Braves start July schedule with two series at Truist Park:
GDW Analysis:
ATLANTA: Winning baseball has gone on for the Atlanta Braves through the first three months of the 2024 season, even with the ball club not at full capacity due to injuries.
As the July schedule begins Tuesday with the Braves playing the Giants for three straight, then celebrating Independence weekend at home vs. the Phillies, they have a chance to make up ground with Philadelphia, the current leader of the NL East and best record in the NL at 55 & 29.
The Braves are tied for the lead in the Wild Card of the NL with the Padres as both have claimed 46 victories. The Braves have played 82 games and the Padres are at 88 entering July 2.
Not having Ronald Acuna Jr, Michael Harris in their daily lineup has made it challenging.
But the worst part is injuries running rampant through the pitching staff from starters to middle and late inning hurlers.
Spencer Strider getting hurt on opening day was a bummer. Others have seen time on the DL and it has been a staff that is now looking like they are being held together by duct tape.
The Braves have used different personnel to contribute from the batters' box. Marcell Ozuna is tops on the team at .300 followed by Ozzie Albies hitting .254 and Austin Riley .250.
The power has been provided by Ozuna with 21 home runs, 12 from Matt Olson and 9 by newcomer Jarred Kelnic and Riley.
Ozuna has become the triple threat. His 67 RBIs are well ahead of Olson with 41 and Albies at 38.
On the mound, the acquisition of Chris Sale has been a bright spot. Sale has 10 wins going into July with Max Fried at 7.
Sale has shown good stuff in having an ERA of 2.79 while Fried is not far behind at 2.91 per game.
In strikeouts, Sale is at the top with 118, Charlie Morton 87 and Fried 84.
Rasiel Iglesias has been efficient from the bullpen, leading the Braves with 20 saves, a 2.35 ERA and the opposition hitting.182 against him.
Consistency has been an issue. The Braves are just a .500 team, splitting their last 10 games. Atlanta has a 26 & 14 record at home and is just 20 & 22 when they go on the road.
The first week of July is where the Braves need to cash in for six straight at home, three with the Giants then the Phillies for three.
A four game series at Arizona next week and three on the road in San Diego before the All Star break is huge.
Ozuna, Albies, Olson, Riley have shown their steady play by going through this for previous seasons with the club.
Kelnic has raised his level and thanks to solid time on the mound from Sale and Fried, the Braves are right where they want to be after three months and 82 games.
They do want to maintain a winning edge with San Diego. The Padres and Braves share the lead in the wild card while others trying to stay close entering July's schedule are the Cardinals (43 wins), Giants, Diamondbacks (41 wins).
No question the Braves have been a very good team in regular season games the last three years, or more.
Philadelphia has 6 wins in its last 10 games, so they are showing others they can are beatable. An 8 game lead over the Braves starting this week with the Braves having the potential to make a move on them when it closes out this weekend at Truist Park.
Braves' baseball is available regularly on WKUL FM (92.1).
Photo of Atlanta Braves celebrating walk off victory over the Pirates June 29 at Truist Park.
Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Braves.
