3 biggest questions the Atlanta Braves are facing heading into NLDS
When the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies square off in the NLDS, here are three questions we're waiting to see answered.
It is hard to form any logical argument against the Atlanta Braves being World Series favorites heading into the second round of the 2023 MLB postseason. The offense is lethal and has proven even against great pitching that no lead is truly safe for an opposing team. Despite injuries, the team has crafted together a strong back end of the bullpen and, when healthy, the top of the rotation can match up with anyone.
Atlanta's biggest challenge is going to be proving worthy of all the praise and attention they have been given this season. This is a team that lost Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman since winning the 2021 World Series and, if anything, has gotten even better.
The healthy return of their young superstar has helped along with huge seasons from Matt Olson and Orlando Arcia. It seems any decision that the Atlanta Braves front office makes is the perfect one. Whether it is locking up their stars with team-friendly deals or finding surprising value in the trade or free agent markets, Atlanta consistently finds ways to win on and off the field.
However, despite being the clear favorite, there should be a healthy level of fear among Atlanta Braves fans with three clear questions facing the franchise.
1. Will the starting pitching be healthy enough to give the Atlanta Braves offense a chance?
Max Fried will return, but will the Atlanta ace struggle to settle back into the rotation right away after a long layoff? It is a fair question and one that is going to be even more important now that Charlie Morton is missing extended time and Strider is coming off of a rough final start of the season.
When Strider is locked in, there isn't anyone better. However, he has also shown if his fastball isn't elevating, it can quickly leave the park and it will start to snowball. Atlanta needs Fried to be great from the start if they really are going to be able to count on their starting rotation.
If the team gets bounced before the World Series, it is going to be because of their lack of starting pitching and injuries, not an elite Atlanta offense. Atlanta has found a way to win all season despite consistent starting pitching struggles and injuries.
The postseason obviously is an entire different animal and the Braves need a level of stability from this group to have a real chance at their second ring in the last three seasons.
2. Will last season's NLDS flop linger for the Atlanta Braves?
Postseason demons are a funny thing and hard to put your finger on and often unexplainable mental hurdles. The last example for the Braves that comes to mind is the Los Angeles Dodgers staying in Atlanta's head with the team clearly being just as talented (if not more) and unable to beat a franchise that simply had their number for a time.
Atlanta ended this in the 2021 season, beating the Dodgers in the postseason before taking on the Houston Astros in their first World Series win since the 1995 season. The postseason demons seemed to have finally died and Atlanta put what felt like a cursed sports city in the spotlight for positive reasons.
Fast forward one season and the Braves are clear favorites in the NLDS against the Phillies. It was a series that Philly dominated from the start and embarrassed the defending World Series champs. While the Braves had zero problems beating divison oppnents during the season, will any of last season's postseason struggles linger?
While it seems unlikely with this offense, it is a fair question to ask considering how good the Braves were in the 2022 season as well. The Phillies dominated the series and went on to lose in the World Series to Houston.
3. Will the Atlanta Braves offense stay hot after the week off?
While there is a clear benefit to earning the first-round bye, there is also some truth in your team playing must-win games heading into a series. The Braves will be facing a team in the Phillies that is coming off of a must-win series after a tough postseason race. Philadelphia played on Wednesday night and will be rested coming into Saturday's NLDS opener.
For the Braves, it will have been over a week since the majority of their starters played a full game. Atlanta needs a fast start to wipe away the questions from last season and that could prove difficult after the team took extended time off.
It could prove to be a non-factor for a team with an offense as talented as Atlanta, but it is a fair question to ask. Can the offense lock in from game one or will it take time to find their rhythm again? This is part of why the first question is so important for Atlanta with starting pitching needing to buy time for an offense that could start slow after a long layoff.
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