<img alt="MLB: SEP 16 Dodgers at Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dxG7O3e_FgvI4wXR-wwp0k5-gWs=/0x0:5335x3557/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73591077/2171738433.0.jpg">
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Braves had the upper hand for the first two games of this series and then it came crashing down in spectacular fashion. Blah. This weekend started with so much promise for the Atlanta Braves. The first two games against the Dodgers were fantastic and suddenly Atlanta had dreams of potentially taking a series from the current NL West divisional leaders. A series win would’ve been huge and gone a long way towards continuing to consolidate their position in the NL Wild Card race. Instead, we got another example of how the Braves just can’t get a good run of form going and now they’ll be heading on a road trip looking to hopefully figure things out before they run out of time.
Braves continue to spin their wheels in the mud
Once again, this sure seemed like it was going to be a very promising series for the Atlanta Braves. The first two games went about as well as you could imagine them going for Atlanta, as they won the first game 6-2 and then absolutely dominated the Dodgers to the tune of 10-1 on Saturday. It was to the point where Dave Roberts went with position players to pitch the final two innings, which was one of the biggest white flags you’ll see in a baseball game. Then for eight innings on Sunday, the Braves were solidly in the fight to take a huge series win over the Dodgers.
However, two things turned for the Braves and one of them was a shocker while the other has been a running theme for this team this season. The first was that Raisel Iglesias finally gave up an earned run for the first time since June and because it’s the Dodgers, they got him for five runs and the game somehow went from being close to ending as a 9-2 laugher. That ninth inning on Sunday was essentially a tone-setter for Monday as the Braves ended up going out quietly in another laugher — this time with the Dodgers winning 9-0.
This month has been very frustrating to watch since it just feels like this team is incapable of getting a really good run of games going. Their longest losing streak this month has been two games (which was when they started the month by losing their second game in a row to the Phillies) but their longest winning streak has been two games. Elsewhere in September, the Mets roared into this month on a nine-game winning streak (though they have certainly slowed down since that streak), the Padres have had two separate three-game winning streaks and the Diamondbacks strung together a three-game winning streak as well. The Braves absolutely have to hit a good run of form because this whole “one step forward, one step back” routine probably won’t cut it if they want to have a serious shot at getting a Wild Card spot.
(Un)timely hitting
A lot of the frustration about this team’s current stop-start nature has to do with the offense just being inconsistent. As of late, it’s really felt like Atlanta’s offense is either feast or famine. They get shut out on two hits by the Reds on Monday, follow that up with a 12-run explosion on Tuesday before being held to just one run on Wednesday. They then score 16 runs (6 on Friday, 10 on Saturday) to start the Dodgers series before scoring a grand total of two runs (two on Sunday, shut out on Monday) to end the series in tepid fashion.
Once again, this type of inconsistency just isn’t going to cut it going forward. Still, it’s looking like one of those things where the inconsistency has been, well, consistent for the Braves this season. They’ve now been shut out 11 times this season and seven times since the All-Star break, at that. What makes it even more annoying is that you never really know when it’s going to come, either. They chased Jack Flaherty from the game on Saturday but they then followed that up by getting clamped by Walker Buehler.
It also didn’t help that the Braves certainly had their chances to make something happen in those games where their offense just died out. Monday night’s game was a prime example, as the Braves somehow found themselves in a situation where they failed to score after a leadoff double in the second inning, a leadoff single and follow-up double in the third inning and a leadoff triple in the fourth inning. You just have to take advantage of situations like that in a close playoff race like this and the Braves just couldn’t do it. They’re running out of chances to do so, at that.
Chris Sale continues to carry the Braves
The current shoo-in for the NL Cy Young Award did it once again for Atlanta, as Chris Sale was just too much for the Dodgers to handle on Saturday night. Now granted, the Braves themselves were too much for Los Angeles to handle on Saturday night but Chris Sale made sure that the Braves were the only team doing serious slugging in that one. Sale pitched another six strong innings where he only gave up one run. Sale has now given up one run or less in 15 of the 28 starts he’s made so far this season. Folks, that is over half of his starts where he’s essentially shut down his opposition when he’s gone out there.
Sale’s dominance has also helped the Braves stay competitive in the NL Wild Card race. The pitching staff in general has been great (the past two nights notwithstanding) but Sale has been on another level. Atlanta is now 21-7 in games where he’s started and 60-62 in games where he has not been the starter. That’s one of the many reasons why he’s going to win the NL Cy Young Award and also one of the reasons why he’s going to end up earning some MVP votes as well. I don’t think any of us wants to think about where this team would be without Chris Sale delivering one of the best seasons of his career so far.
