How Atlanta Braves Can Win in October?
How Atlanta Braves Can Win in October?
This is why it could take some ingenuity for the Atlanta Braves to pull off an October victory:
There’s a phrase that had a different meaning when it was used as the title of a television programme on the Braves 40 years ago.
In 1982, Ted Turner created the groundbreaking reality show “It’s a long way to October” to follow the Atlanta Braves. The show was fantastic and ahead of its time.
But now we have “It’s a long way to October” to prove that it really is a long time until October. In baseball, the regular season lasts for six months, and then the postseason begins and the cycle repeats.
The Braves’ postseason chances were derailed by two events last year. At first, staff superstar Max Fried fell ill.
He had dropped weight and was probably around 160 pounds when he started Game One of the Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Fried yielded six runs at the end of the fourth inning. That he wasn’t himself was obvious.
Later, Spencer Strider had an oblique strain. After missing the final two weeks of the regular season, the Braves started Strider in Game Three in Philadelphia, where he pitched brilliantly for one inning before tiring.
Perhaps the Phillies would have prevailed regardless, but it didn’t help that Fried and Strider weren’t at full strength.
The Braves have had injury trouble before, and they’re having it again. Fried’s first round prospects are murky because of a blister. Charlie Morton will not be pitching in the Division Series because of a strained ligament in his right index finger.
With a win in his final appearance later this week, Strider will be in the spotlight and on the verge of being the first horse in history to win 20 races in a single season. To win in the playoffs, a team really needed a power pitcher just a few short years ago. So, the Braves boast baseball’s finest power pitcher in Strider.
Strider is a tough opponent, and opposing teams probably don’t want to face him. He can keep a team in check for up to seven innings. Strider’s fastball and ability to strike out batters give him a frightening presence. That’s not a terrible asset to have in the playoffs.
Although Strider cannot carry the Braves to victory on his own, he may aid by giving them solid beginnings. Runs will be scored by this Atlanta offence, but the Braves need quality beginning pitching if they want to win.
Don’t forget that back in 2017 when the Braves won it all, they had some heroes on their side. Clutch performances came from Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, and Jorge Soler. Will Smith allowed no earned runs in the playoffs, and Tyler Matzek worked his way out of some incredible jams in relief.
The Braves won the World Series despite using bullpen players Dylan Lee and Tucker Davidson in game one. After a line drive fractured Morton’s leg in the first game, the Braves really had no choice but to replace him.
However, in Game 4, reliever pitcher Kyle Wright came through with 4.2 strong innings. Later, Braves manager Brian Snitker acknowledged the team couldn’t have won the World Series without Wright’s participation.
Wright came out of the bullpen for the Braves in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader in Washington, so he might do the same thing in the playoffs.
After missing four months of action, the team probably won’t put their faith in Wright to pitch deep into a start, but he could perhaps “piggyback” with another starter for a few innings if needed.
The Braves may need to be resourceful if Fried joins Morton on the disabled list. Bryce Elder is a good choice to begin a game for any of the other teams.
However, AJ Smith-Shawver might be the Braves’ emergency starter. A young pitcher with electrifying stuff may be difficult to hit in the playoffs for a team that hasn’t faced him yet, which is why the organisation is so fond of him.
The Braves probably didn’t want to deal with injuries to their starting pitchers. Because of this, any series, and especially one against the Phillies, has the potential to become a Home Run Derby. However, the Braves only have a shot in October if Strider and the other pitchers perform well.
