Atlanta Braves: Sweep Phillies Clinching a Postseason Berth

The Atlanta Braves are National League East Champions! Sweeping the Phillies and eliminating them from contention the Braves have put themselves in a great position headed into the postseason.

Watching the Atlanta Braves during a four-game series with the Phillies it was a reminder of how special this team is. This season was supposed to be about evaluating the youngsters and learning how to win.

Instead, they have defied all expectations and won their division with more than a week left in the season.

Now Atlanta (88-16) has the luxury of setting themselves up for postseason play. They can give their veterans rest and prepare their postseason rotation to line up as they want it.

Fittingly it was Mike Foltynewicz on the mound helping lead Atlanta to a divisional title.  Foltynewicz gave up two runs lasting over 7 innings. Though in fairness to Folty, both runs were allowed to score while he was sitting on the bench.

The Braves have made baseball fun to watch in Atlanta. Something you could rarely say in the last three losing seasons.

Now Atlanta is headed into the postseason with few expectations and a chance to again surprise the baseball world. With the postseason race still going in the rest of the National League, the Braves matchup is yet to take shape.

It seems likely Folty will get the ball in any game one, beyond that the rotation is a bit of a mystery.

Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies will be keys to any success the Braves find this season. Just as we have seen in the regular season the two youngsters seem to set the tone for Atlanta making a big play in the field or at the plate to help the Braves win.

It is this youth and excitement now firmly entrenched in Atlanta. The Braves have recaptured a city tired of watching bad baseball.  The Braves are once again division champions and postseason-bound with plenty left to prove yet in 2018.