Two days later, and the Braves haven’t felt the effects of a relatively quiet trade deadline. If anything, the current rotation is pitching with something to prove, allowing just one run over the last 13 innings on the way to back-to-back wins.

However, let’s be very clear about something: the Braves acquiring more arms at the deadline was never about August. The division is already well in hand, and the team’s playoff odds sit at 99%. It was always about putting together a staff that was fully loaded for October, giving this incredibly talented team the best chance at lifting the Commissioner’s Trophy — and until that’s decided two months from now, nothing should change your mind about what the Braves did or didn’t do.

I’m worried about Bryce Elder starting in an elimination game and giving up a crooked number before the Braves offense even steps to the plate, leaving Truist Park feeling more like a funeral home than a playoff atmosphere. I’m worried about having a 3-1 lead on the Dodgers and failing to close it out, then spending the next six months wondering how the Braves would have surely been World Series champions if they hadn’t been so hyper-focused on hoarding prospects.

What I’m not worried about is a couple of games in August against the Miami Marlins. So let’s save the congratulations for when things really matter. Then we’ll know if the Braves made the right decision.

What we can all mostly agree on right now is that this team is capable of winning a World Series and is getting healthier than it’s been all season at exactly the right time. But if they’re going to overcome their lack of starting pitching, at least a few of these critical developments will have to go their way.

Austin Riley Stays Hot

Most likely, the Braves are going to have to slug their way to a World Series, and they certainly have the lineup to do it. Their 8th and 9th hitters in last night’s game were both former All-Stars.

Of course, Murphy has struggled over the last couple of seasons and has played in only five games this year, but when he gets hot, he has the type of power to carry an offense.

Riley is an entirely different beast, though. He was a perennial MVP candidate not long ago and one of the most talented offensive players in the league. Injuries have taken their toll of late, but he finally seems to be finding a rhythm, hitting over .300 with an .898 OPS in 18 games since the All-Star break. If he performs like that come October, the Braves are going to be tough to beat.

Didier Fuentes — The Next Ian Anderson

Obviously, Didier Fuentes and Ian Anderson are two entirely different pitchers when it comes to their respective repertoires. Fuentes is far more talented and will hopefully have a much more successful career. But October is where legends are made, and for that one fall month back in 2021, nobody could touch the 23-year-old Anderson, who allowed just three runs over four starts, including five hitless innings against the Astros in the World Series.

I’m not sure the Braves are going to consider stretching Fuentes into a starter over the final couple of months, because he’s been so damn good out of the bullpen. But at the very least, I expect them to use him as a hybrid arm who can go multiple innings in the biggest situations. Over the course of a series, he’s going to be relied on just as much as Anderson was — and probably in higher-pressure moments. If Fuentes proves just as cold-blooded, the Braves will be in good shape.

A Break In The Injury Department

This is the most important of them all, and the Braves really need it to break in two ways. Most importantly, Anthopoulos’ lack of action at the deadline left the club with a razor-thin margin for error. One injury to a major piece of this pitching staff, and their World Series chances plummet toward zero.

On the other side of things, it would be real nice if a couple of injured arms returned and made a significant impact. Robert Suarez has been out with elbow inflammation since mid-June — can he still be the dominant setup man he was over the first few months? Can AJ Smith-Shawver, who will probably rejoin the team in the next couple of weeks, make an impact? And, of course, is there any chance Spencer Schwellenbach returns and looks anything like the guy who took the league by storm as a rookie?

If two of those three become significant contributors come October and the Braves avoid any other major injuries, they can challenge anyone.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)