4 Takeaways From Atlanta Braves Brutal Start to Season

The Atlanta Braves are off to their rockiest start in nearly a decade. They sit at 1-8 on the season heading into their three-game series with the Phillies. They have as many games postponed due to rain as they have won. 

With the team nowhere near expectations record-wise, it’s time to look at some takeaways from their brutal start to the season. 

The Offense Will Snap Out of It Eventually, Right?... Right?

After being shut out 4-0 by the Marlins in their most recent game, confidence in this hope took another hit. 

Of the nine games the Braves have played this year, only in two or three of those games can the offense really say they got the job done. 

The 10-run night during the home opener is a clear example. There was the four-run performance on Opening Day, and the Braves led 4-3 before the bullpen allowed four runs late. They can get credit for that one. The bats can get credit for doing their part in the 6-5 late loss to the Dodgers to be swept. They won’t take the credit, but in theory, if a team scores four or five runs, they should win the ballgame. 

If the pitching staff had cleaner nights, the Braves would still be 4-5. It would have been less of a death sentence of a start. No doubt. However, in those five losses, they have been shut out three times and been held to one run the other times. In two of those losses, the pitching staff held opponents to three runs or fewer. 

The offense has a slash line of .193/.280/.297. They somehow aren’t last in any of these categories, but they’re still last in OPS. 

Some hitters have undoubtedly gotten unlucky - ask Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin. But luck is only an excuse for so much. 

Bullpen Still Looks Better Than You Think

Overall, the Braves bullpen has a 4.71 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. However, Hector Neris is still weighing the rest of the staff down. 

He had five earned runs allowed over a combined one inning pitched in two appearances. Take him out of the equation, and the staff’s ERA drops to 3.25 and their WHIP drops to 1.19. 

Last year’s bullpen finished with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. It’s pretty even once Neris is removed from the equation. Their overall stats can be expected to continue to come back down to earth. 

AJ Smith-Shawver Needs Time

AJ Smith-Shawver has lost his first two starts and has a 5.19 ERA and a 2.19 WHIP. Hitters also have a .984 OPS against him. In theory, these stats should warrant a trip back to Triple-A. 

But he needs to be given the time to figure it out, and he has the stuff to figure it out. Arguably, he’s had some bad luck. Hitters have a .444 batting average on balls in play. Statistically, that can’t be maintained.  

Some adjustments could be made. His splitter has been lethal. According to baseball savant, it had a 50% whiff rate, a 27.6% putaway rate and a .222 opponent’s average. Hitters have one extra-base hit and no home runs off this pitch so far. Prioritze that more, and he could see more success while he gets a hold of his breaking pitches. 

He just needs the time to make those adjustments. Sure, the Braves are in a hole early, but at the very least, he gets tuned up for the long term. There’s more than this season to keep in mind for individual players. 

Jesse Chavez is Stuck in Braves Purgatory 

At this point, he only gets out of playing for the Braves or one of their minor league affiliates if he retires. Chavez has been with this team so many times that credible sources are reporting different numbers for how many stints he’s had. 

For now, he’s with Triple-A Gwinnett. However, we can’t rule out that he’ll be back this season. It’s illegal to do so. 

In his lone appearance with the Braves this season, he allowed an earned run over two innings pitched. 

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