Braves get eliminated, must now evaluate what needs to change this offseason

The Braves now enter an offseason loaded with questions about how they should proceed in the next phase of their contention window.

A valiant effort by the pitching staff wasn’t enough, as the Braves were eliminated by the Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday, 4-1. This will sting beyond the normal season-ending despair.

This was the blueprint for upsetting the reigning two-time champions. The Braves stole a game in Los Angeles. They had their all-world ace starting in Game 3. The Dodgers’ stars didn’t perform to expectation. In fact, L.A. didn’t have a hit with runners in scoring position until Andy Pages delivered with two outs in the seventh inning of Game 4.

Braves pitching couldn’t have been much better, even with Sale gutting through his outing. The bullpen effort of Game 2 was the stuff of legend. Tyler Mahle, the team’s lone starting pitching acquisition in their criticized trade deadline, was phenomenal in Game 4.

None of it mattered because the Braves’ offense didn’t carry its weight (outside outfielder Michael Harris II, who was the best player in the series). Let the record show that the Braves’ inability to acquire another starter in spring training or the deadline wasn’t the primary culprit of this exit.

The team needed so much more from Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Drake Baldwin and Austin Riley.

Olson went 4-for-27 in the postseason, his final swing a flailing whiff against a Tanner Scott ball outside the zone. Baldwin went 3-for-27, his final at-bat ending on a misfired challenge. Acuña went 3-for-24 and couldn’t come through with multiple chances. Riley, whose entire year underwhelmed outside his postseason homer against the Phillies, went 2-for-22. He flew out to right field to end the season.