Braves could mirror Dodgers and turn biggest issue into a strength for postseason
This issue might be a huge boon come October for Atlanta.
Braves could mirror Dodgers and turn biggest issue into a strength for postseason originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Atlanta Braves are coming into the 2026 regular season with a few clear issues that will hamper their success in the early goings of the year.
Ha Seong-Kim being out for a few months is a huge issue, but the far bigger problem for the Braves is their starting rotation injuries. Essentially, a full starting rotation's worth of pitchers are on the injured list. As ESPN's Bradford Doolittle notes, that full rotation on the IL is the biggest question the Braves are facing this season.
But that big question might turn into a strength. by the end of the season, similar to what the Los Angeles Dodgers showed last season. Braves could turn biggest weakness into a strength come October "Pivotal number: 1.
That's the number of starting rotations the Braves had on the injured list as the 2026 season began," Doolittle writes. "... If they can win more than their share, this initial obstacle might prove to be a boon late in the season, when some or all of these pitchers return and have limited digits on their innings clickers.