Braves show offense is still class of MLB in season-opening win
The MLB season may have just started, but the Braves are already in midseason form offensively.
After a two-run homer by Brandon Marsh gave the Philadelphia Phillies the lead in the fifth inning, it seemed like the Phillies were poised to beat the Braves in both teams' season opener. Clearly, the Braves hitters had other ideas. After an Adam Duvall double tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh inning, the Braves caught fire in the eighth.
Seven Braves trotted across home plate in the inning, giving Atlanta a comfortable lead which they held onto, winning 9-3 to dish out a little bit of revenge on the division rival that has knocked them out of the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.
Everyone knew Atlanta's offense would be humming by the time Memorial Day came around in late May, but not many fans thought it could show flashes of greatness on Opening Day itself.
What enamored Braves fans so much about the 2023 lineup was the complete lack of a major hole it had. From the first slot in the order down to the ninth, manager Brian Snitker was always guaranteed that major talent was stepping into the batter's box, regardless of the game and who was available.
With an Opening Day lineup that nearly mirrors 2023 (with the main difference being the addition of 24-year-old Jarred Kelenic), the Braves seem poised to once again flash their offensive prowess to the baseball world.
Crooked numbers like Atlanta put up in the eighth inning on Friday certainly won't happen every day, but with the lineup looking as good as it does, the Braves should feel that they can score five runs in an inning every time they take the field. That's not something a lot of teams can say.
Friday's win against Philadelphia may just be one of 162 regular-season games scheduled to be played, but thus far, the Braves have proven to once again boast one of the best and most relentless lineups in baseball.
More must-reads: