3 Atlanta Braves who need to step up for the team to secure a postseason berth

With less than a month left in the season, the Atlanta Braves have little room to falter from this point on. Currently 6-4 in their last ten, the Wild Card race has suddenly picked up with the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs both hot on their tail.

The Braves need to find production from key guys on their roster that are currently not meeting their expectations. Atlanta will need these three players to step out down the stretch to secure a Wild Card Berth.

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3. Michael Harris II

After slashing .295/.334/.494 in his first two years in the big leagues, Michael Harris II has had an uneventful third season with the Braves. Harris was already receiving everyday playing time, but he had a more significant opportunity to step up when Ronald Acuna Jr. went down with an ACL tear early in the season. Unfortunately, Harris II dropping to just .245/.285/.376 this season was far from what the Braves had in mind.

He certainly has the talent to be an elite-level player in the league, and he's showcased in the past, but the Braves need him to step up right now as they flirt with missing the Postseason altogether. They are currently neck and neck with their division Rival, the New York Mets, and need to find production from players like Harris to help get them over the top.

2. Sean Murphy

In 63 games with the Braves this season, Sean Murphy slashes just .209/.291/.369 after his first All-Star season last year. With Travis D'arnoud on the paternity list, Murphy was given the role to slide in and receive everyday playing time to get into a rhythm, hopefully, but he's only managed to go 2-16 in his last four games.

Murphy has been above average in both pop time and catcher-framed runs behind the plate, but the lack of offense is another reason the Braves have not contended as much as they have in recent years. Last year, Murphy had 21 home runs and 68 RBIs, compared to nine homers and 22 RBIs this season. His drop-off is another reason the Braves have gone from the best offense in the league in 2023 to just the 18th best in 2024.

1. Jorge Soler

Brought in at the trade deadline this season, Jorge Soler was welcomed back by fans who remember him most for being World Series MVP just a few short seasons ago when he hit .300/.391/.800 with three home runs and six RBIs. That feels like a lifetime ago, as Soler's current stint with the Braves has been disastrous. He has managed a line of just .190/.319/.380 in 32 games with the Braves.

Soler was brought back to help mitigate poor production from Adam Duvall, who was hitting .188/.251/.336 on the season. The Braves desperately hope Soler will turn it back around and get closer to the .269/.358/.524 line with 14 HRs in the second half that he had in 2021. Without him stepping up, a Braves team that lost Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, and Spencer Strider will need a miracle to return to the playoffs. Soler is closer to being left off the Postseason roster than winning another World Series MVP Award.