PHOTO CREDIT – SAM NAVARRO – USA TODAY SPORTS
The Atlanta Braves are the MLB’s hottest team. Atlanta was four games under .500 before they turned up the heat. They have been victorious in their last 14 games. They have beaten the Diamondbacks once, swept the Rockies in a four-game series, beat the A’s in a two-game series, took all four games against the Pirates, and swept the Nationals in a three-game series. Atlanta will head to Chicago to take on the (23-29) Chicago Cubs. Atlanta trailed the New York Mets in the National League East division race by ten games at one point. The Braves have now narrowed the Mets lead down to just four games with their 14-game win streak. The defending World Series Champions got off to a slow start in the first month of the season with a 10-12 record through their first twenty-two games.
The Braves were undoubtedly helped with the return of star outfielder and a powerhouse on the offensive side of play, Ronald Acuña Jr. In Acuña’s 35 games he’s played in this year since returning from his devastating torn ACL suffered in Miami last year right before the all-star break he has batted .284, the second-highest batting average of his career to this point behind his rookie season where he batted .293. Acuña has homered six times and has driven in sixteen RBIs. Acuña has also stolen 11 bags this year.
Atlanta did suffer a bit of a setback in their June 13th matchup against the Washington Nationals. Atlanta’s star second baseman Ozzie Albies sustained a fractured foot while swinging. Albies was replaced by Orlando Arcia, who will play the primary second base role while Albies remains out with no timetable on his return. Arcia has two home runs and has knocked in four runs in his two games since Albies went down. Atlanta’s key off-season acquisition was a first baseman, Matt Olson. Olson ranks 12th among the first baseman in the entire MLB in batting average at .248. He’s tied for 10th amongst the first baseman in home runs with eight. He has also been key to getting on base, ranking 4th in hits with 61 and 1st in walks with 37. Atlanta has also received a lot of help from rookie outfielder Michael Harris II. Since bursting onto the scene on May 28th against the division-rival Marlins. In the eighteen games Harris has played this year, he has batted .328, with twenty-two hits, two homers, and two stolen bases. Harris has been nothing short of a stud in centerfield with the Braves. Harris has made multiple highlight-reel catches, including some diving grabs.
The Braves made another key acquisition in the offseason, but this time to bolster the bullpen. The Braves added longtime Dodgers closer to Kenley Jansen. In his time as a Brave, Jansen has saved 18 out of the 21 opportunities he has had. Jansen has one of the highest ERAs of his career, but he is pitching well for the Braves and has a 3-0 record to go along with his saves. Another Braves pitcher has stepped into a starting role this year and has stepped up big. Spencer Strider has been having an excellent year for the Atlanta Braves. Strider has pitched in fifteen games and has a 3-2 record to go with it. Strider has only started four games for the Braves, but he has done well in his starts. In those fifteen games, Strider has a 2.45 ERA. Strider has also struck out sixty-eight batters which rank 3rd amongst Atlanta pitchers. The Atlanta Braves are still waiting on the return of a critical starting arm, Mike Soroka. When he tore his right Achilles, Soroka would be placed on the Braves’ injured list in August of 2020. After reaggravating his injury, Soroka would recover but then be placed on the injured list again in March of 2022. The Braves hope to be able to get Soroka back and hope he will be able to pitch the season. Atlanta currently sits second in the National League Wildcard race, three games behind the Padres, one game above the third-place Giants, and two games above the fourth-place Brewers. Atlanta will look to continue their win streak to 15 when they take on the Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 17th at 2:20 pm ET.
