When the Braves walked off with a victory against the Marlins on Thursday afternoon, it completed a 13-game stretch against the National League East to begin the season.

There were mixed results: The Braves were swept in Philadelphia and lost the first game in Washington to start 0-4. They rebounded nicely, sweeping a doubleheader against the Nationals and taking the first two from the Phillies to begin their homestand. They lost the series finale against Philadelphia on the controversial replay-review call. They then lost three consecutive against the Marlins before rallying Thursday to avoid a sweep.

So the Braves sit at 5-8, an uninspiring record, but certainly a manageable one in the young season. The Braves’ next five series are against non-divisional opponents in the Cubs, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Cubs and Blue Jays. They’ll next face an NL East foe May 4 against the Nationals. They’ll see the Mets for the first time May 17.

“I know it gets talked about a lot, but I don’t know if it gets enough credit: The starting pitching in this division is pretty freaking spectacular,” Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “The bullpens have been awesome. I feel like everybody is throwing really well against us, too. There’s a lot of talent in this division up and down. Miami has a great staff, Philly, D.C., the Mets.

“It is pretty remarkable to think about, but I know the old saying that iron sharpens iron. Facing good competition throughout the year primes you for big moments later in the year and in the playoffs.”

Braves Lineup: The AJC presents a daily look at one thing to know about the Atlanta Braves today.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (13) are two of Atlanta's three All-Star selections.

Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC

Featured

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue said joining neighboring states to form a new accreditation agency will “keep Georgia’s universities among the best in the nation." (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC