Alex Anthopoulos doesn't usually do "explosive" offseasons. He’s more of a surgical strike kind of guy. But looking at the Braves 40 man roster as we hit mid-January 2026, it’s clear the "wait and see" approach died somewhere in the middle of last year’s injury-riddled collapse.
Honestly? It had to happen.
If you followed the team through the 2025 season, you saw the cracks. It wasn't just bad luck. It was a lack of high-leverage depth that finally caught up to them. Now, with Spring Training just weeks away, the roster looks... different. It’s older in some spots, younger in others, and significantly more expensive. But is it better?
The $20 Million Gamble at Shortstop
The biggest name on the list is one a lot of people didn't expect to see in a Braves jersey back in November. Ha-Seong Kim is officially the shortstop of the present.
The deal is a one-year, $20 million contract that basically says the Braves are done waiting for a prospect to suddenly become Dansby Swanson. Kim didn't have a career year in 2025—he hit .234 with a .649 OPS—but his glove is elite. In a stadium like Truist Park, where the ground is hard and the balls jump, having a vacuum at short is worth the price tag.
What’s interesting is how this affects the rest of the Braves 40 man roster flexibility. By signing Kim to a high-AAV, short-term deal, Anthopoulos kept the 2027 books clean for the inevitable Ronald Acuña Jr. extension talks. It's smart. It’s also risky if Kim's bat doesn't bounce back.
A Bullpen Rebuilt from Scratch
If you hated the 2025 bullpen, you’re going to love what happened this winter. Basically, the Braves decided that "fine" wasn't good enough. They went out and got Robert Suarez on a massive three-year, $45 million deal.
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Think about that. They are paying a 35-year-old reliever $15 million a year.
But look at the names surrounding him:
- Raisel Iglesias (back on a one-year, $16M deal)
- Joe Jiménez (recovering from knee surgery, but still a factor)
- Aaron Bummer - Tyler Kinley (newly signed for $4.25M)
- Joel Payamps
They’ve also added George Soriano, who they snatched off waivers from the Orioles just a few days ago on January 9. It's a high-velocity, high-strikeout group. They clearly got tired of watching leads evaporate in the 7th inning. The bullpen is easily the most improved unit on the entire Braves 40 man roster right now.
The Rotation: Can Chris Sale Do It Again?
Chris Sale is 37. In 2024, he was a god. In 2025, he was great when he was on the mound, posting a 2.58 ERA, but those 125 innings felt like they were lived on a knife's edge.
The Braves are betting $18 million that he has one more elite year in the tank. Behind him, the rotation is a mix of "superstars with question marks" and "kids with a lot to prove."
Spencer Strider is the big one. His velocity dipped last year. His strikeout rate fell. People are worried. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner has been working with him on changing his arm angle to stop him from "cross-firing," but that's a massive adjustment to make in one winter. If Strider isn't Strider, the top of this rotation looks a lot thinner.
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Then you have the youngsters:
- Spencer Schwellenbach: He was a revelation before the elbow fracture. If he’s healthy, he’s a legit #2 or #3.
- Hurston Waldrep: He went 6-1 with a 2.88 ERA late last year. He’s the wildcard. If he’s for real, this might be the best rotation in the NL East.
- AJ Smith-Shawver: Currently recovering from Tommy John. He's on the 40-man but don't expect him to help until 2027.
The Bench and the "Yastrzemski Factor"
The Braves bench used to be a graveyard for veteran careers. This year, it feels more like a toolset.
Adding Mike Yastrzemski on a two-year, $23 million deal was a classic "steady hand" move. He can play all three outfield spots. He hits righties. He doesn't make dumb mistakes. Combined with Mauricio Dubón, who they traded for in November, the Braves finally have guys who can fill in at four different positions without the offense falling off a cliff.
Dubón is basically the Swiss Army knife. He played every position except catcher and pitcher last year. That kind of versatility is why Nacho Alvarez Jr. might start the year in Gwinnett despite his talent. There just isn't a spot for a "maybe" when you have proven "yes" guys on the 40-man.
Recent Waiver Wire Chaos
The last week has been a bit of a blur for the bottom of the Braves 40 man roster. On January 15, they lost José Suarez to the Orioles on a waiver claim. The day before that, the Twins grabbed Vidal Bruján.
It’s the standard January churn. Anthopoulos is trying to sneak guys through to clear spots for minor league invites, but other teams are hungry. Losing Bruján hurts the depth a bit, but with Dubón and Kim in the fold, he was redundant.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Payroll
There’s a narrative that the Braves are suddenly "cheap" because they let Marcell Ozuna hit free agency without a fight. That’s just not true.
The estimated 2026 payroll is sitting near $263 million. That is a massive jump from the $214 million they ended with last year. They aren't shrinking; they’re shifting. They moved money away from a primary DH (Ozuna) and put it into the defense and the bullpen.
It’s a fundamental shift in philosophy. Under Brian Snitker, the Braves were a "slug first, ask questions later" team. Under new manager Walt Weiss, the roster construction suggests a team that wants to win 3-2 games as often as 8-7 ones.
Critical Health Updates
You can’t talk about this roster without mentioning the training room.
- Sean Murphy: Recovering from a right hip labral tear. The team is already bracing for him to start the season on the IL. Drake Baldwin, the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year, is going to be the guy.
- Austin Riley: He had core muscle surgery in August. He’s expected to be 100% for Spring Training, which is huge. The offense died when he left the lineup.
- Ronald Acuña Jr.: He's the engine. All signs point to him being ready, but expect more DH days early on to keep those legs fresh.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're looking at this roster and trying to figure out how the season goes, keep your eyes on these three specific areas:
- Watch the First 20 Games of Spencer Strider: If his velocity is back to 98-99 mph, the Braves are World Series favorites. If he’s sitting 94-95, they have a serious problem.
- The Drake Baldwin Transition: With Murphy likely out, Baldwin has to prove his rookie year wasn't a fluke. He’s the only other catcher on the 40-man besides Murphy, so the pressure is immense.
- The Waiver Claim Strategy: Watch the 40-man count. Currently, they are at the limit. Every time they sign a minor league vet with an invite, someone like Eli White or Daysbel Hernández is at risk of being DFA'd.
The Braves 40 man roster is built for a marathon, not a sprint. They have the veteran floor to win 90 games and the young ceiling to win 105. It’s all about whether those expensive arms in the bullpen can actually hold the leads the offense gives them.
Keep an eye on the transactions page as we get closer to February 15. Anthopoulos usually has one more "small" trade in him before the trucks head to North Port.
Check the 40-man status daily during the first week of Spring Training. This is when the most "surprising" DFAs happen as teams realize their internal prospects have leapfrogged the veterans they signed in December. Look for the Braves to potentially add one more veteran catcher on a minor league deal just in case Murphy's hip rehab hits a snag in March.