.jpg)
3 hours ago
1
The Atlanta Braves have started to figure things out a bit, a promising sign as the team hopes to, at the very least, make the playoffs. The Braves understand that if they sneak into the postseason, things will go their way, and that's all they need to do at this point.
Already 6.5 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the National League East, and with the way the Mets have been playing to start the year, it might be tough for the Braves to catch them.
Yes, it's only May 1, but if the Mets continue to play this way, it looks like they'll run away with the division.
However, the Braves are 7-3 over their last 10 games and are hopeful that Ronald Acuna Jr. will join the team in the near future.
Acuna, who hasn't been with the Braves since the middle of the 2024 campaign due to a torn ACL on May 26, could join the team as early as the first half of this month, according to MLB.com.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
“The Braves got off to an even rougher start than the Orioles, losing each of their first seven games and 13 of their first 18. Fortunately, though, they have since crawled their way back toward .500.
“Sean Murphy, Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna and Austin Riley have helped pick up the slack, but you know what would really help get this going? The return of Ronald Acuña Jr., who is expected back from last season’s torn left ACL injury in the first half of this month. (Spencer Strider, who strained his right hamstring following his season debut, is also due back by the end of May.)”
The Braves will have to hope that Acuna figures it out quickly. He struggled a bit during the 2024 campaign before going down with the injury, posting a 100 OPS+ and just four home runs in 192 at-bats.
The Braves need the 2023 Acuna, who was arguably the best player in baseball, posting a 171 OPS+ and stealing 73 bases while hitting 41 home runs.
English (US)