The Real Problems With the Braves Since Their 2021 World Series

Injuries Have Crushed Atlanta’s Momentum

The Braves have been one of the most talented teams in baseball on paper, but key injuries have repeatedly disrupted their roster.

Superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. has dealt with multiple serious knee injuries, including ACL tears that wiped out significant time. When healthy, he’s one of the most electric players in baseball, but losing him for stretches has been devastating.

Pitching ace Spencer Strider also suffered a major arm injury in 2024 that required a surgery similar to Tommy John, ending his season early and leaving a huge hole in Atlanta’s rotation.

The injury list continues.

Catcher Sean Murphy is currently recovering from a hip injury, while former Braves ace Max Fried dealt with multiple nagging injuries during his time in Atlanta, including forearm and hamstring problems.

Even second baseman Ozzie Albies, one of the team’s most consistent hitters, has struggled to stay healthy, missing time with several broken bones over the past few seasons.

Individually, injuries happen to every team. But for Atlanta, they’ve piled up year after year, constantly disrupting lineup chemistry and pitching stability.

Spending Gap With MLB’s Big Spenders

Injuries aren’t the only issue.

Another major difference between the Braves and other contenders is how much money teams are willing to spend.

According to MLB luxury tax payroll numbers, the Braves sit around 10th in spending, while teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees dominate the top of the list.

Those teams consistently spend $300–$400 million on payroll, loading their rosters with elite talent and depth.

The Braves, meanwhile, operate closer to the $230 million range.

That doesn’t mean spending automatically equals championships. Plenty of high-payroll teams fail in October every year.

But there’s no denying one trend across baseball: the more talent you can afford, the more chances you have to win games.

Teams like the Dodgers and Mets keep adding stars every offseason. Atlanta has largely relied on its existing core rather than aggressively adding new high-priced talent.

The Braves Are Still Good — But October Is the Problem

The Braves are still one of the most talented teams in baseball. Their lineup remains dangerous, their farm system has produced stars, and their front office continues to make smart long-term moves.

But championships aren’t won on paper.

Until Atlanta can stay healthier and keep pace with baseball’s biggest spenders, the team may continue running into the same frustrating outcome: strong regular seasons followed by early playoff exits.

The 2021 title proved the Braves could reach the top of the baseball world.

Now the question is whether they can solve the injury problems and close the spending gap before their championship window begins to close.