‘Everything’s clicking’ as Braves defy expectations a month into the season

That, as it is said so often, is why they play the games.

The Braves have the most wins (18), not just in the NL East, not just in the National League, but in all of baseball. Every other team has lost at least one series — the Braves have won seven of eight and split the other.

They sit 5½ games ahead in the division standings above the Marlins. They have an MLB-best run differential of plus-62. They’re scoring 5.8 runs per game. The pitching staff has MLB’s second-best ERA at 3.12 (even after allowing 11 runs Tuesday).

The Mets, meanwhile, had lost 11 straight games before winning Wednesday and Thursday, and are still seven games under .500. The Phillies come to Truist Park to start a three-game series Friday, having lost nine straight after a 10-inning defeat in Chicago on Thursday.

Everything is coming up Braves, as if they had to pay some sort of unknown penance in 2025 in order to enjoy what has transpired thus far in 2026.

“We’re just deeper than we were. And last year we just ended up losing our entire rotation. It was hard to overcome that,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said Thursday after a series win against the Nationals and a 6-1 road trip. “But our whole roster is just deeper. And a lot of it’s the same, position player-wise. Those position players are in a much better place than they were a year ago.

“Our bullpen, I think, is considerably better. Our bench is considerably better. It’s a more complete team. And it’s more versatile, more athletic. We’re in a good place.”

No one in the Braves clubhouse is celebrating an 18-8 start before the end of April. There is still 84% of the season to go. Optimism, though, is undoubtedly prevailing over pessimism these days.

Catcher Drake Baldwin, who has been on base in all 26 games, has followed up his NL Rookie of the Year campaign by putting up MVP-type numbers. Baldwin is slashing .318/.392/.551, leads the majors in hits (34), is third in MLB in RBIs (23) and is above the 90th percentile in batting run value (11), expected weighted on-base average (.404), expected batting average (.297), expected slugging (.576), barrel percentage (16.9) and launch angle sweet spot (42.2).

Center fielder Michael Harris II is obliterating baseballs with an average exit velocity of almost 95 mph and has “barreled” 14% of pitches he has made contact with. His expected batting average of .341 and expected slugging (.669) are both fifth overall, and 57.6% of his batted balls have been “hard hit.”

Designated hitter Dominic Smith, shortstop Mauricio Dubón, second baseman Ozzie Albies and first baseman Matt Olson are all off to great offensive starts. Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. are the lone everyday players struggling offensively, and yet the Braves lead the majors in RBIs (146) and hits (248), and are second in home runs (37), average (.274) and slugging (.455).

Braves starters have a 3.16 ERA (third best) and 1.16 WHIP (sixth best). Those numbers include starts by rookies Didier Fuentes and JR Ritchie, and veterans José Suarez and Martín Pérez. Atlanta also still has one of the best bullpens in baseball, even with closer Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day injured list.

Lest it be forgotten, the Braves still haven’t had starter Spencer Strider throw a pitch, catcher Sean Murphy take an at bat or shortstop Ha-Seong Kim field a ground ball. As good as things have gone, there’s room for things to be better when those injured players return.

It is inevitable that this Braves squad will hit a rough patch. Until then, the good vibes will continue to flow.

“We’re always having fun and we’re trying to go out there and execute and have fun right after we execute,” Harris said. “Everything’s clicking right now. It feels good to win these series and come back home and play Philly again.”