<img alt="MLB: SEP 16 Dodgers at Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dxG7O3e_FgvI4wXR-wwp0k5-gWs=/0x0:5335x3557/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73591077/2171738433.0.jpg">
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Braves had the upper hand for the first two games of this series and then it came crashing down in spectacular fashion. Blah. This weekend started with so much promise for the Atlanta Braves. The first two games against the Dodgers were fantastic and suddenly Atlanta had dreams of potentially taking a series from the current NL West divisional leaders. A series win would’ve been huge and gone a long way towards continuing to consolidate their position in the NL Wild Card race. Instead, we got another example of how the Braves just can’t get a good run of form going and now they’ll be heading on a road trip looking to hopefully figure things out before they run out of time.
Braves continue to spin their wheels in the mud
Once again, this sure seemed like it was going to be a very promising series for the Atlanta Braves. The first two games went about as well as you could imagine them going for Atlanta, as they won the first game 6-2 and then absolutely dominated the Dodgers to the tune of 10-1 on Saturday. It was to the point where Dave Roberts went with position players to pitch the final two innings, which was one of the biggest white flags you’ll see in a baseball game. Then for eight innings on Sunday, the Braves were solidly in the fight to take a huge series win over the Dodgers.
However, two things turned for the Braves and one of them was a shocker while the other has been a running theme for this team this season. The first was that Raisel Iglesias finally gave up an earned run for the first time since June and because it’s the Dodgers, they got him for five runs and the game somehow went from being close to ending as a 9-2 laugher. That ninth inning on Sunday was essentially a tone-setter for Monday as the Braves ended up going out quietly in another laugher — this time with the Dodgers winning 9-0.
This month has been very frustrating to watch since it just feels like this team is incapable of getting a really good run of games going. Their longest losing streak this month has been two games (which was when they started the month by losing their second game in a row to the Phillies) but their longest winning streak has been two games. Elsewhere in September, the Mets roared into this month on a nine-game winning streak (though they have certainly slowed down since that streak), the Padres have had two separate three-game winning streaks and the Diamondbacks strung together a three-game winning streak as well. The Braves absolutely have to hit a good run of form because this whole “one step forward, one step back” routine probably won’t cut it if they want to have a serious shot at getting a Wild Card spot.
(Un)timely hitting
A lot of the frustration about this team’s current stop-start nature has to do with the offense just being inconsistent. As of late, it’s really felt like Atlanta’s offense is either feast or famine. They get shut out on two hits by the Reds on Monday, follow that up with a 12-run explosion on Tuesday before being held to just one run on Wednesday. They then score 16 runs (6 on Friday, 10 on Saturday) to start the Dodgers series before scoring a grand total of two runs (two on Sunday, shut out on Monday) to end the series in tepid fashion.
Once again, this type of inconsistency just isn’t going to cut it going forward. Still, it’s looking like one of those things where the inconsistency has been, well, consistent for the Braves this season. They’ve now been shut out 11 times this season and seven times since the All-Star break, at that. What makes it even more annoying is that you never really know when it’s going to come, either. They chased Jack Flaherty from the game on Saturday but they then followed that up by getting clamped by Walker Buehler.
It also didn’t help that the Braves certainly had their chances to make something happen in those games where their offense just died out. Monday night’s game was a prime example, as the Braves somehow found themselves in a situation where they failed to score after a leadoff double in the second inning, a leadoff single and follow-up double in the third inning and a leadoff triple in the fourth inning. You just have to take advantage of situations like that in a close playoff race like this and the Braves just couldn’t do it. They’re running out of chances to do so, at that.
Chris Sale continues to carry the Braves
The current shoo-in for the NL Cy Young Award did it once again for Atlanta, as Chris Sale was just too much for the Dodgers to handle on Saturday night. Now granted, the Braves themselves were too much for Los Angeles to handle on Saturday night but Chris Sale made sure that the Braves were the only team doing serious slugging in that one. Sale pitched another six strong innings where he only gave up one run. Sale has now given up one run or less in 15 of the 28 starts he’s made so far this season. Folks, that is over half of his starts where he’s essentially shut down his opposition when he’s gone out there.
Sale’s dominance has also helped the Braves stay competitive in the NL Wild Card race. The pitching staff in general has been great (the past two nights notwithstanding) but Sale has been on another level. Atlanta is now 21-7 in games where he’s started and 60-62 in games where he has not been the starter. That’s one of the many reasons why he’s going to win the NL Cy Young Award and also one of the reasons why he’s going to end up earning some MVP votes as well. I don’t think any of us wants to think about where this team would be without Chris Sale delivering one of the best seasons of his career so far.
Link to original article
