The Braves will now be in a fight for their playoff lives over the next month or so. Coming off a series defeat at the hands of the Phillies while the Mets are winners of five straight, Atlanta is only hanging onto the final spot in the Wild Card by a half-game.
The Braves will get a series against the Mets in a set that very well could decide the final NL Wild Card spot, but the Cubs are playing great ball right now and are only 3.5 games out of the Braves.
The hope is that Atlanta can squeak into the postseason behind this unbelievable pitching staff and find some magic in the form of a few hot bats. The Braves starting rotation can go toe-to-toe with any in baseball, but there’s one thing that Atlanta won’t be able to overcome, and it’s not more poor hitting; it’s injuries.
In The Athletic power rankings, the outlet does a different theme each power ranking, and this week’s is each team’s biggest September priority, with the Braves being fairly obvious — “No more injuries. Please.”
Can the Braves overcome all the physical calamities they have suffered this season? At the very least, the team controls its own destiny. Atlanta entered September holding one of the three National League Wild Card spots. They reached that position without Spencer Strider, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley. Albies and Riley may return before the season ends. This season has tested the club’s depth far more than any front office would like to experience. Yet the prospect of facing Chris Sale, Max Fried and Reynaldo López in October should worry any rival. If the Braves can stay healthy and reach the postseason, they could make some noise. — McCullough
Ozzie Albies is projected to return in the next week or so, and Austin Riley could return sometime in the postseason if he’s lucky and if the Braves make it that far.
Luckily for Atlanta, this year is the crapshoot of all crapshoots. The MLB postseason is always a crapshoot, and there are no juggernauts in baseball right now.
If the Braves can just get into the dance without losing any more key pieces, the rotation can absolutely lead this club to a World Series. But they have to stay healthy to do that.
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Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire
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