The Atlanta Braves have spent the last 35 days making baseball logic look backwards.
Against starting pitching, the offense has been stuck in the mud. Once the opposing starter is out of the game, though, the Braves have turned into a different lineup entirely, piling up runs against bullpens and turning that split into wins.
Since August 17, when Atlanta opened a series against the Twins, opposing starters have held Braves hitters to a .227/.282/.325 slash line over the last 32 games. Those starters have posted a 2.49 ERA across 169.2 innings, which works out to a little more than 5.1 innings per start.
That has happened even with the Braves seeing names like Jacob Misiorowski, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesús Luzardo, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It has also happened against less intimidating starters such as Mason Adams, Anthony Molina, and Andrew Painter, plus multi-inning openers Brad Lord and Zach Agnos, who shut Atlanta down as well.
In that stretch, the Braves have scored four or more runs against the opposing starter only twice in 32 games. And yet they are 18-14 anyway, with the opposing starter taking the loss in just six of those 14 defeats.
This weekend’s series against the Astros fit the pattern perfectly. Peter Lambert, Hayden Wesneski, and Hunter Brown combined to work 15.2 innings and allow only three runs.
On paper, that should have made life difficult for Atlanta. In practice, it barely mattered.
The Braves lit up Houston’s bullpen instead. Astros relievers covered 11.1 innings and were tagged for 13 runs while surrendering five homers. Atlanta swept the series, and Sunday’s win clinched the division.
That kind of damage against relief pitching has become the Braves’ calling card over this run. Over the last 35 days, they have hit .280/.342/.475 against relievers and scored 76 runs in 113.2 innings, compared with 47 runs in 169.2 innings against starters.
It hasn’t just been soft targets, either. Atlanta has gotten to relievers such as Jhoan Duran, Tanner Scott, Alex McFarlane, and Kevin Kelly, all of whom are expected to have major postseason roles for their teams. The Braves have also knocked around a few low-leverage relievers and even a position player.
For now, the formula is plain enough: the Braves are not doing much early, but they are dangerous late. That could matter in October, when starters are usually on shorter leashes. If Atlanta ends up needing to navigate two of the best rotations in MLB on the way to a championship, the path may depend on getting to the bullpen fast.
In Other News...
Ronald Acuna Jr. Just Gave The Braves Their Biggest Playoff Fear
Ronald Acua Jr. exited the game against the Cincinnati Reds after fouling a ball off his left leg and collapsing on the field, a scene that immediately put the Braves on edge. After receiving medical attention, he got up and walked off under his own power, with Brewer Hicklen taking his place.
For Atlanta, the concern goes well beyond one at-bat. Acua is central to everything the Braves do, and any injury scare involving a player with his history of leg issues lands with extra weight at this time of year, when the margin for error gets thinner and every close call feels bigger than it should. [Read more 🡒]
Ronald Acua Jr. Just Put Atlantas Playoff Hopes On Edge
Ronald Acua Jr. had been giving Atlanta exactly the kind of September spark the Braves hoped for after he missed significant time earlier in the season with injuries. His strong stretch helped steady a club that is trying to get itself in order for the playoffs, where every healthy bat and every electric presence matters a little more.
Now the Braves are waiting again after Acua had to leave a game when he fouled a ball off his leg, and there has not yet been an update on how serious it is. For a team already balancing October preparation with the need to keep its best players on the field, his availability has suddenly become one of the most important questions hanging over the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Playoff Roster Could Include Some Very Unexpected Names
With the Braves already locked into the postseason, the next roster conversation has turned from who is available to who might be useful in October. That has opened the door to a few names that would have seemed far-fetched a few months ago, including players who have yet to appear in a regular-season game for Atlanta this year. Some are working back from injuries, others bring minor league experience, and the front office is weighing every angle as the playoff picture sharpens.
Joe Jimnez, Chuckie Robinson, Maverick Handley, Patrick Clohisy and Tyler Uberstine are all part of that unusual mix of possibilities. Their cases underscore how flexible postseason roster construction can become when health and matchups are in play, and how quickly a team can look beyond the familiar depth chart once October arrives. The Braves still have decisions to make, and the final group could include at least one unexpected addition. [Read more 🡒]