Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Atlanta Braves enter the All-Star break with a slim 3-game lead after a rough June stretch that saw their division advantage shrink dramatically.
- Despite multiple key injuries, the team shows signs of recovery with improved offensive production and several sidelined players nearing returns.
- The front office remains focused on securing a frontline starting pitcher before the August 3 trade deadline to protect their postseason hopes.
The Atlanta Braves seemed to have the National League East title wrapped up by Memorial Day weekend. They held a 10.5-game lead in the division standings after a 5-4 victory in 11 innings over the visiting Washington Nationals on May 22. The win put the Braves 20 games over .500, and the only question seemed to be whether they would reach 100 wins — and how quickly.
Then came June. Atlanta went just 9-14 for the month, and had their lead cut all the way down to 2.5 games while their offense averaged just 3.34 runs a game,
The Braves haven’t torn up the league in July either, as they are 5-4 after winning two games in a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates that ended on Thursday at PNC Park. Yet Atlanta is scoring 6.78 runs per game, and there is a sense that they have weathered the storm, though they know their three-game lead over the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies is not safe.
“I do think there are some brighter days ahead,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is on the way back
What gives Weiss that optimism is that right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. will likely be ready to begin a rehab assignment early next week. The five-time All-Star and 2022 NL Most Valuable Player has been out since June 10 with a left hamstring strain.
The Braves have undoubtedly missed their offensive catalyst. Yet they also have five starting pitchers on the IL, including right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, who underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery during the first week of spring training in February and may not return until September.
Standout set-up man Robert Suarez, who has a 0.56 ERA in 31 games this season while pitching in front of All-Star closer Raisel Iglesias, is also nearing a return from the right elbow inflammation that has sidelined him since June 23. Suarez led the NL with 40 saves last season while pitching for the San Diego Padres.
“We’ve dealt with the injuries since right away in spring training when we lost a bunch of guys,” Weiss said. “We had a lot of unsung heroes in the first couple of months where maybe guys who were considered role players, at times, were carrying us. I mean, every team deals with injuries, but it’s really tough when you lose your core guys.”
Braves want to add a frontline starting pitcher
Because a healthy Acuna should bolster the offense, the Braves’ primary focus is adding a starting pitcher before the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline. Atlanta fears its thin rotation would be exposed in the postseason, which is why they are pursuing trades for Detroit Tigers two-time defending American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray, among others.
The secondary quest is dealing for an established hitter, though they hope that perhaps Andrew McCutchen or Carlos Santana could come up from Triple-A Gwinnett and provide late-season help. At least, given how it has performed in July, it seems the offensive problems might be sorting themselves out.
“I think it's gotten better,” right fielder Mike Yastrzemski said. “I think our swing decisions are getting better. I think we're starting to adjust a little better in the middle of the game. You can't just say that things are back to the way they were, but it's a good step forward, and I think we're regaining our confidence and we’re back to feeling we’re never out of a game. That's how we played at the beginning of the year. Nothing fazed us, and I think we're getting really close to having that feeling back.”
And it’s a good feeling to have.
“Sometimes it takes something as simple as the calendar flipping because we’re playing better in July,” Weiss said. “If nothing else, it’s psychological. When you do turn that calendar, I do think there are some mental benefits to that. Heck, everybody in this game is so superstitious because we play every day, and we're so routine-oriented that when you get to turn the calendar, it probably helps. Things have seemed better in the last week or so.”
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