The Atlanta Braves are coming off an undeniably frustrating series against the Milwaukee Brewers, dropping two very winnable games and falling further out of contention for the National League's top spot. Baked into this frustration as well is the fact that the Philadelphia Phillies have gotten hot at the worst moment, closing the gap on a division lead that once felt completely safe. No question, the pressure is turned up on the Braves, and now the franchise has a moment to turn the page and prove that the last week has been an outlier.
Beating the Los Angeles Dodgers is a feat no matter where you are in the season. Atlanta finding a way to win a series against the clear World Series favorite would erase the last week and steady the roster, allowing a level of confidence to be built that they are capable of hanging with what has become by far the league's deepest and most talented roster.
For Atlanta, beating the Dodgers is far more important than it is for Los Angeles to come in and take the series. The Dodgers losing this series isn't going to mean anything in the big picture, while a series loss could mean a complete National League East collapse for the Braves.
While it would be ideal to have an easier series scheduled to put things back on track, it won't be viewed as a scheduling fluke or getting hot at the right moment if the Braves are able to beat the Dodgers and steady themselves in the division.
Braves Cannot Afford to Drop Series to World Series Favorite Los Angeles Dodgers
The biggest concern for the Braves is how the bats are going to fare after completely disappearing over the last week. It's as if every hitter has gone cold at the same moment, with the obvious exception of the ever-consistent Michael Harris. Being able to score early is going to be key and allow manager Walt Weiss to have a sense of urgency in each game that will simulate a playoff feel and push Atlanta back towards the team they have been for the bulk of the season.
No question, losing to the Brewers was a tough draw and created an uphill battle for the Braves to get back to the top of the National League. Still, all will be forgiven if the Braves can simply beat a team that has very quickly become the league's villain.
One that much of the country is rooting against understanding the money spent on a team that has far more talent than the bulk of teams can afford. Beating the Dodgers is an undeniable accomplishment, one that has a chance to put Atlanta's season back on track.
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