Wednesday night’s win over the Mets lined up neatly with three big things going on for the Braves right now: Austin Riley looks like himself again, the rotation suddenly has some real life, and Raisel Iglesias is still trying to find his way through a rough stretch.
The biggest jolt came from Riley. After a season that kept swinging between promising bursts and frustrating slumps, the Braves third baseman has put together enough over the last month to call it a real turnaround.
He was a triple shy of the cycle on Wednesday, and in his final at-bat he sent a ball deep to right-center that was hauled in at the wall. Without that defensive play, the Braves might have had their first cycle since 2021.
This isn’t just about one big night, though. Since the All-Star break, Riley is hitting nearly .300 with an .891 OPS, and he looks far more controlled and balanced at the plate than he has at other points this season. If that version shows up the rest of the way, the Braves’ offense has a case to be the best in baseball.
The pitching picture has changed, too. What used to feel shaky now has a little more shape to it.
Martin Pérez hasn’t allowed a run over 18 straight innings. Tyler Mahle has been nearly spotless in his first two Braves starts, giving up one run across 12 innings with 16 strikeouts.
Grant Holmes has stacked back-to-back outings of six scoreless innings. And AJ Smith-Shawver may be back in the majors soon after his best showing yet for the Gwinnett Stripers, where he allowed one baserunner over 5.1 innings and struck out seven.
It’s still a small sample, and nobody’s pretending October is solved. But right now, the rotation doesn’t look hopeless, especially with Chris Sale at the front of it.
The uneasy part is at the back end of games. Iglesias didn’t blow Wednesday night’s win, but he’s been fighting through a stretch that has become hard to ignore.
Since June 9, over 24 appearances, he has a 4.88 ERA and 4.95 FIP, with five home runs allowed. He’s given up runs in six of his last twelve outings.
The Braves don’t have much choice but to keep trusting him, and they’ve seen him turn this kind of thing around before. In the first half of last season, Iglesias posted a 6.75 ERA in 25 appearances, then came back with a 1.25 ERA over his final 45. He’s got about six weeks to sort it out.
In Other News...
Braves Could Push For A Star Shortstop Rival Fans Would Hate
The Braves are already being connected to one of the more intriguing offseason questions on the market, and shortstop sits near the center of it. Atlanta has a chance to look for an upgrade there, and the kind of player who could move the needle is the sort who usually costs real prospect capital and then some. In division deals have never been the norm, but they have become more common lately, which is why this conversation has at least some traction.
One name hovering around that search is a young shortstop who could become available if his current club cannot lock him up long term. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: a chance to target a player with upside at a position of need, even if doing so would mean dealing with a rival and putting together a package strong enough to make them listen. It is the kind of possibility that can reshape the rest of the winter if the Braves decide to press hard enough. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Injured Starters Are Progressing But One Return Loos Large
The Braves finally have some movement on the pitching injury front, even if the updates come with plenty of caution attached. Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep, both sidelined by elbow inflammation, have avoided surgery and have started throwing programs, while Spencer Schwellenbach has begun bullpen work as he tries to build back toward a possible return this season.
Reynaldo Lopez may be the most immediate name to watch, which matters for a staff that has spent too much time piecing things together. He is recovering from knee inflammation and appears closest to coming back, with the Braves also considering using him out of the bullpen instead of sending him straight back into the starting rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Reynaldo Lpez Could Force A Braves Pitching Decision That Changes Everything
The Braves are entering the kind of pitching puzzle teams usually hope to have in September, when injured arms start filtering back and the staff begins to take shape for October. Reynaldo Lpez is right in the middle of it after a recent bullpen session, and Atlanta is weighing how best to use him as the rotation picture gets more crowded with pitchers returning and the postseason roster coming into focus.
Lpez remains a name to watch because the Braves still have to decide whether his next value comes from starting games or helping out of the bullpen, and that choice could ripple through the rest of the staff. AJ Smith-Shawver has also reinserted himself into the conversation after a strong rehab outing with Gwinnett, while Spencer Schwellenbach is another piece the Braves are evaluating as they try to sort out who fits where when the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]