The Major League Baseball offseason has commenced, and the Atlanta Braves are already preparing for the 2025 season with the knowledge that several prominent players will be unavailable at the outset of the campaign. Alex Anthopoulos, the Braves' president of baseball operations and general manager, announced on Tuesday that the team does not expect Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider to be included on the Opening Day roster. As stated, 'We're planning on not having them on the Opening Day roster.' Anthopoulos plans to provide further updates as the team approaches spring training.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is recovering from a torn ACL surgery that he underwent in May, while Spencer Strider is rehabilitating from internal-brace elbow surgery performed in April. Both athletes have faced significant injuries in the past, with Acuña having previously undergone ACL surgery on his other knee in 2021 and Strider experiencing Tommy John surgery during his college career in 2019. Given these backstories, it is expected that the Braves will adopt a cautious approach regarding their return to play. Anthopoulos has indicated that Acuña may not be activated until a month or two into the 2025 season, whereas Strider is anticipated to return earlier in the campaign.
The Atlanta Braves will open the 2025 season with a road game against the San Diego Padres on March 27, followed by their home opener on April 4 against the division-rival Miami Marlins. When healthy, Ronald Acuña Jr. is recognized as one of the foremost players in Major League Baseball, having earned accolades such as the 2023 National League MVP, the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year, three Silver Slugger awards, and four All-Star Game selections. Despite only playing 49 games in the previous season, Acuña demonstrated exceptional performance in 2023, finishing with a .337 batting average, .416 on-base percentage, .596 slugging percentage, along with 41 home runs, 106 RBIs, and 73 stolen bases. This outstanding level of play, occurring despite his prior ACL injury, suggests that Acuña is capable of similar achievements in 2025 and beyond. In contrast, Spencer Strider made a mere two starts in 2024, limiting his ability to build upon his successful 2023 All-Star campaign, where he posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and led the league with 281 strikeouts in 186.2 innings. Although the Braves finished the previous season in second place in the National League East before being eliminated in the Wild Card Round by the Padres, the eventual return of both Strider and Acuña is anticipated to bolster the team's chances for a postseason appearance in the upcoming year.
