The Atlanta Braves are on fire, and they're not cooling off anytime soon. For the second straight week, they've forced their way to the top of our MLB Power Rankings—and this time, there's no debate. After a 25-10 start, the Braves own the best record in baseball by 1.5 games, lead the National League by 2.5 games, and sit a staggering 8.5 games ahead of the rest of the NL East. That's dominance, plain and simple.
But here's where it gets really interesting. This isn't just a hot streak—it's historic. Through 35 games, the Braves haven't seen a start this good since 1893, when the mound was moved back to its current distance. That's right: not even the legendary 1990s-2000s Braves teams, the 2021 World Series champs, or the 2022-23 juggernauts matched this pace. The only better starts in franchise history came in 1892, 1891, and 1889. This team is in rare air.
How are they doing it? It starts with an offense that's simply unstoppable. The Braves lead the majors with 205 runs scored—20 more than the second-place Cubs. Their team OPS of .806 is the highest in baseball, and they're hitting .276 as a unit, also tops in the league. After a modest 6-5 start, they've won 19 of their last 24 games and are the only team yet to lose a series. Their run differential leads the majors by a staggering 15.
On the mound, the story is just as impressive. Despite significant injury concerns heading into the season, the Braves rank second in team ERA (3.19), trailing only the Yankees. The rotation is third in ERA (3.17), and the bullpen—even without closer Raisel Iglesias—is third as well (3.22) with just two blown saves. That's the kind of depth that wins championships.
Now, they'll face a test with Ronald Acuña Jr. on the injured list due to a hamstring strain. But if this team has proven anything, it's that nothing slows them down. Even without their superstar playing at his peak (he was slashing .252/.362/.378), the Braves keep rolling. Meanwhile, another NL East team is surging up the rankings, and the Dodgers look dangerously... fine. But for now, the Braves are the story—and they're writing a historic one.