The Atlanta Braves have been living through a nightmare in 2025. A stagnant offense, a bullpen bleeding runs, a roster riddled with key injuries, and a quiet trade deadline that did nothing to inspire confidence have left fans frustrated and fed up.
But in the middle of the chaos, some very real hope is starting to emerge — and it’s not just wishful thinking.
Alex Lodise Looks Great in Pro Debut
If Braves fans needed a jolt of electricity, second-round pick Alex Lodise just delivered it.
The Florida State standout and ACC Player of the Year made his debut Friday with Atlanta’s High-A affiliate, the Rome Emperors — and he came within a home run of the cycle. Lodise went 3-for-4 with a single, double, and triple, driving in three runs and showcasing the exact type of all-around talent that made him a Golden Spikes finalist earlier this year.
Lodise posted a jaw-dropping .394/.462/.705 slash line at FSU with 17 homers and 68 RBIs. He even managed to snag ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors. If Lodise continues to produce like this, he could push for a future spot at shortstop.
Braves Prospect Owen Murphy Returns
Meanwhile, on the pitching side, Owen Murphy, the Braves’ 2022 first-round pick, is back from Tommy John surgery.
The right-hander returned to action Saturday for the Rome Emperors and carved up the opposition: 3.1 scoreless innings, eight strikeouts, zero walks, and just two hits allowed. That’s dominance. Murphy was sidelined for most of the past year, but he hasn’t lost a step — a big relief for a team in need of future rotation depth.
Murphy, currently the No. 6 prospect in the Braves system, has quickly reminded everyone why the team was so high on him in the first place.
Nick Markakis Goes Bananas
In what might be the biggest personality plot twist of the week, Nick Markakis — known for his calm, quiet demeanor during a long MLB career — shocked baseball fans by suiting up for the Savannah Bananas during their stop in Baltimore.
The former All-Star and fan favorite in both Baltimore and Atlanta made a surprise appearance, reaching base after a dropped infield grounder that featured — naturally — an attempted backflip catch. Markakis, who spent six seasons with the Braves, hit .283 with 48 home runs and 388 RBIs in Atlanta before retiring in 2020.
Banana Ball might be polarizing, but moments like this hit the sweet spot — fun, nostalgic, and wildly unexpected.
As miserable as 2025 has been for the Braves at the big-league level, the farm system is cooking, and fans now have a couple of legit reasons to stay plugged in. If Lodise and Murphy keep this up, the future could be here faster than expected — and for a franchise desperate for good news, that’s more than welcome.
