With a perennial MVP candidate in Ronald Acuña Jr., the reigning MVP and Cy Young winner in Chris Sale and stars like Matt Olson and Spencer Strider, the Braves enter every season with playoff aspirations. But last year, by Braves standards, was a disappointing one.
Finishing 76-86, the Braves placed fourth in the NL East and never really had a shot. They were marred by injury throughout the season. Acuña missed almost the entire first half, Austin Riley played just 102 games and Spencer Strider struggled after missing all of 2024 with elbow surgery.
But with their stars healthy, the Braves once again enter 2026 as playoff contenders. They have an uphill battle in a competitive division with the Phillies, Mets and even the Marlins now, but they have the talent to compete with anyone.
Check out the 2026 Atlanta Braves TV schedule right here to make sure you never miss a single steal, home run or seventh inning stretch of the upcoming season.
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Atlanta Braves Team Info:
Founding Season: 1871
Division: National League East Division
Home Ballpark: Truist Park
World Series Titles: 4 (1914, 1957, 1995, 2021)
2025 Finish: Missed playoffs
How Did the Braves Do in 2025?
It was a disappointing season in Atlanta as the Braves finished 76-86, placing fourth in the division behind the Phillies, Mets and Marlins. In large part, this was due to the injury bug.
Ronald Acuña was limited to just 95 games. Austin Riley played only 102. Chris Sale made just 20 starts, and Spencer Strider came off Tommy John surgery and showed signs of rust. Spencer Schwellenbach also missed time and logged only 100 innings.
What made it all worse is that these injuries kept staggering. This was a team that could never really build serious momentum. In a division like the NL East, where there’s very little room for error, the Braves just could not catch a break all season.
2025 Season Highlights
But that doesn’t mean the season was without highlights. Matt Olson returned to All-Star form, leading the league in doubles and winning a Gold Glove at first base. Drake Baldwin won Rookie of the Year behind the plate, hitting 19 home runs with 80 RBIs in just 124 games. An .810 OPS behind the plate is pretty impressive for a rookie. And Acuña, when he did play, looked like the MVP candidate we’re used to seeing. He made the All-Star Game because of how hot his June was in particular.
The problem for the Braves came down to pitching. Sale, fresh off a Cy Young, was healthy through the first half and made the All-Star Game, posting a 2.58 ERA throughout the season. But he had just 20 starts. Spencer Schwellenbach was limited to 17 starts, and Spencer Strider, fresh off Tommy John surgery, did not have the sharpness we’re used to seeing from him.
All in all, it’s a season the team will be happy to turn the page on and hope to get some better health in 2026.
Atlanta Braves 2026 TV Schedule
The Atlanta Braves open Friday, March 27 against the Kansas City Royals at 7:15 p.m. ET.
After their worst finish in the NL East since 2016, Atlanta gets 13 straight games against division opponents from April 13 to April 26:
- They face the Marlins from the 13th through the 15th
- Then travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies from the 17th through the 19th
- They travel to Washington from April 20 to April 23
- They host the Phillies from April 24 to April 26
Check out the Braves’ first month of play here, along with where to watch the games live. Games that do not have a national broadcast listed are typically available on a team’s RSN or local streaming channel.
