Braves receive top grade for 2026 season amid unexpected strong start

The Braves are sitting atop the NL East, the National League, and all of Major League Baseball with their 25-10 record.

If this were told to fans across baseball before the season, it would've been brushed off as an incredibly unrealistic and wildly bold prediction.

But the Braves have proven almost everyone wrong. The offense is performing well, but the true highlight of the season has been the starting rotation.

Chris Sale is still as good as ever with his 2.14 ERA and 6-1 record, but the true surprise has been the rest of the rotation after him.

MORE: Don Mattingly and Preston Mattingly make father-son MLB history for Phillies

Of the other starters for the Braves, Brye Elder is the biggest surprise by far. He was coming into the season as someone with plenty of doubters, and for good reason.

Elder had a 5.30 ERA last season in 28 starts, and his 4.73 ERA in the preseason wasn't exactly encouraging. But, he has a 1.88 ERA in seven starts this season with 36 strikeouts in a truly unexpected turnaround.

There's been solid production from pitchers like JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes this year. Grant Holmes has a 4.34 ERA with a 2-1 record, which isn't great, but it's not terrible either.

Overall, the Braves have been one of the biggest surprises in MLB this season, but they're more than deserving of not just the top grade in baseball, but the lone A+ grade from Schoenfield this season.

More MLB news:

• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Aaron Judge makes baseball history never done before by Yankees player
• Reds' Elly De La Cruz makes baseball history not done in last 126 years
• 5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for Cardinals
• Pete Crow-Armstrong is still struggling to hit well for the Cubs