Braves Regular Season Recap

The Braves regular season has come to an end, and it was a success. Many players have had career-making seasons, and the team clinched the division with seven games remaining, causing them to look very promising leading into the playoffs. New players like Josh Donaldson and Brian McCan have been a very good fit for a hard-hitting team, and old players like Freddie Freeman have kept up their consistent success. After reaching 90 wins only 145 games in, it was a very strong second half of the season. After winning the division going 90-72 last season, this year’s record of 97-65 has been an improvement from an already good year last year. Going into the playoffs, this team will be very strong.

A few players have had breakout seasons, giving them national recognition. The player with the biggest “breakout” is former MVP Josh Donaldson. The braves picked up the 33-year-old in the offseason after a very disappointing season with the Blue Jays, but the “Bringer of Rain” showed a lot of his former self, hitting 37 home runs and batting in 94 runs. Brian McCann made his return to the Braves after five seasons playing in the American League. He came in clutch in a few games, leading a 5 run comeback against the Phillies with a homerun and a walk off single, along with two other walk offs this season. Ronald Acuña made history, becoming the youngest player to hit 40+ home runs, and steal 30+ bases in a season. He hit 41 home runs, had 101 RBI (runs batted in), and had 37 stolen bases, all at the age of 21. The season has been a big proving point for many players, and the playoffs should be exciting.

The second half of the season played a big role in this season for the Braves. After the All-Star break, which otherwise known as the halfway point of the season, they won 44 of their 72 games. The Braves also won many important divisional games, winning 3 out of 4 games against the Phillies and the Nationals towards the end of the season. The Braves consistently were able to make late comebacks to win tough games and were a good team down the final stretch. With the playoffs coming, this team is full of potential, and they certainly will bring competition for the playoffs.

By Ellis Balser