The Atlanta Braves enter Thursday’s finale against the Cincinnati Reds with a 17–17 record and more questions than answers as they search for consistency in what’s been a lukewarm start to the 2025 season. Once considered the class of the National League, the Braves have struggled to assert themselves through the first month and a half, particularly at the plate where they’ve underperformed expectations. Their offense, while still packed with talent, has sputtered in the early innings—reflected in a concerning trend of hitting the First 5 (F5) team total under in 20 of their last 32 games. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson remain key pieces in the middle of the order, but both have yet to find a rhythm, and with Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies also experiencing inconsistent stretches, Atlanta’s once-feared lineup has been uncharacteristically quiet. The Braves are averaging around 4.2 runs per game, and while they’ve been able to manufacture occasional bursts of offense, they’ve had difficulty sustaining rallies and taking advantage of scoring opportunities, particularly with runners in scoring position. On the mound, Atlanta’s rotation has dealt with injuries and inconsistency, though Spencer Strider and Chris Sale have provided glimpses of dominance when healthy. Strider’s high strikeout rate and electric fastball remain dangerous weapons, but his efficiency has been spotty at times, leading to early exits that place added pressure on a bullpen still trying to settle into defined roles.

The bullpen, once a strength, has been uneven—Joe Jiménez, Raisel Iglesias, and A.J. Minter have all had moments but haven’t consistently locked down high-leverage innings, and the absence of late-inning shutdowns has led to several blown leads and tight losses. Defensively, Atlanta has made uncharacteristic errors that have extended innings and tilted momentum in close games, something they’ll need to clean up if they hope to avoid dropping this series at home. Despite these struggles, the Braves remain one of the most talented teams in the league, and a strong performance in Thursday’s finale could be the spark they need to get rolling. The key for Atlanta will be attacking early and flipping their recent F5 struggles—if they can put runs on the board in the first three innings and play from ahead, they’ll be in a much better position to control the tempo. Getting a big swing from Acuña or Olson could reignite the offense and provide much-needed confidence heading into the weekend. If their starter can go deep into the game and the defense can avoid giving away extra outs, the Braves still have the tools to turn things around and start climbing back toward the top of the NL East. But to do that, they need to treat Thursday’s matchup with urgency and the focus that’s defined their success in past seasons.