Atlanta Braves might be on monitor for seventh straight Division title
nn”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:”https://twitter.com”,”thumbnail_url”:null,”sort”:”oembed”,”width”:550,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”The hassle didn’t go unnoticed.nn“It reveals we’re all pulling from the identical facet of the rope,” Braves beginning pitcher Chris Sale mentioned. “We all know what now we have on this clubhouse. I feel that’s the reason now we have been so stable in having one another’s backs. The arrogance has by no means actually wavered. When you recognize you will have a clubhouse that’s undivided and the entrance workplace has your again and believes in you, it provides you just a little enhance of vitality.”nnWhen the Braves entered August three years in the past, they have been 52-54 and 5 video games again within the NL East race. Their prime three starters have been Max Fried, Charlie Morton and Ian Anderson. I get that Anderson is a postseason magician. However I’ll take this yr’s trio of Sale, Fried and Reynaldo López.nnWhether the Braves are the NL’s No. 1 or No. 6 seed, in the event that they enter this yr’s playoffs with these three starters wholesome, they’ll be thought of a legit World Sequence risk.nnWith 5 wins of their previous six video games, the Braves stay atop the NL Wild Card standings. Extra importantly, they’ve rekindled hopes for a seventh straight division crown.nnThe Braves (59-49) are simply six video games behind the free-falling Phillies (65-43), who’ve misplaced 9 of their previous 12 video games. Atlanta was seven video games behind the Mets with 50 video games to play within the 2022 season. So, the present deficit with 54 video games remaining is actually not insurmountable.nnHere are a couple of causes the Braves may nonetheless win the division:”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2024-08-01T23:37:04.622Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({“preferredPlaybacks”:”mp4AvcPlayback”})”:”https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2024/2024-08/01/f6332021-57950183-6c53bb60-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4″,”sort”:”video”,”description”:”Matt Olson cranks a two-run dwelling run to proper discipline, plating Marcell Ozuna to provide the Braves a 3-0 lead within the 1st inning”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”period”:”00:00:26″,”slug”:”matt-olson-homers-18-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-field-marcell-ozuna-scores”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”season-2024″,”title”:”Season 2024″,”type”:”season”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”},{“__typename”:”PersonTag”,”slug”:”playerid-621566″,”title”:”Matt Olson”,”person”:{“__ref”:”Person:621566″},”type”:”player”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-144″,”title”:”Atlanta Braves”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:144″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”hitting”,”title”:”hitting”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”highlight”,”title”:”highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”in-game-highlight”,”title”:”in-game highlight”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”game-action-tracking”,”title”:”game action tracking”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”home-run”,”title”:”home run”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”top-play”,”title”:”top play”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”fan-duel”,”title”:”Fan Duel”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”imagen-feed”,”title”:”Imagen feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”international-feed”,”title”:”International Partner feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”eclat-feed”,”title”:”Eclat feed”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”alexa”,”title”:”alexa”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/sqbqsmd7qofqay3zqetr”},”title”:”Matt Olson’s two-run dwelling run (18)”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/matt-olson-homers-18-on-a-fly-ball-to-right-field-marcell-ozuna-scores”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”1. Matt Olson is rounding into type. Olson has 5 homers in his previous 22 at-bats. Extra importantly, the second homer he hit in opposition to the Brewers on Wednesday got here in opposition to Nick Mears’ 97.2 mph fastball on the internal third. The Braves first baseman destroyed fastballs final yr with 54 homers, however he has struggled mightily in opposition to the heater this yr. He picked an excellent time to get his timing proper.nn2. Soler supplies the Braves one other legit energy bat and the leadoff hitter they’ve lacked since Acuña was injured on Could 26. He lengthens a lineup that might look much more formidable when Michael Harris II returns from a left hamstring sprain throughout the subsequent couple weeks.nnWith Soler, Austin Riley, Marcell Ozuna and Olson filling the lineup’s prime 4 spots, count on to see some extra of these massive first-inning eruptions that grew to become commonplace final yr.”,”sort”:”textual content”},{“__typename”:”OEmbed”,”html”:””,”providerName”:”MLB”,”providerUrl”:null,”thumbnail_url”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/picture/add/ar_121:168,c_fill,g_face/w_121/v1/folks/624585/motion/vertical/present”,”sort”:”oembed”,”width”:425,”contentType”:”wealthy”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content material”:”3. The Braves will host what’s left of the Marlins this weekend after which welcome the Brewers to Atlanta for a three-game set subsequent week. They may then start a 10-game highway journey in opposition to the Rockies, Giants and Angels. The Phillies will play on the Mariners, on the Dodgers and on the D-backs earlier than concluding this identical 18-day stretch with dwelling sequence in opposition to the Marlins and Nationals.nnPrediction: Atlanta might be inside 3 1/2 video games of first place once they start a three-game sequence in opposition to the Phillies in Atlanta on Aug. 20.”,”sort”:”textual content”}],”relativeSiteUrl”:”/information/atlanta-braves-could-be-on-track-for-seventh-straight-division-title”,”contentType”:”information”,”subHeadline”:null,”abstract”:”This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.”,”tagline({“formatString”:”none”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”ContributorTag”,”slug”:”mark-bowman”,”title”:”Mark Bowman”,”type”:”contributor”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-144″,”title”:”Atlanta Braves”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:144″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”apple-news”,”title”:”Apple News”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”trade-deadline-related”,”title”:”trade deadline related”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”GameTag”,”gamePk”:747089,”slug”:”gamepk-747089″,”title”:”2024/08/02 mia@atl”,”type”:”game”}],”sort”:”story”,”thumbnail”:”https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/picture/add/{formatInstructions}/mlb/ynedqgizi8nlbgj8fjiq”,”title”:”Atlanta Braves might be on monitor for seventh straight Division title”}},”Group:144″:{“__typename”:”Group”,”id”:144},”Individual:621566″:{“__typename”:”Individual”,”id”:621566}}}
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August 2nd, 2024
This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
ATLANTA — When Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos made a flurry of key acquisitions earlier than the 2021 Commerce Deadline, he knew the Nationwide League East was winnable — even though his workforce had a dropping report when the strikes have been made. It turned out that the World Sequence was additionally winnable.
