The Braves began the Labor Day Weekend with a glimmer of hope to catch the Phillies in the NL East. Unfortunately, Atlanta fell three times in the four-game set, and now Philadelphia leads the division by seven games.
At this point, the Braves must now shift their focus to fending off the Mets in the NL Wild Card race with about a month left in the season. New York has won five games in a row and is only a half-game back of Atlanta for the final spot in the Wild Card.
NL Wild Card Race
- San Diego Padres — (79-61)
- Arizona Diamondbacks — (77-61)
- Atlanta Braves —Â (74-63)
- New York Mets — 0.5 GB
- Chicago Cubs — 3.5 GB
- St. Louis Cardinals — 5.5 GB
The Braves do get some relief in the form of the Rockies and Blue Jays at home over the next six games. They’ll then host the Reds for a single game then travel north to take on the Nationals for two games.
Unfortunately, that’s where the “easy” ones stop. Over the next five series, the Braves will face the Dodgers, Reds, Marlins, Mets, and Royals. More than half of those clubs are competing for playoff spots in some capacity.
That final set against the Mets very well could decide who gets the final spot in the NL Wild Card.
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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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