Braves 2019 Postseason Preview
Before the start of the baseball season, the NL East was predicted by many to be the toughest and most competitive division in the majors. All eyes were on the Philadelphia Phillies who had just finalized a massive 13-year, $330 million contract with former MVP Bryce Harper, and the Nationals and Mets, both considered to have elite starting pitching and promising young talent, also had high expectations to make a push for the division title. Everyone seemed to agree that it would be a tight four-team race, but strangely enough, the Atlanta Braves were considered by most to be the underdog. Despite being the defending division champs, fans and analysts doubted the Braves from the start, claiming that last season was just a fluke.
But calling this team a fluke could not be any further from the truth. The Atlanta Braves ran away with the division and never looked back, putting together an even better season than the last and only improving along the way. And with their division-clinching 95th win of the season last week, the sports world finally acknowledged the Braves for what they really are: legitimate World Series contenders.
Atlanta’s roster is the complete package. Nearly every key piece of last year’s team returned this season and performed at an even higher level. Mike Soroka followed up a promising rookie year with one of the most dominant seasons of any pitcher in baseball. 9-year Atlanta veteran Julio Teheran finally returned to form to provide the rotation with some much-needed depth. Infielders Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson made major improvements at the plate to add to their already stellar defensive play. Freddie Freeman has put together yet another MVP-caliber season, and with a week left in the season, 21-year-old Ronald Acuña Jr. is just three stolen bases away from becoming the fifth player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single season, joining the elusive “40-40 club.”
The real game-changers, however, have been the new additions to the roster. Third baseman Josh Donaldson, who the Braves signed to a massive one-year, $23 million contract last winter, reminded us why he earned the nickname “Bringer of Rain,” launching 37 home runs and serving as an on-base machine in the heart of the lineup. Left-handed ace Dallas Keuchel has been impressively consistent all year, and with his veteran leadership and World Series experience, the entire pitching staff got noticeably better immediately upon his arrival in Atlanta. Even bench players like Matt Joyce and Adeiny Hechavarria have played crucial roles in the Braves’ year-long success.
But above all else, regardless of any individual player’s performance, the Braves are downright fun to watch. The team is carried by the youthful energy of its players both on and off the diamond. You can tell these guys are having the time of their lives, and their passion and high energy is what has ultimately carried them to where they are today. Nowhere is this more apparent than in their astonishing ability to come from behind and secure victories. No matter the score, the Braves are never out of the game; Atlanta’s offense thrives in pressure situations by never turning down the heat, scoring more runs in the 7th inning or later than any other team in baseball.
A few years ago, this team was at the very bottom of the National League rankings. But through patience and smart management, the Atlanta Braves are finally among the league’s elite franchises once again, and they have the potential to only get even better for many years to come. But there’s something special about this year’s Braves team in particular. Atlanta got a taste of the postseason last year, but in 2019, they are back and even hungrier than before.
By Jaden Ellman