How The Atlanta Braves Can Be Beaten

This season, the Atlanta Braves have looked unstoppable. They have the best offense in baseball, cruised to their sixth straight division title, and most recently locked up home-field advantage for the postseason. Individually, MVP candidate Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player ever to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in a season. However, their starting staff has suffered a rash of injuries all season. Heading into the NLDS, they’ll be without four starters. Given how depleted their rotation is, I believe the Braves are a lot more vulnerable than people think.

An Injury Riddled Starting Rotation

A team needs a solid starting rotation to win a championship. There is no offense that can make up for bad pitching. Heading into the NLDS, the Braves will be without starters Charlie Morton, Michael Soroka, Yonny Chirinos, and Kolby Allard. Although Max Fried is scheduled to return for the NLDS, he hasn’t pitched in over a month. The best case for Charlie Morton to return is possibly the NLCS if Atlanta can make it that far. This is the second postseason in a row that Atlanta will feature a compromised starting rotation.

Kyle Wright’s Nightmare 2023 Season

With Charlie Morton out, the Atlanta Braves will more than likely turn to Kyle Wright. After dazzling the league last season, this year has been tough for Wright. He got off to a slow start and later went on the injured list in May due to a shoulder strain. Wright wouldn’t pitch again until September. Since returning to the rotation, Wright is 0-2 with an ERA of 9.90. While Wright has successfully pitched in the postseason before, his stats since returning don’t inspire a lot of confidence.

Atlanta Is In A Position Similar To Last Season

The last time the Braves went into the postseason with a compromised starting rotation it didn’t end well for them. They would be upset in four games by the Philadelphia Phillies. During that series, Atlanta did not pitch well. In three out of the four games, Philadelphia chased Atlanta starters after three innings or less. Ironically, the only pitcher to have a quality start in the 2022 NLDS was Kyle Wright.

There Are Cracks In The Braves Foundation That Can Be Exposed

On paper, the Atlanta Braves look like the favorite to win the World Series. They have the best record in baseball, clinched home-field advantage, an offense that can mash, and more importantly a roster that knows how to win in the postseason. However, their starting rotation has a lot of question marks. How will Max Fried be after a long layoff? Can Spencer Strider handle being a postseason ace (the fans will be there in full force you know)? Can Bryce Elder pitch effectively in the playoffs? What Kyle Wright will we see this October? A team that has this many uncertainties with their rotation heading into the postseason generally doesn’t have a lot of success.

With the Atlanta Braves starting rotation having so many question marks heading into October, this team is vulnerable. No team can survive the rigors of postseason baseball without a strong rotation. The best way Atlanta can be beaten this October is to hit their flawed starting rotation hard. The Philadelphia Phillies did it last year. While Atlanta may look strong, there clearly are some cracks in their foundation that a team can expose.

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