Atlanta, GA

3 key questions as the Atlanta Braves begin spring training

Published

10 months ago

February 15, 2025

3 key questions as the Atlanta Braves begin spring training

NORTH PORT, Florida — The man whose absence defined his team’s 2024 has been delightfully unavoidable so far in spring training.

Ronald Acuña Jr., the Atlanta Braves’ franchise man, a power-speed dynamo of the highest order, had his season derailed last year by a torn ACL on May 27. That injury, his second ACL tear in a four-year span on two different legs, sent him to the surgeon’s table and the Braves a’reeling. His unavailability — coupled with a seemingly never-ending cavalcade of other injuries that, most notably, included an elbow surgery to flame-throwing ace Spencer Strider — stymied Atlanta’s quest for a seventh straight NL East crown. A carousel of survivors and fill-ins admirably clawed the club into a wild-card spot, but the undermanned outfit didn’t manage to win a single playoff game.

In the Braves’ clubhouse on Friday, four days ahead of the team’s first full-squad workout, Acuña spoke for nearly 10 minutes. With an ear-to-ear smile plastered on his face, the 27-year-old addressed his recovery, his mindset, his road back and his time away. He called Atlanta’s outfield “the best outfield in baseball.” He laughed and joked, clearly overjoyed to be back in the mix. And, impressively, he did it all in English. It was, according to those regularly around the club, the longest and most engaging interview Acuña has ever given in his second language.

And he wasn’t the only notable Brave to speak on an overcast Florida morning. Alex Anthopolous, the team’s president of baseball operations, conducted his first in-person question-and-answer session of this calendar year. His eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses, the elusive and secretive exec peeled back a few layers about a franchise coming off its most disappointing season since 2017.

Here’s an overview of what Acuña and Anthopolous had to say and how their comments intersect with the biggest questions facing the Braves as they seek to dethrone the Phillies in the NL East.

When will Acuña and Strider come back?

On this, Anthopolous didn’t mince words: Neither player will be on the Opening Day roster.

Acuña, who has been taking batting practice, won’t appear in any Grapefruit League games, per Anthopoulos. His biggest hurdle remaining is full-gas cutting and planting, vital movements in the outfield. Anthopolous also shared that Acuña won’t slot in at DH whenever he’s back.

But the major takeaway is that the swashbuckling Venezuelan is on schedule and in good spirits.

“The priority is that I feel great — that’s the most important thing,” Acuña shared. “When they tell me I need to play that day, I’ll be there.”

Strider, who threw a bullpen Friday, might make an appearance or two in late March, but he isn’t expected back in the bigs until late April. He hasn’t yet faced live hitters but should do so in the coming weeks.

These two players, obviously, are absolutely crucial to the 2025 Braves. The calculus of the 2024 team was equally straightforward and, thus, unfortunate. Acuña and Strider, a top-five position player and pitcher in the world, hardly played. All-Star third baseman Austin Riley missed the last month and a half. Starting catcher Sean Murphy was hurt for the first two months. Second baseman Ozzie Albies and center fielder Michael Harris II were also out for extended stretches.

But it all starts with Acuña and Strider. That the team is slow-playing this duo in spring makes sense. Setting low expectations about their return dates represents a simpler path forward, one with less opportunity for fan disappointment. So while their paths to full health will remain a huge story this spring, it was smart for Anthopoulos to be definitive and unwavering about their timelines.

Why weren’t the Braves more active over the winter?

Atlanta’s biggest offseason addition came just a few weeks ago, with the signing of outfielder Jurickson Profar. The big-grinning Curacaoan enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024, earning a starting nod in the All-Star Game and, now, a sturdy, three-year deal with the Braves.

