The Atlanta Braves are the first team to reach 40 wins

Just a year removed from a season which saw the Braves finish fourth in the NL East and 10 games below .500 with a 76-86 record. The Braves are now the first team to hit 40 wins in 2026.

The Atlanta Braves have had somewhat of a sneaky run this far into the 2026 season, after a 5-2 win against the Cincinnati Reds tonight, marking their fifth series win in their last six series, the Braves now sit 10 games ahead of the second-place Phillies.

The Braves have been led this year at the dish by young talents Drake Baldwin and Michael Harris II. Both Baldwin and Harris II are former NL Rookie of the Year recipients, with Baldwin in 2025 and Harris II in 2022.

Both Baldwin and Harris II average’s currently sit above .300, with Baldwins slash line at .303/.389/.543 and Harris’ II at .308/.333/.535

For Harris II this return to form is much appreciated after a down season in 2025 where he posted a .249/.268/.409.

Interestingly enough, Braves superstar and current franchise icon Ronald Acuña Jr. has had, to this point, a down year with respect to his career performance.

Acuña Jr. dealt with a hamstring injury in early May and has somewhat struggled to return to his well-known form at this point in the season.

On the mound for the Braves, it’s the opposite story, 16-year veteran Chris Sale currently has an ERA of 2.01 through 67 IP, putting up some of the best numbers of his storied career.

Sale has seemingly only gotten better with age after joining Atlanta in 2024, posting the best ERA of his career that same season at 2.38, and he hasn’t slowed down since.

Sale is looking to post his third straight sub 3 ERA season in Atlanta. And is making a series case for an NL Cy Young so far this year.

While there is still a lot of seasons left to play, it seems safe to say the Braves took their one-year vacation from the playoffs to heart and are looking to not miss their second October in a row.

Follow Adrian Murillo Silva on Instagram @adrianms_official

About the Author Published May 31, 2026

ADRIAN MURILLO SILVA

Adrian Murillo Silva covers both MLB and soccer news for Ball Exclusives. He has previously worked with other news publications such as The Lantern, the independent student voice of Ohio State.