Braves Conclude Road Trip in Chicago as Playoff Race Heats Up

ATLANTA, Ga. — The Atlanta Braves, currently in a challenging season, will close out a long road trip next week with a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs. After spending the last week away from Truist Park, the Braves faced the Miami Marlins and the Philadelphia Phillies, the latter leading the National League East.

On Monday, Sept. 1, the Braves will take on the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The teams are set to face each other again in Atlanta the following week, starting another three-game series on Sept. 8.

This season, the Braves have struggled on the road, holding a record over 10 games under .500. Conversely, they finished their recent homestand at 33-33 after a series loss to the New York Mets. With 15 home games remaining this season, there is a chance the Braves could end the season above .500 at home, a mark they have often met in the past three decades.

The upcoming homestand will feature matchups against teams vying for postseason spots, including the Seattle Mariners, Cubs, and Houston Astros. The Braves aim to play spoiler against these competitors, especially with the Astros leading the American League West.

In recent performances, Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep has shown promise for the future. Although his latest outing on Tuesday, Aug. 26, saw him give up an earned run and eight hits over 5.1 innings without striking out a batter, the Braves still went on to win against Miami 11-2.

Looking ahead, Major League Baseball announced the 2026 schedules on Tuesday. The Braves will open the season at Truist Park, a departure from their earlier routine of starting on the West Coast. Their first opponents will be the Kansas City Royals and the (Sacramento/Las Vegas?) Athletics.

As the Braves prepare for the future, they also hope to see former coach Ron Washington return to the dugout soon as he recovers from triple bypass surgery. Washington took over management duties for the Los Angeles Angels following the Braves’ World Series championship in 2021.