The Atlanta Braves were one of the National League's best teams just two years ago. However, things have slowly unraveled for a plethora of reasons. It's been a horrible experience for fans, but there's always the hope for better success next season.
Atlanta isn't the only team struggling to regain their winning ways. The Orioles have followed the same path. They, like the Braves, won over 100 games in 2023 but failed to make a significant impact in the postseason. Baltimore dropped to 91 wins last season and finished second in the division. Atlanta won 89 games and finished second in the NL East.
This year, the Orioles have fallen to last place in the AL East while the Braves are in fourth place. It's been eerie how similar their paths have been. However, some MLB experts believe both teams will bounce back strong in 2026.
CBS Sports has hosted a weekly roundtable discussing various topics related to Major League Baseball. One of their recent discussions touched on whether the Braves or the Orioles had a better chance of winning their respective division next year.
Experts seem to think that Braves have better chance of rebound than Orioles in 2026
Three out of the four experts believe the Braves have the best case for winning their division in 2026. Most of the reasoning is that Atlanta has an easier pathway to winning the division than the Orioles do. They also point to having more confidence in Alex Anthopoulos to be aggressive in the offseason and address the team's needs than Orioles GM Mike Elias.
Those are great points, but the Braves have to get through the Mets and Phillies. Both are great teams. However, I will agree that there's more competition from all teams in the AL East. The NL East has three teams that are playoff favorites each year. The Marlins and Nationals are not part of that list.
As far as AA being aggressive and making the right moves, that is where things get a good bit trickier. If he is allowed to spend more freely, then there is a real case there. He is good at finding players who fit for a good price. It just feels like it's time the Braves go out and show fans they're serious and land some great players in free agency, or swing a blockbuster trade.
Mike Elias has a talented young core in Baltimore and may be a bit more aggressive than everyone thinks. They cannot afford to waste all of the talent they have. The pitching is one of their biggest weaknesses.
It does seem true that the Braves may have an easier path to winning the division that Baltimore does. They have one of the most experienced young lineups in baseball and a great pitching staff. If Atlanta can keep Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop, that allows them to focus on improving the rotation and bullpen, most importantly.