Atlanta Braves Feeling The Pressure Going Into Critical Road Trip
By Deke Lloyd
It’s unlikely the pressure is on any baseball games in July, but with the Braves NL East lead shrinking, and series with Philadelphia and Washington up next, the pressure is rising for these next two series.
The Braves kick off a six-game road trip that will see the team go through chief NL East rivals and closest competitors, Philadelphia Phillies, and Washington Nationals. As of today, the Braves hold a 4.5 game lead over Washington and a 5.5 game over Philadelphia. It’s a slim lead that could easily evaporate when the Braves return home next week. Also, a lot will be determined as to how GM Alex Anthopoulos feels about his roster as we inch closer to next week’s trade deadline.
Luckily, for the Braves, as they are taking on the Phillies, the Nationals will be facing off with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the best team in the National League. This means if the Braves can handle the Phillies, taking 2 out of 3 or avoiding a sweep at the very least, the Nationals could be losing ground in their Dodgers series. It’s not to the point of scoreboard watching, but the Nationals losing ground would be a positive for the Braves going into Washington.
For now, the Braves will have to focus on the Phillies, the team that is directly in front of them. Mike Soroka will pitch the opener for the Braves, which always give the team a chance to start the series with a win. Max Fried, the Braves other 10 game-winner, is the probable starter for Saturday’s game, his first start since hitting the IL with a blister on his pitching hand.
The Braves will face challenges with the Phillies, namely Jake Arrieta and Aaron Nola. Nola was brilliant against the Braves the last time they faced on against the Phillies ace. Arrieta, who isn’t the same pitcher he was in Chicago, is still capable of giving the Braves offense fits. We are all looking for the Braves offense to bounce back in this series, but that won’t be easy going against the Phillies best pitchers.
It’s not normally the July series that are surrounded with high pressure, but these next two series will be critical for the Braves moving forward. If this road trip goes disastrous, the Braves could be looking at a new NL East leader when they come back home. The Braves should be striving for a goal of going 3-3 on this road trip. This team has proven more than capable of achieving that stated goal. Let’s see if this team is ready for the difficult task that lies ahead.