Atlanta Braves news and notes from Saturday
Well the Braves are currently in the top 3 for lottery odds in 2026, as the Athletics have been playing fairly well recently and the Braves have…not. There is a good distance before the next team after the Athletics, so the Braves are quite solidly in the top 4 for odds with ~50 games left. There is a roughly 5% difference in odds for the top pick per slot between 2-4, so it makes a decent difference and it’s not just the pick, but the bonus pool that is granted for those slots, so that’s a huge thing to watch for the rest of the season. Additionally, whether Drake Baldwin can win NL ROY and earn the Braves an additional first round pick is a huge storyline for the future of the franchise and for Drake personally.
Braves News
The Braves played a very late, wet game in the Speedway Classic on Saturday that was suspended after less than one inning.
The Braves made an unexpected choice as their extra player for the Speedway Classic.
MLB News
Former Brave Nicky Lopez opted out of his deal with the Yankees to become a free agent.
The Red Sox suffered a blow to their pitching depth, as starter Tanner Houck will require Tommy John surgery.
Blake Snell returned from the IL for the Dodgers and looked pretty good for them in his first start back.