Major upgrades are coming to Atlanta

The 2024 Atlanta Braves were one of the bigger disappointments in all of professional sports. They were seen as one of the favorites to win the World Series before the season started. A few weeks into the season, Atlanta would lose their ace Spencer Strider to a torn UCL. Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. would lose his season soon after to a torn ACL.

This offseason is the time for Atlanta to get healthy and get back to 100 percent. Beyond just health, they have the opportunity to use free agency and the trade market to add more talent to their roster.

Combine health, free agency and maybe a trade or two and the Braves have a chance to put together a real dream 2025 lineup.

What does this dream 2025 Opening Day lineup look like for the Braves?

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We told you this is a dream scenario, right?

The first aspect of the Braves’ dream would be to sign their superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. to get back on the field at 100 percent by Opening Day. It’s not completely out of the picture either. Unlike Strider, Acuña’s injury won’t keep him on the sidelines for more than a year. Instead, the initial timeline for recovery said he would be back in eight to 10 months, meaning a return before Opening Day is not out of the picture.

There are some reports coming out that Acuña won’t be ready for Opening Day, but it’s still months away, so it’s hard to say at this point. Even if general manager Alex Anthopoulos indicates the superstar outfielder won’t be ready to go on Opening Day, the Braves star may be feeling better than the GM knows.

Still, it’s a dream setup. If Acuña isn’t ready for opening day, it’s not the end of the world. He will likely return early in the season.

The Braves have been in need of a shortstop since mid-2024, when Orlando Arcia started showing signs of struggle. Those boards quickly became a habit for the former All-Star until he was nearly unplayable with an OPS below league average. The Braves have been linked to trades for shortstops like Bo Bichette, but that won’t be where they find their franchise shortstop in this scenario.

Instead, they plunge into free agency and send a seven- or eight-year contract worth $200 million to Milwaukee Brewers superstar shortstop Willy Adames as their new franchise shortstop. Acquiring Adames would not only be a huge upgrade on the field, but it would also be a huge addition to their clubhouse.

Last season, Adames slashed .251/.331/.462 with a 118 OPS+ compared to Arcia who posted a 73 OPS+. To say Adames would be a huge upgrade for the Braves would be an understatement.

While we’re in dreamland, let’s explore a trade that would replace Acuña until he returns, while also being a huge addition to the team after Acuña is back on the field.

It’s a blockbuster deal to acquire Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. Robert would end up in left field for the Braves as he looks to return to his days in 2023 where he hit nearly 40 home runs. Robert is a legitimate threat to move into the 30/30 club if he has a little protection with him.

Landing Robert would be a tall order, but the Braves have a number of prospects at the top of their list that they could include in the deal.

Having a trio of Adames, Robert and Acuña on the field in addition to the other top talent Atlanta has would instantly make them World Series favorites.