3 biggest threats to the Atlanta Braves’ World Series hopes

The Braves are one of the favorites to win the World Series, but there are a few different factors and teams that could cause them trouble.

The Atlanta Braves are one of the most talented and complete rosters in the entire MLB. They have the National League’s top two leaders in RBIs (Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies), while also having the NL’s leader in runs scored (Ronald Acuna).

Ronald Acuna is also one of the favorites to take home the NL MVP for the 2023 season. For the first few months, their ace, Spencer Strider, was one of the best pitchers in the game, offering next level dominance. Strider still leads all NL pitchers in strikeouts.

For good reason, the Braves have found themselves at the front of the World Series hopefuls. There are a few teams and factors that could cause them issues down the road.

The Tampa Bay Rays could be a threat to the Braves World Series hopes

This should be obvious. The Rays are the current best team in the league. Luckily for Atlanta, the Rays are in the American League, so they won’t be a problem to the Braves unless it’s in the World Series. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Rays compete with the Braves as being the most complete team in the league.

The Rays feature a lineup with four players that sport a WAR over 2,0. led by their young shortstop Wander Franco with a 3.8 WAR. Their lineup also has eight players with an OPS over .800 this year. Their lineup is comparable to the Braves as they have both scored around 400 runs this season.

The difference between these two teams could be in the pitching. The Rays have the best starting pitching in the MLB by a wide margin. They’re led by the Cy Young candidate, Shane McClanahan who leads the AL in wins and ERA by a wide margin. The difference in these two teams is the pitching. Atlanta will need to see the return of Kyle Wright and Max Fried as well as Spencer Strider returning to form in order to feel comfortable against the Rays.