The Braves are set to benefit in a crucial manner from the Mets losing Pete Alonso in free agency.
The New York Mets have endured a difficult offseason so far. After previously losing star closer Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the ball club was dealt another difficult blow on Wednesday. Pete Alonso -- the Mets' slugging first baseman -- agreed to a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Jeff Passan of ESPN broke the news. The Mets losing Alonso in free agency is going to benefit the Atlanta Braves without question.
Atlanta and New York both missed the postseason in 2025. The Mets still finished with an 83-79 record, though, placing them second in the National League East. The Miami Marlins' 79-83 record was good for third place, while the Braves were fourth with a 76-86 record.
With the Mets taking a step in the wrong direction so far this offseason, the Braves should find themselves in a position to bounce back. Of course, the Philadelphia Phillies cruised to a division victory last year and they are still the team to beat in the NL East. Miami does not pose too much of a threat to Atlanta, though. Atlanta could realistically emerge as the second best team in the NL East in 2026.
With that being said, the Braves still have questions of their own to address.
Braves have room to improve
Atlanta needs to improve the pitching rotation, while the offense could use another bat or two. It also remains to be seen who the starting shortstop will be in 2026.
Still, the Braves' rivals are doing heavy lifting for them already by getting worse. As a result, potential Braves additions do not feel quite as urgent as they would if ball clubs such as New York and Miami were drastically improving.
In addition to potential roster moves, the Braves need to hope for a healthier all-around campaign. Injuries played an unfortunate role in their overall struggles in 2025, so avoiding the injury bug will be the secret to rebounding.
What's next for the Braves?
Many insiders around the MLB world expect the Braves to pursue pitching. At the very least, Atlanta will likely add one more pitcher before spring training. It would not be surprising to see them make a few pitching additions, however.
Regardless of what the Braves ultimately accomplish this offseason, they will be in a better position than 2025 with Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso no longer on the Mets.