Bites at the Apple: At least one Braves reunion is helping stave off Mets

The Atlanta Braves had a decision to make at the trade deadline. After losing Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season with torn ligaments and eventual surgeries, many expected the Braves to be all in at the trade deadline to acquire some of the top talent on the board.

Options included Jack Flaherty, Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert and Brent Rooker. Atlanta's general manager, Alex Anthopoulos landed on none of the big names before the deadline, opting to acquire a few smaller players while salvaging the farm system instead of mortgaging it.

This has resulted in the Braves falling behind some of he more aggressive teams at the deadline. They have dropped from the top wild card team all the way to holding a slim lead over the Mets for the final wild card spot in the National League.

The best case scenario in Atlanta turned from winning the division to holding off the Mets for the last wild card spot in just a few weeks time. One of Atlanta's trade acquisitions is doing his best to help Atlanta hold them off too.

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Jorge Soler continues to help Braves hold off Mets in the NL Wild Card race

Is it just me or does Jorge Soler belong in a Braves uniform? I mean, the slugger has played for five different teams and he's played the least games for Atlanta. But man, when he's wearing that Braves uniform, he turns his play up a notch or two.

Since being acquired by the Braves, Soler has slugged four home runs to run his season long total up to 16. Atlanta has opted to slot him in the leadoff spot, replacing Acuña in right field and in the leadoff spot just like he did in 2021.

In 2021, Soler would help lead the Braves to a World Series championship while bringing home the World Series MVP. This season, he's just trying to keep the Braves afloat in the postseason race.

Despite homering twice against the Rockies on Sunday afternoon, Soler and the Braves would fall 9-8 in the contest due to seven eighth-inning runs from the Colorado Rockies.

Maybe Anthopoulos should have done more at the deadline. If Atlanta misses the postseason, this would be one of the all-time disappointing years for the franchise, partly due to some big injuries.

The Braves GM will have a long look in the mirror if he has to watch the postseason include the Mets instead of the Braves this season.