Atlanta Braves’ fans may believe that they are in the midst of one of the most frustrating seasons in recent years as they team continues to find consistency at the plate and in the win column. While their 6-2 win over the Brewers on Wednesday gives them back to back wins, Atlanta has struggled to string together a win streak of five or more wins, which they have not done since April, and are 5-7 since returning to action from the All-Star break.
And while the Braves have had to deal with significant injuries that have led to several players being side lined for some time, including Spencer Strider (UCL) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (ACL), their roster still comprised of several players that were apart of last season’s that put up historic numbers.
However, just days prior to the MLB trade deadline, the Braves made a move that would bring the 2021 World Series MVP, Jorge Soler, along with pitcher Luke Jackson, back to the club in hopes of possibly give the Braves a much-needed boost. But will it be enough?
On Wednesday, Braves President, Baseball Operations and General Manager, Alex Anthopoulos, spoke with Steak Shapiro and explained that the team was indeed looking at other potential trade options, in particularly to address the bullpen, but ultimately decided that they were confident the current roster is strong enough for a postseason run, they just simply need to get to the playoffs.
“You have to get it done one way or the other and I just believe in that. Fans are committed, people are living and dying with this team and our players put us in a position to still be in a playoff spot,” the Braves GM told Shapiro on Tuesday as he shared the concerns the club had ahead of the trade deadline. “There’s reason for confidence down the stretch,” Shapiro told Rusty Mansell on Thursday as they reacted to Anthopoulos’ comments.
As their conversation continued, Shapiro noted that the 2023 World Series teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, were both No. 6 seeds from their respective leagues, yet found their ways to the championship game, therefore the Braves have “just as good a chance as any team,” he said, echoing comments from Anthopoulos.