In just five days, the Atlanta Braves will begin their title defense as the 2022 season finally gets underway with the Cincinnati Reds coming to town.
While the loss of Freddie Freeman cannot be ignored, the addition of Matt Olson and the impending return of Ronald Acuña Jr. along with a slew of other roster moves have the Braves in position to contend once again. On 92.9 The Game this morning, Chris Goforth outlined his expectations for the Braves in 2022 as a team that is “built to win now.”
“This is a team that should contend for a World Series title…After a championship, anything less than getting back as National League champs would be a disappointment,” he said.
There has not been a repeat champion in Major League Baseball since the New York Yankees three-peat was completed in 2000. So, what could prevent the Braves from making it back to the World Series?
While Goforth isn’t as concerned about the bats in the Braves lineup, it’s the backend of the rotation that gives him pause at this point. Max Fried will take the mound on Opening Day with Charlie Morton and Ian Anderson slotting in behind him. Brian Snitker has explained that the Braves will utilize a 6-man rotation to start the season as the team opens with 14 straight games before their first off day. Huascar Ynoa and Kyle Wright will presumably fill the fourth and fifth slots in the rotation, leaving the sixth spot up for grabs at this point.
Additionally, Goforth noted that the Braves aren’t as strong in the outfield defensively as they need to be, especially until Acuña is back at full strength.
As for other contenders in the NL, he mentioned that the Mets are improved despite a potentially costly injury to Jacob deGrom, the Dodgers are obviously a threat and the Brewers starting rotation will pose problems for teams around the league.
