Atlanta Braves players who impressed in May despite the team’s frustrating struggles

A few days ago, we looked back at the month of May and listed six prospects from the Atlanta Braves organization who impressed with their play on the field during that span.

Using the same idea now, here are some Atlanta Braves players at the major league level who impressed during the month.

Chris Sale, LHP

Simply put, it’s hard to find a better May in baseball than what was a reality for Chris Sale. Over his five starts, which also accounted for 32 IP, the southpaw posted a phenomenal 0.56 ERA to go along with his 5-0 record and 45:2 K/BB ratio, while holding opponents to a combined average of .193.

Now two months into his first season in Atlanta, Sale’s numbers for the year stand at an 8-1 record with a 3.06 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 82:10 per 67 .2 innings, as well as the fourth-best FIP ​​(2.50) and NL-best BB/9 of 1.33 in 11 starts. Is the southpaw becoming a legitimate Cy Young candidate or will he regress as the season continues?

Marcell Ozuna, DH

Probably the Braves’ MVP thus far, Marcell Ozuna continued to collect in May, slashing .294/.380/.576 over 26 games, which also translates to a .956 OPS. While this is likely a step back from his 1.036 OPS, nine HR and 31 RBI over 28 games in April, it’s still an impressive month for Ozuna, as he also added seven HR with 17 RBI over this period, combined with this slash. double.

For the season, Ozuna is still off to one of the best starts in his 12-year major league career, slashing .313/.388/.611 over that span. His 17 HR, 53 RBI and .611 OPS all lead the National League while his .999 OPS is tied with Ohtani for best in the NL.

Marcell gained early attention as the NL MVP thanks to his clutch role for Atlanta. He always seems to get a hit when the team needs one. This continued its hot streak after ending its first slump in May 2023.