The Atlanta Braves are off to a blistering start through the first 42 games of the 2026 season, and there's plenty to celebrate. At the plate, they lead the majors in batting average (.272), slugging percentage (.452), wOBA (.347), and wRC+ (121), while also topping the league in runs scored with 233. On the mound and in the field, they're equally impressive—allowing the fewest runs (143) and boasting the best defensive efficiency (.249 BABIP-against). They rank fifth in defensive value and are tied for second in quality starts (20). While the pitching staff has had its ups and downs, the defense has consistently stepped up, keeping the Braves in the top half of MLB in both FIP and xFIP.

But even for a team this dominant, there's one glaring issue that's impossible to ignore: a startling spike in baserunners getting picked off. Under new first base coach Antoan Richardson, the Braves have been caught napping on the basepaths a staggering 10 times this season—two more than any other team in the majors. To put that in perspective, that's already as many pickoffs as they had in all of 2025, and more than they posted in three of the four seasons between 2021 and 2024.

The problem reared its head again during Tuesday night's 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, when two more Braves runners were picked off. Manager Walt Weiss has seen enough. "To be honest, it's gotten to a point where we're going to have to make an adjustment there," Weiss said after the game. "I don't think it's costing us games, but it just shouldn't happen at this rate. I know we're trying to do some things different, and the guys are working their butts off trying to be really good at it. Antoan has been awesome. He's got passion, he's accountable. That's just something we've got to clean up."

While Weiss is right that the pickoffs haven't directly cost the Braves any games—and their winning ways continue—these miscues have cropped up in critical moments. The most notable came when pinch-runner Jorge Mateo was picked off in the eighth inning of the rubber match against Seattle, representing the tying run in what remains the only series the Braves have lost this season. As the Braves push toward October, tightening up their baserunning will be key to keeping their championship hopes on track. For fans and players alike, it's a small but important adjustment that could make all the difference.