But besides that, the typically active Anthopolous was notably trigger-shy. The team’s most significant offseason trade was a salary dump in November that sent Jorge Soler to Anaheim. Meanwhile, a cadre of established players departed in free agency. Longtime ace Max Fried signed a hefty deal with the Yankees. Rotation stalwart Charlie Morton is now an Oriole. Atlanta opted to not pick up an option year on clubhouse leader and veteran catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who is now with the Angels. The only other remaining Braves who were meaningful contributors in the 2021 World Series are Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Ian Anderson.

It’s difficult to argue that the arrivals outweigh the departures. This inactivity has elicited agitation among some Braves fans, who, understandably, want the club to take full advantage of its competitive window. But Anthopolous pushed back against the idea that his team, currently carrying the eighth-highest payroll in the game, was acting purely out of frugality.

“I think the biggest difference is we’ve spent a lot on our own players,” he said. “I think we have the most, probably, long-term contracts of the majority of teams. You start looking around the roster, not necessarily in the rotation, but we have long-term contracts all over the place. We didn’t have that many holes.

“Now we’ve lost free agents — no doubt about it. But we have some people we’re going to give opportunities to.”

Who are the temporary fill-ins for Strider and Acuña?

The most likely Opening Day outfield alignment features Profar in left, the fleet-footed Michael Harris II patrolling center and former top prospect Jarred Kelenic in right. Kelenic was underwhelming in his first year as a Brave in 2024 and figures to spend most of his time as a bench bat once Acuña returns.

With Strider on the shelf, two of the five rotation spots are up for grabs. Reigning Cy Young Chris Sale, All-Star Reynaldo Lopez and breakout rookie Spencer Schwellenbach are locks. Grant Holmes, a well-traveled vet who enjoyed a bounce-back 2024, is the favorite for the fourth spot. And Ian Anderson, who shined as a youngster with the Braves before he suffered a bout of injuries, seems primed to grab the temporary fifth spot.

It’s a group that, until Strider returns, looks a little light, but Anthopolous explained that he didn’t want to crowd the pitching situation by adding another free-agent arm.

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Atlanta, GA

Charlotte hosts Atlanta following overtime win against Cleveland

Published

16 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Charlotte hosts Atlanta following overtime win against Cleveland

Atlanta Hawks (15-12, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (8-18, 12th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hosts the Atlanta Hawks after the Hornets took down the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 in overtime.

The Hornets have gone 7-12 against Eastern Conference teams. Charlotte is 7-11 against opponents over .500.

The Hawks have gone 9-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta ranks ninth in the league averaging 14.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 37.2% from deep. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the team averaging 2.9 makes while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range.

The Hornets average 114.8 points per game, 2.6 fewer points than the 117.4 the Hawks allow. The Hawks average 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than the Hornets give up.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Hawks won the last meeting 113-110 on Nov. 23. Jalen Johnson scored 28 points to help lead the Hawks to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is scoring 19.4 points per game and averaging 6.0 rebounds for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel is averaging 29.0 points and 4.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Onyeka Okongwu is averaging 16.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Hawks. Dyson Daniels is averaging 27.0 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 68.4% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 4-6, averaging 112.1 points, 42.8 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 6.9 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points per game.

Hawks: 5-5, averaging 118.7 points, 43.3 rebounds, 31.6 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.2 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: Grant Williams: day to day (acl), Pat Connaughton: day to day (calf), Josh Green: out (shoulder), LaMelo Ball: day to day (ankle), Collin Sexton: day to day (thigh), Tre Mann: day to day (ankle).

Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (reconditioning), N’Faly Dante: day to day (concussion), Jacob Toppin: day to day (shoulder), Trae Young: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Atlanta, GA

Former Atlanta Hawks finance executive pleads guilty in $3.8M fraud case

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Former Atlanta Hawks finance executive pleads guilty in .8M fraud case

A longtime Atlanta Hawks executive has pleaded guilty in a federal fraud case, after prosecutors alleged that he stole more than $3.8 million from the NBA team over several years.

