The Braves are back – here are 5 things to watch this season

Less than a month ago, it was unclear if Thursday’s Atlanta Braves season opener would happen at all.

But on March 10, the owners and players resolved their issues enough to end a months-long lockout. And what followed was a flurry of activity that included key trades, free agent signings and a truncated spring training.

On Thursday night, the 2021 World Series champion Braves play host to the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park to begin the season. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and begins just after 8 p.m.

Here are five things to watch:

Championship Celebration

The Braves will continue a recent Major League Baseball tradition of wearing gold-trimmed uniforms to start the season. The defending champs plan to raise their 2021 championship banner on Thursday. Players, manager Brian Snitker and staff will receive their World Series rings on Saturday.

The team also has unveiled a World Champions Burger which features Wagyu beef, lobster and gold-leaf-wrapped Hudson Valley foie gras.

“We ran through a couple variations on that, where we had gold on top of the bun and then we just thought about wrapping the foie gras up in gold,” said Truist Park executive chef Rory Bancroft. “And what better way can you do it?”

Matt Olson’s Homecoming