| Date & Time | Opponent | Watch Information |
| Fri, 3/27 | 7:15 p.m. | Kansas City Royals | — |
| Sat, 3/28 | 7:15 p.m. | Kansas City Royals | FOX |
| Sun, 3/29 | 1:35 p.m. | Kansas City Royals | — |
| Mon, 3/30 | 7:15 p.m. | Oakland Athletics | — |
| Tue, 3/31 | 7:15 p.m. | Oakland Athletics | — |
| Wed, 4/1 | 12:15 p.m. | Oakland Athletics | — |
| Thu, 4/2 | 9:40 p.m. | @ Arizona Diamondbacks | — |
| Fri, 4/3 | 9:40 p.m. | @ Arizona Diamondbacks | — |
| Sat, 4/4 | 7:15 p.m. | @ Arizona Diamondbacks | FOX |
| Sun, 4/5 | 4:10 p.m. | @ Arizona Diamondbacks | — |
| Mon, 4/6 | 9:38 p.m. | @ Los Angeles Angels | — |
| Tue, 4/7 | 9:38 p.m. | @ Los Angeles Angels | — |
| Wed, 4/8 | 4:07 p.m. | @ Los Angeles Angels | — |
| Fri, 4/10 | 7:15 p.m. | Cleveland Guardians | — |
| Sat, 4/11 | 7:15 p.m. | Cleveland Guardians | — |
| Sun, 4/12 | 7:20 p.m. | Cleveland Guardians | NBC | Peacock |
| Mon, 4/13 | 7:15 p.m. | Miami Marlins | — |
| Tue, 4/14 | 7:15 p.m. | Miami Marlins | — |
| Wed, 4/15 | 7:15 p.m. | Miami Marlins | — |
| Fri, 4/17 | 6:40 p.m. | @ Philadelphia Phillies | — |
| Sat, 4/18 | 7:15 p.m. | @ Philadelphia Phillies | FOX |
| Sun, 4/19 | 7:20 p.m. | @ Philadelphia Phillies | Peacock |
| Mon, 4/20 | 6:45 p.m. | @ Washington Nationals | — |
| Tue, 4/21 | 6:45 p.m. | @ Washington Nationals | — |
| Wed, 4/22 | 6:45 p.m. | @ Washington Nationals | — |
| Thu, 4/23 | 1:05 p.m. | @ Washington Nationals | — |
| Fri, 4/24 | 7:15 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies | — |
| Sat, 4/25 | 7:15 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies | — |
| Sun, 4/26 | 1:35 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies | — |
| Tue, 4/28 | 7:15 p.m. | Detroit Tigers | TBS |
| Wed, 4/29 | 7:15 p.m. | Detroit Tigers | — |
| Thu, 4/30 | 12:15 p.m. | Detroit Tigers | — |
You won’t want to miss a second of the Braves 2026 baseball season, and you don’t have to with DIRECTV.
Atlanta Braves 2026 Game Schedule
Don’t see a Braves game on today? Find another matchup on the full MLB schedule with MLB players, MLB teams and MLB standings, to keep your head in the game.
How to Watch the Atlanta Braves
There are a number of networks that will broadcast Atlanta Brave games live in 2026, all of which are listed out below along with their corresponding DIRECTV channel numbers. And remember, if you can’t catch the game live you can record and watch it at home or on the go, whenever you want.
- Braves Vision new RSN – DIRECTV Channel 645
- MLB Network® – DIRECTV Channel 213
- ESPN – DIRECTV Channel 206
- FOX – Check local listings
- FOX Sports 1 – DIRECTV Channel 219
- ABC – Check local listings
- TBS – DIRECTV Channel 247
- NBC – Find your local NBC channel
- MLB EXTRA INNINGS®
2026 Braves Players to Know
Ronald Acuña Jr. – RF
Acuña Jr. remains Atlanta’s best player. The superstar right fielder has had two injury-shortened seasons in a row, but when he plays, he is arguably the most dynamic player on the field at any given time.
Matt Olson – 1B
The power-hitting Olson put up another All-Star season in 2025. He led the league in doubles and played all 162 games for the fifth time in his career, earning his third All-Star Game selection and third Gold Glove. Olson and Acuña are one of the best hitting duos in any lineup in the league.
Chris Sale – SP
When Chris Sale is healthy, there are few pitchers you would want to hand the ball to first. He is one of the most dominant pitchers in the league, but as was the case last year, he couldn’t put together a full season. Sale was fresh off a Cy Young season and pitched well when available, but as has been the case at multiple points in his career, he struggled to make it through the full season. Atlanta is hoping to get another solid year out of Sale for as much as they can.
