This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat publication. To learn the complete publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it repeatedly in your inbox.
When the Braves start Spring Coaching on Thursday, they are going to be aiming for way over a seventh straight Nationwide League East title. Consecutive 100-win seasons have ended with disappointing NL Division Collection exits. So, supervisor Brian Snitker’s crew may enter this season with added motivation to appreciate their aim to win the World Collection for the second time in 4 seasons.
Listed here are three of the principle storylines that may encompass the Braves as they enter Spring Coaching:
1. Can Jarred Kelenic improve a lineup that was one of the productive in baseball historical past?Kelenic will draw consideration as the one newcomer to a record-setting lineup that drew comparisons to the 1927 Yankees final 12 months. But it surely’s not just like the highlight will probably be shining on him as he joins a clubhouse that features three MVP candidates (Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley and Matt Olson) and a pair of high NL Cy Younger Award candidates (Spencer Strider and Max Fried).
Being positioned close to the underside of this lineup also needs to take some stress off Kelenic, who was ranked MLB Pipeline’s No. 4 prospect as not too long ago as 2021. The 24-year-old outfielder struggled throughout his first two huge league seasons after which gave the impression to be on track final 12 months. He was on tempo for a 20-homer season earlier than he fractured his left foot on July 19 when he kicked a dugout water cooler in frustration.
Kelenic can match the ability the Braves obtained from Eddie Rosario final 12 months, and he’s a greater defender than Rosario. His capability to achieve additional consolation along with his new crew throughout camp might go a good distance towards him realizing the breakout season he and Atlanta are envisioning.
2. Why may this 12 months be totally different for Chris Sale?Lots of the Braves have already mentioned how Sale’s aggressive spirit will profit the clubhouse. However the major query is whether or not the veteran pitcher can lastly keep away from the harm woes that ended his reign as top-of-the-line beginning pitchers of his era.
Sale completed inside the high six in AL Cy Younger Award balloting over seven consecutive seasons (2012-18), however he has totaled 151 innings over the previous 4 seasons. He developed left elbow soreness through the second half of the 2019 season and underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in March 2020. He returned to Boston’s rotation close to the tip of ’21 earlier than coping with a rib fracture and proper wrist fracture in ’22. The left-hander additionally missed time with a left scapula ailment final 12 months.
When the Braves acquired Sale, they made it clear they considered him as a possible difference-maker within the postseason. Now they need to spend the following seven months enhancing the percentages of him being sturdy and wholesome getting into October.
Sale accomplished 102 2/3 innings over 20 begins final 12 months. The Braves gained’t put an innings restrict on him, however they actually know the 34-year-old’s workload have to be managed to create the prospect for him to be efficient within the playoffs. Atlanta plans to have him within the rotation initially of the season, but it surely might restrict his pitch counts throughout early-season begins, skip some aspect classes and create further relaxation between begins every time attainable.
The Braves’ rotation is headed by Fried and Strider. Sale doesn’t need to be the ace all through the common season, but when he’s able to pitching like a frontline starter in October, Atlanta might have an satisfying postseason.
3. How may Ronald Acuña Jr. high his historic 40-70 season?Is it even smart to foretell how Acuña might comply with a season throughout which he hit 41 homers and tallied 73 stolen bases? Keep in mind, no person had beforehand collected greater than 46 steals throughout a 40-homer season. Heck, no person had swiped greater than 52 luggage throughout a 30-homer season.
Acuña went to a degree solely he seemingly might attain once more. However how real looking is it to mission he’ll even flirt with one other 40-70 season? And shouldn’t we have fun one other unimaginable season if he falls brief and finally ends up with only a 40-40 season? It will be simply the sixth 40-40 season in MLB historical past, and he can be the one participant who has accounted for multiple.
MLB.com’s Mike Petriello dug into the numbers to argue why Acuña’s numbers could possibly be much more spectacular this season.
As for Acuña, he actually appears to know it won’t be smart to place a restrict on his greatness.
“I’m not saying what’s going to occur subsequent season,” Acuña mentioned. “I’m not making an attempt to foretell something. However so long as I’m wholesome, I really feel like something is feasible.”
