The only consistent thing about the Braves is that they can mess up their own playoff chances. The Braves lost in the first round of the playoffs last year; in the year before that one, they lost the Wild Card game after tanking in the last part of the season. From the scores of the past month, they are poised to do the same this year.
The Braves went 3-12 from July 29 to Aug. 14. This dismal record has drastically reduced the Braves’ chances at making the playoffs. The Braves are currently behind the suddenly soaring Washington Nationals in the National League East. Part of this downfall can be attributed to lackluster hitting. From July 29 to Aug. 14, the Braves hit a mere .245. When a team can’t hit, the team can’t score runs, and a team that can’t score runs consistently cannot win consistently. The hitting slump has led the Braves to an even worse record in the runs category.
The Braves were third from the bottom of the Major League in scoring runs during the first two weeks of August. In that time, the Braves scored only 48 runs. Even worse, the Braves were second to last in runs batted in. Although the Braves’ offensive woes are their biggest problem, the team’s pitching has also been inconsistent for the team. The team ERA in the first two weeks of August was 11th ranking falls short of where the Braves need to be in order to make the playoffs.
Even Craig Kimbrel, the Brave’s ace closer, has had a below average season this year compared to some of his past seasons. Despite having a career ERA of 1.45, Kimbrel’s ERA this season is 1.80, which is still very good. Atlanta’s starting pitching has been inconsistent too, but this is attributable to both Kris Medlen’s and Brandon Beachy’s preseason injuries. The Braves neglected to sign Hudson in the off season, which may prove to be a mistake, because Hudson has done well with the Giants.
In order to be in playoff contention, the Braves need to improve their performance quickly. Although the Braves are well behind the Nationals for the playoff spot in the NL East, the Braves are closely trailing the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants in the race for the National League Wild Card spot. The Braves’ recent losses have hurt them, but they show signs of recovering. The Braves swept the Oakland Athletics, who had the best record in the MLB before the series. The Braves also had a great series with Pittsburgh Pirates, including some high scoring games, which may ignite a dormant offense.
The Braves may have recovered from their slump, however they are not out of the woods yet. With the Braves hovering around 6 games behind the Nationals, every game is must win. If the Braves build on their recent success, they might have a shot at making the playoffs.