Spencer Strider – SP
Strider had a disappointing 2025 by his standards, largely due to his first year back from Tommy John surgery. Typically, players who undergo the procedure have a much more successful second season back from that surgery, and no one knows that better than his rotation mate, Chris Sale. If Strider can get back to his pre-surgery dominance and Sale can stay healthy, that changes the fortunes of this Braves team dramatically and vaults them into a much more competitive position against their division rivals.
Drake Baldwin – C
Baldwin shocked the baseball world by emerging as a Rookie of the Year candidate out of nowhere. The 24-year-old backstop hit .274 with 19 home runs and 80 RBIs, and was one of a handful of Atlanta bright spots on the year. With Sean Murphy still out, Baldwin has the backstop position all to himself, and the Braves hope he can continue to produce.
Michael Harris II – CF
Michael Harris was the Rookie of the Year back in 2022 and hasn’t quite replicated that success. Last year, he set a new career high in strikeouts and a new career low in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging. Still just 24, a re-emergence from Harris would make this lineup an entirely new level of dangerous.
Prospects to Watch
Cam Caminiti – LHP
The 19-year-old left-handed pitcher might not make the squad in 2026, but there’s a chance he’s called up at some point. The Braves’ number one overall prospect and the number 68 prospect in MLB’s top 100, Caminiti sits around 93-94 miles per hour with his fastball, which he combines with a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup. Caminiti is a former center fielder who brings some athleticism to the mound.
JR Ritchie – RHP
The number two overall prospect for the Braves is JR Ritchie, a right-handed pitcher in AAA. The 22-year-old had Tommy John surgery in 2023 and, as is the case with that injury, struggled in his first year back to action but bounced back in the second. Last year, he had a .117 batting average against. His fastball reaches 97 miles per hour and averages 94. A four-seam fastball and two-seam fastball are mixed with a low-80s slider and low-80s changeup. Ritchie has also added a low-80s curveball and a 90 mile-per-hour cutter.
With a full arsenal, Ritchie has all the potential to make for a mid-season fill-in starter or be called up in need of injury relief. Eventually he profiles as a good mid-rotation arm.
Atlanta Braves Rivalries
Team rivalries add an extra layer of excitement during the regular season, and considering how long the Braves have been around, they have their fair share of them.
Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Braves, Phillies, and Mets routinely battle it out for the NL East crown. Last year, the Braves went 5-8 against the Phillies and were outscored by 18 runs. If Atlanta wants to win the division, they’ll need to turn the tables on Philadelphia.
Games vs. Philadelphia Phillies:
- Fri, 4/17 | 6:40 PM | @ Philadelphia Phillies
- Sat, 4/18 | 7:15 PM | @ Philadelphia Phillies | FOX
- Sun, 4/19 | 7:20 PM | @ Philadelphia Phillies | Peacock
- Fri, 4/24 | 7:15 PM | Philadelphia Phillies
- Sat, 4/25 | 7:15 PM | Philadelphia Phillies
- Sun, 4/26 | 1:35 PM | Philadelphia Phillies
Braves vs. New York Mets
Though the Braves got unlucky for most of the season, they sure did get lucky against the Mets. They won the season series 8-5 while being outscored by 5 runs. Atlanta suffered its worst loss of the season to the Mets, a 19-4 drubbing in the dog days of August. With a healthier pitching staff, Atlanta will need to silence the Mets’ bats in 2026.
Games vs. New York Mets:
- Fri, 6/12 | 7:10 PM | @ New York Mets
- Sat, 6/13 | 4:10 PM | @ New York Mets
- Sun, 6/14 | 1:40 PM | @ New York Mets
- Fri, 7/3 | 7:15 PM | New York Mets
- Sat, 7/4 | 8:08 PM | New York Mets
- Sun, 7/5 | 12:30 PM | New York Mets | FOX
- Mon, 7/6 | 7:15 PM | New York Mets | NBC, Peacock
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