-Part 5 of preview series. How the Braves got here. Before the season, even though the Braves were defending National League East champions, more attention was focused on the division rivals Nationals, Phillies and Mets. Yet, the Braves ran away with the division. In a five-part series, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution examines how the Braves repeated. Today: Braves ability to overcome the unexpected.
For as talented as these Braves are, this season could’ve gone awry.
There was plenty that didn’t go their way. They exceeded expectations - no doubt about it - and preseason predictions that pegged them for fourth place in the division couldn’t have accounted for several factors. But for as much that went right, there were ample scenarios that spiraled downward.
Mike Foltynewicz jumps out as the top one. An all-star last season, Foltynewicz missed spring training with a bone spur and was horrific for much of the year. So much that he was demoted to Triple-A Gwinnett.
The right-hander returned and excelled in his next 10 starts, but that doesn’t override the reality that for much of the season, the Braves didn’t have the man they expected to front their rotation.
The bullpen was an abomination for a period. A.J. Minter, an expected co-closer, had a season to forget, spending much of it in Triple-A because of struggles finding the strike zone in the majors.
Arodyz Vizcaino, expected to partner with Minter, was injured and traded to Seattle alongside Jesse Biddle, another contributor to last season’s team who lost his magic.
Dan Winkler? Didn’t produce and ended up traded. Sam Freeman? Didn’t make it out of spring training. Shane Carle? Forgotten and traded. Touki Toussaint, Bryse Wilson and Kyle Wright? All three spent most of their season in the minors, and most of their major-league appearances justified why.
The Braves had to remake their bullpen throughout the season, with Luke Jackson the only man standing from opening day.
Nick Markakis missed time with a fractured wrist. Dansby Swanson was out an extended period with a heel injury. Ender Inciarte missed 55 games because of his back, then strained his hamstring not too long after returning, ending his season.
Charlie Culberson and Johan Camargo, the team’s two bench pieces, didn’t make it through the season healthy. When healthy, neither was particularly productive. Camargo was optioned to Triple-A amid his struggles.
This doesn’t discount where the team has been fortunate. Matt Joyce was a massive help for their bench. The Braves spun three big reliever deals at the trade deadline. Ronald Acuna, Ozzie Albies, Freddie Freeman and Josh Donaldson have stayed healthy.
Julio Teheran outpitched his underlying numbers. Mike Soroka, fresh off shoulder concerns, was an All-Star. Max Fried emerged. The Braves landed free-agent Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel in June - an extremely unlikely scenario.
But all in all, the Braves proved a franchise of rich depth, thorough management and front-office savvy. Now they’ll have to put it together on the bigger platform, striving to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2001.
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