The Braves have continued to underperform because the season nears its three-month mark. They clawed again from their 0-7 begin to get above .500 in mid-Might — proper as they had been about to activate Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider from the injured listing. Optimism was excessive. Then got here a stretch of 14 losses in 17 contests that dropped them to a season-high 10 video games beneath .500 over the weekend. They’re coming off a strong sequence win in Milwaukee, however they face lengthy odds to climb again into a tricky NL playoff race. The division is all however gone, and so they’re 9 video games again with six groups to leap within the Wild Card image.
Atlanta’s entrance workplace is not going to promote six weeks prematurely of the commerce deadline. They’ve invested lots and this core’s prior successes have earned them as a lot runway as doable to get sizzling. Jon Heyman of The New York Submit wrote final evening that the Braves nonetheless view themselves as patrons, highlighting shortstop and the outfield as potential targets.
Nonetheless, they’re operating low on time and coming off their worst stretch of the season. The again half of the lineup, late-inning reduction combine, and beginning pitching depth are all points. They’re going to want a major turnaround within the subsequent 4-6 weeks to keep away from promoting some short-term items. Marcell Ozuna can be an apparent candidate as a rental bat who’s raking for a 3rd consecutive season. They might attempt to offload impending free agent reliever Raisel Iglesias, who has put himself on shaky floor by combating the longball. The more durable query is whether or not the entrance workplace ought to transfer any key gamers who’re controllable past this yr — with Chris Sale main the way in which because the staff’s high possibility.
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