Braves at halftime, what to expect in the second half

The MLB All-Star break has arrived. The Atlanta Braves have completed the “official” first half of the season.

After 95 games (these official halves are never split evenly), the Braves are 53-42 and sit in second place in the National League East and control the first wild card.

With the season break underway, let’s take a moment to look at what we’ve learned so far about this team and what to expect for the rest of the way.

What we learned

The Braves know how to revive careers

Think about those who came into the franchise this year and probably had low expectations.

Chris Sale He looked exhausted and riddled with injuries. Reynaldo LopezThe starting pitching days seemed long gone. Jarred Kelenic didn’t live up to expectations. Now here are some of the more reliable names on the roster. Sale (2.70) and Lopez (1.88) have the two best ERAs in the National League among qualifiers. They’re both All-Stars and Cy Young Award prospects. Kelenic has emerged as a true leadoff hitter for the Braves.

All three could also be contenders for Player of the Year honors in return.

The entire identity of this team has changed

It’s like it happened almost overnight. Last seasonThe Braves were distinguished by their high-powered offense. They were the only team to hit more than 300 home runs and 900 or more RBIs. They had the best average (.276), the best on-base percentage (.344), the best slugging (.501) and the best OPS (.845).

Now their offense is in the middle of the pack statistically, and pitching has become the backbone. The Braves have the best earned run average in baseball (3.40) and are tied with the Boston Red Sox for the most shutouts (11). They have also allowed the fewest home runs and have the fifth-best WHIP in MLB.

What to expect

Expect smart decisions, not dramatic ones at the deadline

Every fan wants to see their team make a move that makes them want to shout “World Series or nothing.” A move that makes you jump for joy. The Braves may not give you that satisfaction. In fact, be prepared for them not to.

Do not forget, Jorge Solerfuture 2021 World Series MVP, was batting .192 when he was traded to Atlanta. One of the bullpen arms they acquired last season was Pierce JohnsonAlthough he was great for the Braves, that 6.00 ERA with the Rockies, some were praying it was the altitude.

Alex Anthopoulos has already proven himself this season (see the example above in the article), and he will be more than happy to do it again.

This team will participate in the playoffs

This seems obvious, but we need to put things into perspective here.

Yes, this season has been a headache at times. Without a doubt. There are some issues that need to be resolved. Absolutely.

But this team is on pace for 90 wins. It has a positive run differential, though that’s partly due to good pitching, and it has a positive record against teams above .500 (33-27, .550). That’s a better winning percentage against winning teams than the Dodgers (26-22, .541).

No guarantee of World Series qualification. That’s baseball.

But this is a Braves team that can rise to the occasion, and there’s still plenty to look forward to this season.