Atlanta Braves: The Cream of the NL East
The Atlanta Braves have defied the odds so far this season by leading the NL East over the preseason favorites.
To start the season, three NL East teams had a realistic chance to compete for the division crown: The Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, and the Atlanta Braves.
Both the Phillies (39-32) and the Nationals (33-38) were trendy picks to win the NL East, oddly enough surrounding both the arrival and the departure of one Bryce Harper. Neither team has really done much other than stay afloat at this point in the season.
Not only are those two teams struggling so far this season, but the Braves (43-30) are also thriving. With young players such as Ronald Acuna Jr. and a stable of veterans in Brian McCann and Freddie Freeman, they have found a formula for success.
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One reason is their continued success at the plate. The Atlanta Braves rank third in the league in both team batting average at .267 and in team on-base percentage at .342. That success comes with having 5 players hitting over the .300 mark and 11 over the .250 mark. The contributions are coming from everyone in the lineup.
Acuna is no surprise here, but the biggest surprise is Charlie Culberson. He is playing the best season of his career by far with a slash line of .346/.386/.635. He is joined by McCann, Freeman, and Acuna all over the .300 mark.
Secondly, they are doing fairly well on the mound. As a pitching staff, they are above average in team ERA at 4.20, good for 10th in the league. Their staff is anchored by the veteran Julio Teheran, who is enjoying a rejuvenated year.
Teheran is in the midst of the best year of his 9-year career with a 2.92 ERA in 83 1/3 innings pitched. Luke Jackson, the closer has been okay at times this year with 10 saves in 16 opportunities. The bullpen is the one place they have to improve.
Thirdly their success has been the way their veterans have mixed so well with their young players. They collectively have been improving their game and feeding off each other’s energy. Guys like Ozzie Albies, Matt Joyce, Nick Markakis, and Josh Donaldson.
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I have enjoyed watching this team and am rooting for their continued success. If this team wants to take the next step. the one place they need to improve is the bullpen. When they get that help, there is no limit to where this team can go and will have to be considered World Series contenders.