The Braves offensive woes finally cost them yesterday, as Luke Jackson was unable to hold the line in the seventh, leading to three runs and a Nationals win to avoid a sweep. The injuries to Atlanta’s lineup are clearly taking their toll, with the offense mustering just 19 runs over the last seven games. Despite that, the Braves went 5-2 over that stretch, thanks to a pitching staff that has been nothing short of dominant. Still, if the Braves want to make the playoffs, their offense has to be better, and another significant injury to one of their key pieces could be the nail in the coffin.
Yesterday could have been just that. In the first inning, Michael Harris took a pitch off the wrist, just like Austin Riley did last week. Harris would stay in the game but eventually exited and underwent further tests. Based on how things have gone this season, I think most feared the worst. But fortunately, the tests revealed no fracture.
Braves say no fracture for Harris. He's day-to-day
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 25, 2024
This is one of the first times all season the tests have come back with positive results. Losing Michael Harris would have been detrimental to any hopes the Braves have this year, hopes that are already hanging by a thread without Ronald Acuña Jr. Austin Riley, Spencer Strider, Ozzie Albies, A.J. Minter, and more.
The fact that the Braves are still 10 games over .500 and in the playoff race without so much firepower is a testament to just how dominant the pitching has been in Atlanta, and when you have a group of arms that can shut down any lineup on any given night, you have a chance to win. That’s now the recipe for success in Atlanta. It may be different from a year ago, but it can be effective, as we’ve seen over the last week.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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