Lester T. Jones Jr., the Hawks’ former Senior Vice President of Finance, changed his plea to guilty in federal court. A sentencing date has been set for March 24, 2026, according to court records.

Federal prosecutors charged Jones with one count of wire fraud, alleging he carried out the scheme from at least May 2017 through June 2025 while working in the team’s accounting and finance department.

Jones joined the Hawks organization in 2016 and eventually became the most senior accounting executive under the team’s chief financial officer. Prosecutors say he used his position and access to the team’s bank accounts, expense reimbursement system, and corporate American Express cards to divert team funds for personal use.

ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 04: A general view of the court prior to the game between the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on February 4, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Todd Kirkland / Getty Images

According to court documents, Jones submitted — or directed others to submit — fraudulent expense reports, often using fake or altered invoices to seek reimbursement for expenses that never occurred. Prosecutors also allege he charged millions of dollars in personal expenses to company credit cards.

Those charges allegedly included luxury travel to destinations such as the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Switzerland, and Thailand, along with purchases from Louis Vuitton, Porsche-related expenses, jewelry, and sports and concert tickets.

Federal filings say Jones attempted to conceal the scheme by manipulating financial reports, altering emails, and falsely attributing large credit card balances to legitimate team operations.

Prosecutors also allege Jones exploited a weakness in the Hawks’ expense reimbursement system that, prior to July 2024, did not display actual corporate credit card transactions to employees responsible for processing reimbursements.

One example cited in court records involves a January 2025 incident in which Jones allegedly submitted a fake invoice totaling $229,968 for a team event at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Prosecutors say no such event or charge ever occurred. They allege Jones forwarded an altered American Express email to colleagues, approved the reimbursement himself, and then used the funds to pay off personal credit card charges.

As part of the case, Jones will be required to forfeit any money or property connected to the fraud, according to prosecutors.

The case is being handled in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

CBS News Atlanta reached out to the Atlanta Hawks organization for comment. The team declined to comment.

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Atlanta, GA

Bill Belichick takes in girlfriend Jordon Hudson’s Atlanta cheerleading competition

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Bill Belichick takes in girlfriend Jordon Hudson’s Atlanta cheerleading competition

She’s cheer captain, and he’s in the bleachers.

Bill Belichick was in Atlanta over the weekend to cheer on his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, during a cheerleading competition, TMZ reported.

Hudson was competing for Code Black, which she cheered for in a Cheer Extreme All-Stars event in Raleigh, North Carolina, in November.

Belichick sported a button-down shirt, jeans and a Navy submarine cap, while Hudson donned the Code Black uniform, as did the rest of her teammates.

Jordon Hudson performed with Code Black in Atlanta over the week, with boyfriend Bill Belichick among the spectators. Instagram / milllies.camera

Photos published by the outlet showed the two all smiles as they stood next to one another.

Hudson had also posted a video of part of the routine Code Black performed during the first day of the competition.

Belichick has not been shy about supporting his younger paramour since their relationship became public over the summer of 2024.

The University of North Carolina football coach, and six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, attended the cheer competition in November and was there to support Hudson at the Miss Maine USA pageant earlier this year.

Hudson has been there to support Belichick throughout his first season at the helm at UNC, which drew plenty of headlines off the field.

Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson at the NFL Honors. — Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson in 2025. AP

The relationship between the 73-year-old and Hudson has generated plenty of interest and drama, aside from Belichick going 4-8 in his first season at UNC and repeated questions about whether he would leave the football program. Belichick ended up making major staff changes after the season.

Hudson created waves earlier this year when she stepped in during a “CBS Sunday Morning” interview when Belichick was asked how the pair met, creating weeks of headlines.

More recently, she has been in a back-and-forth with investigative sports journalist Pablo Torre – at one point claiming she would sue him – and last month The Post reported that Jen Belichick, the daughter-in-law of Bill – went on a nearly hour-long rant in the coach’s office about Hudson and how she was “f–king twisting” Belichick’s brain.

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