and Joe Jimenez to a knee injury. Now, the Braves are faced with the reality that many of their current bullpen options have not shown any meaningful amount of reliability so far in 2025. This has obviously been tragic given the number of close losses and blown games early in the season.
Help COULD be coming in the form of old friend Craig Kimbrel assuming he still has something left in the tank. Atlanta also has a few internal options that could work especially if they end up moving Holmes to the pen. Failing that, the Braves could be active in the lead-up to the deadline looking for bullpen help.
Will a viable solution at shortstop emerge?
Orlando Arcia's future at shortstop remains an open question with the Braves. He has had a couple decent games to start the season, but Atlanta also seems to have lost confidence in him given the amount of playing time that Nick Allen has been getting.
The most likely option is that the Braves will go with one of those two the rest of the season with prospect Nacho Alvarez having an outside shot at pushing for playing time. One name to circle as a trade option is Bo Bichette who is a free agent after the season. If Toronto is out of it, expect the Braves to call and at least check on his availability.