Braves News: Spencer Strider’s return, Matt Olson walk-off, more

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 29: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves reacts with Drake Baldwin #30 after hitting a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Truist Park on April 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Braves secured a nother series win Wednesday in a game pitched by Tarik Skubal and that really is a symbol of how things have gone for Atlanta so far this season.

Atlanta comfortably has the best record in baseball and the best run differential in baseball to back it up. Franchise player Ronald Acuna’s production hasn’t really hit it’s expected level, even as he’s been hitting the ball well, and Austin Riley continues to struggle, but Atlanta has an MVP candidate in Matt Olson, has gotten tremendous seasons from a number of star position-players so far, has gotten good if perhaps lucky production from the rotation, and seems to have a dominant bullpen. To make matters even better, they have a host of reinforcements incoming, as Sean Murphy and Spencer Strider are expected back in the next week or so, Ha-Seong Kim seems to be a few weeks away from his return, and some of Atlanta’s young pitching seems to be progressing well from their surgical procedures.

This has been a special and exceedingly fun start to the season and there are plenty of reasons to think that this Braves team can carry something resembling this success forward as the season goes on. Braves News Spencer Strider will return from injury and make his 2026 debut on Sunday at Coors Field. Dylan Lee returned from the paternity list (and dominated Detroit hitters), as the Braves opted to keep Didier Fuentes on the active roster and DFA’d Carlos Carrasco.

Matt Olson crushed a two run walk-off homer, turning a 1-run deficit into a 1-run win on Wednesday night . MLB News The Tigers hired former Cubs’ starter Kyle Hendricks to their baseball operations team . Following Tuesday night’s game against Atlanta, the Tigers placed Casey Mize on the 15-day IL with an abductor strain and Javier Baez on the 10-day IL with an ankle sprain.