Atlanta Braves: Cubs Proving Braves Have Long Way to Go

The Atlanta Braves have had a long season one that saw them look like a contending team at one point and now they are nearing closer and closer to being under .500 by twenty games. The Chicago Cubs have been the latest spoilers proving that the Braves have a long way to go.

The Atlanta Braves aim to compete next season is starting to look more and more doubtful without undergoing another small rebuild this off-season. The Cubs are showing the Braves how far they have to go to be on the same playing field as the Cubs.

Offensively the Braves put up twelve runs in game three over the weekend and it was still not enough to hold off the Cubs barrage. The problem for the Braves is the same as it was last season and the season before. The pitching is inconsistent and the bullpen is weak.

Leaving the offense as is, outside of making room for Ronald Acuna is not out of the question. All the Braves attention and finances for that matter need to be focused on acquiring pitchers and relievers.

Improving the bullpen should be easy enough when you consider the lack of talent currently in the pen. Any pen that has Jim Johnson at the back end at this point in his career is going to have it’s struggles.

The rotation is where things begin to get a bit more foggy for Atlanta. Should they stick with Julio Teheran and Mike Foltynewicz? Or should they trade both arms and completely redo the rotation. There are plenty of good arms that will be hitting the free agent market including a certain Cubs pitcher the Braves should throw everything at to bring to Atlanta.

Next: Braves Off-season Targets

While one series may seem like a small sample size, the series is telling us the same thing the Braves have been for the last month. This team isn’t getting better as fast as we had hoped and the only way that they will is if the Braves add better pitching.