Anthopoulos wasn’t practically as lively earlier than this yr’s Commerce Deadline, primarily as a result of his workforce didn’t want practically as a lot because it did three years in the past. Yeah, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider are misplaced for the season. And Ozzie Albies will miss not less than one other month. However the World Sequence continues to be winnable for this yr’s Atlanta squad.
For this reason Anthopoulos remained aggressive together with his search and ended up touchdown Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson from the Giants on Monday night time. Soler’s presence will improve the underperforming offense and Jackson’s success over the previous month creates hope that he can once more develop into a worthwhile a part of Atlanta’s bullpen.
Just by making this commerce, Anthopoulos let his gamers know he believes they will go a great distance this yr.
“We’re in a playoff spot with that prime Wild Card spot,” Anthopoulos mentioned. “Our gamers put us in that place with all the challenges and the bumps. I feel it’s outstanding with all that we’ve been via to nonetheless be the primary Wild Card workforce. [Manager Brian Snitker], the coaches and the gamers put us in that place. We felt like as a entrance workplace, we would have liked to pitch in and assist any method we are able to.”
The hassle didn’t go unnoticed.
“It reveals we’re all pulling from the identical facet of the rope,” Braves beginning pitcher Chris Sale mentioned. “We all know what now we have on this clubhouse. I feel that’s the reason now we have been so stable in having one another’s backs. The arrogance has by no means actually wavered. When you recognize you will have a clubhouse that’s undivided and the entrance workplace has your again and believes in you, it provides you just a little enhance of vitality.”
When the Braves entered August three years in the past, they have been 52-54 and 5 video games again within the NL East race. Their prime three starters have been Max Fried, Charlie Morton and Ian Anderson. I get that Anderson is a postseason magician. However I’ll take this yr’s trio of Sale, Fried and Reynaldo López.
Whether or not the Braves are the NL’s No. 1 or No. 6 seed, in the event that they enter this yr’s playoffs with these three starters wholesome, they’ll be thought of a legit World Sequence risk.
The Braves (59-49) are simply six video games behind the free-falling Phillies (65-43), who’ve misplaced 9 of their previous 12 video games. Atlanta was seven video games behind the Mets with 50 video games to play within the 2022 season. So, the present deficit with 54 video games remaining is actually not insurmountable.
Listed below are a couple of causes the Braves may nonetheless win the division:
1. Matt Olson is rounding into type. Olson has 5 homers in his previous 22 at-bats. Extra importantly, the second homer he hit in opposition to the Brewers on Wednesday got here in opposition to Nick Mears’ 97.2 mph fastball on the internal third. The Braves first baseman destroyed fastballs final yr with 54 homers, however he has struggled mightily in opposition to the heater this yr. He picked an excellent time to get his timing proper.
2. Soler supplies the Braves one other legit energy bat and the leadoff hitter they’ve lacked since Acuña was injured on Could 26. He lengthens a lineup that might look much more formidable when Michael Harris II returns from a left hamstring sprain throughout the subsequent couple weeks.
With Soler, Austin Riley, Marcell Ozuna and Olson filling the lineup’s prime 4 spots, count on to see some extra of these massive first-inning eruptions that grew to become commonplace final yr.
3. The Braves will host what’s left of the Marlins this weekend after which welcome the Brewers to Atlanta for a three-game set subsequent week. They may then start a 10-game highway journey in opposition to the Rockies, Giants and Angels. The Phillies will play on the Mariners, on the Dodgers and on the D-backs earlier than concluding this identical 18-day stretch with dwelling sequence in opposition to the Marlins and Nationals.
Prediction: Atlanta might be inside 3 1/2 video games of first place once they start a three-game sequence in opposition to the Phillies in Atlanta on Aug. 20.
