The Braves entered Saturday 10 games over .500 at 75-65, which had them 4-1/2 games ahead of the second-place Phillies. Their success against the bottom of the National League East certainly has helped.
In the past three seasons, the Braves’ success in divisional play was pivotal to their three consecutive NL East crowns. In 2021, it’s been a rockier ride, but the team has racked up division wins in the second half.
The Braves are 15-17 against the Mets and Phillies (they’re 7-9 against the latter). But the Braves are also 24-12 against the Nationals and Marlins, helping separate themselves from the Phillies and Mets.
While they’re 11-8 against Washington, the Mets have a losing record against the Marlins (7-8). The Phillies likewise have dominated the Nationals (13-6), but they’re just 8-8 against Miami.
Since the trade deadline, when the Nationals and Marlins weakened their rosters by trading away veteran talent, the Braves have taken advantage. They went 7-2 against the Nationals in the second half. They’re 4-0 against Miami with two head-to-head games remaining this weekend.
If the Braves hang on and win their fourth consecutive division title, their success against the Nationals and Marlins in the second half will be an instrumental reason why.
Braves notes:
- Manager Brian Snitker said righty Touki Toussaint is slated to start his next turn, which is Tuesday against the Rockies following Monday’s off-day. Toussaint’s season has taken a downward turn in his past two outings, in which he logged only three innings each time.
- Third baseman Austin Riley continues to build his MVP case. He’s among the top 10 in the NL in about every major offensive category. His 266 total bases are tied for most in the NL. His 151 hits are tied for fourth most, while his 43 multi-hit games rank fifth. His .300 average is seventh. His 29 homers are tied for seventh. His 88 RBIs rank sixth and his .902 OPS is ninth.
There are few hitters in MLB who can match Riley’s productivity. It might not result in the Braves having MVP winners in back-to-back seasons, but Riley’s surge has them positioned for another postseason berth and has emphatically answered the question of whether he’s their long-term answer at the position. Riley, second baseman Ozzie Albies and outfielder Ronald Acuna are all under 25 years old, giving the Braves a powerful nucleus to build their lineup around.
- Braves pitching prospect Bryce Elder has impressed at Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a 2.78 ERA in four starts. In 22 starts across three levels this season, the right-hander has a 2.91 ERA while holding opponents to a .202 average.
Elder has thrown his name into the mix for 2022. It’s been a rapid ascension for the Texas product whom the Braves drafted in the fifth round last summer.
“It’s been really good,” Snitker said of the reports on Elder. “I asked (general manager) Alex (Anthopoulos) a couple weeks ago because I kept seeing this kid’s name. I dug in on him a little bit. He’s a college guy from a big school. Sounds like a really good sign, where we got him and all. I’ve heard some really good things about this guy. It’s good he’s in Triple-A and pitching well because you never know what might happen down the road.”
- On the subject of Triple-A pitchers, some fans might wonder what’s happened to righty Kyle Wright, who’s barely pitched in the majors this season. He has a 2.59 ERA over his past eight starts with the Stripers. Wright hasn’t been in serious consideration to join the major-league club, however.
Wright, who’s largely struggled at the highest level, has made only two appearances this season, most recently pitching June 23, when he allowed five runs in two innings against the Mets. Snitker said Wright’s name has come up during conversations but “that’s all. It’s just been a discussion.”
- The Braves won Friday despite not hitting a home run. That’s a rare occurrence: They’re 9-22 in games without hitting a homer. Their nine victories without homering are tied for the fewest in baseball with Washington (9-39), Cleveland (9-29) and Minnesota (9-23). Each of those teams has a losing record overall.
