After injuries plagued them throughout the 2024 season, the Atlanta Braves are looking to bounce back in a big way in 2025. They are expected to have the ability to do so, as they have been voted on as the team most likely to challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers for the World Series Championship.

ESPN polled a panel of baseball insiders on a variety of topics, one of them being what team is most likely to compete with the Dodgers this season.

“A healthy Braves team can go toe-to-toe with the Dodgers,” an AL exec said. “The slower return of [Spencer] Strider and [Ronald] Acuna could work to their favor later on. If they're peaking come October, watch out for the Braves.

The Boston Red Sox received one vote, largely because of their group of highly-touted prospects expected to arrive on the MLB scene this season.

“If the Red Sox prospects/young guys like Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer are all part of the lineup come October, I'm going with the Red Sox.”

The consensus surrounding the Braves seems to be if they can stay healthy, they will be able to go toe-to-toe with anyone this season.

Braves bullpen struggles on Opening Day

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The Atlanta Braves failed to get the job done against the San Diego Padres on Opening Day, falling 7-4. The Braves' bullpen blew a lead in the seventh inning.

“It was a tough inning in all respects, really,” Snitker said of the four-run seventh, which got rolling with Neris giving up a 405-foot homer on a full-count, 93.5 mph fastball to pinch hitter Gavin Sheets via The Athletic. It was the first batter faced by the 35-year-old right-hander, who signed in early March and pitched in three Grapefruit League games, two coming in the past week.”

Chris Sale, the 2024 Cy Young winner, has full confidence in the unit to figure things out.

“I think it’s just the first game of the season, man, honestly,” Sale said. “Anything can happen. This is a long season. I’ve said it a lot that I don’t put too much weight in guys’ major-league debuts or first games of the season, because there’s just kind of a lot going on. You know, check the book, Neris has been a bad man for a long time. So I’ll take him in any situation, any inning, any game.”

If the Braves' bullpen can put it together, the team will be in a good position to compete this season.