5 bold predictions that could define the Braves’ 2025 season ft. Ronald Acuna Jr.'s 2nd MVP 

The Atlanta Braves came into 2024 with high expectations, but everything went wrong. They suffered an inordinate amount of impactful injuries to their biggest stars. Those who stayed healthy mostly struggled. In 2025, the slate will be wiped clean. Here are some bold predictions about how that will go.

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Bold predictions for the 2025 Braves

5) Chris Sale is a Cy Young finalist again

Can Chris Sale do it again? (Imagn)

It's hard to imagine an aging Chris Sale being fully healthy and dominant for two years in a row at this point. The last time he had two full, quality seasons was in 2017 and 2018. It's been a while.

That said, Sale is set up to once again dominate. Provided he stays healthy, there's no reason to think he'll fall off production-wise and will once again challenge for a Cy Young.

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4) 105 wins

The Braves will win 105 games (Getty)

The Atlanta Braves had so much go wrong in 2024 and they didn't even win 90 games. This was a preseason contender for the World Series, and they won 89 games and barely squeaked into the playoffs.

Adding 16 wins to an already solid team is a nearly impossible feat, but the Braves can. If they avoid last year's catastrophe and remain mostly healthy, 100+ wins is more than doable.

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3) Matt Olson will hit 50 home runs again

Matt Olson will hit 50 home runs (Imagn)

Not many players have hit 50 home runs recently within one season, but Matt Olson has. He hit 54 in 2023 before failing to record even 30 in 2024. It was a really down year for Olson.

However, if he surpassed 50 once, he can do so again. With a better season and an improved lineup around him, there's no reason to believe he can't return to form. Fifty is a high bar to clear, but he's done it already and can do it again.

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2) Ronald Acuna Jr. will win the MVP

Ronald Acuna Jr. will win the MVP (Imagn)

Ronald Acuna Jr. is not expected to be available for Opening Day. He tore his ACL during the season, which could cost him a month or so of the regular season. That might prove to be what prevents him from winning the MVP.

That and the stacked field of Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Mookie Betts, Ketel Marte, Elly De La Cruz, and Francisco Lindor as potential challengers could as well. Still, Acuna has the talent and will likely produce when he's back, so if he doesn't miss too much time, the MVP could be his.

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1) Spencer Strider will win the Cy Young

Spencer Strider will win the Cy Young (Imagn)

The same logic applies here to Spencer Strider. He did go down virtually at the beginning of the season, but he's not expected to be ready by Opening Day. With a little bit of an absence in the stacked NL, his odds go down for the Cy Young.

He will have to outdo Zack Wheeler, Chris Sale, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes, and so many others and perhaps by a wide margin, but he has the talent to do so.