The Braves might have MLB’s best offensive duo in Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna, both of whom made MVP and even triple crown pushes across the truncated season.
Ozuna homered in Sunday’s regular-season finale, which the Braves lost 9-1 to the Red Sox at Truist Park, and finished leading the National League in home runs (18) and RBIs (56). He fell shy of the first NL triple crown in 83 years with a .338 average. Juan Soto led the NL with a .351 mark.
Ozuna became the first Braves player to lead the NL in homers and RBIs since Andruw Jones in 2005.
The NL’s second highest average? Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who hit .341 after going 1-for-4 in the finale. Freeman and Ozuna became perhaps MLB’s best pair of mashers, doing a ton of damage in a lineup that missed Ozzie Albies for over a month and Ronald Acuna for 11 games during a key stretch in August.
Freeman, Ozuna and their teammates will now shift their focus to the postseason, where the Braves will try to win their first postseason series since 2001. The Braves finished 35-25, earning the NL’s No. 2 seed, and will host the Reds in a best-of-three at Truist Park beginning Wednesday.
Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com
Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com
Notes from Sunday:
⋅ Reliever Chris Martin left after throwing four pitches in the seventh inning. He signaled to the dugout and was removed from the game without recording an out. Martin left with right groin discomfort, according to the team.
Martin has been the most dominant reliever in one of baseball’s best three bullpens. He earned a 1.00 ERA with a 20:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 18 innings. Martin is considered day-to-day, according to manager Brian Snitker.
“He felt a little something in his groin,” manager Brian Snitker said. “We’ll treat him up and see where he’s at. It’s smart to come off so we can get in front of it. Hopefully it’s nothing.”
⋅ Luke Jackson entered for Martin, and the game spiraled out of control. The Red Sox scored five runs on five hits against Jackson, extending their lead to 8-1. It capped a forgettable season for Jackson, who finished with a 6.84 ERA
⋅ Jackie Bradley Jr. homered off Braves lefty Will Smith in the fourth. Smith has allowed seven homers (in 11 hits) over 18 appearances this season; he allowed 10 in 63 games in 2019, when he was an All-Star for the Giants. Smith posted a 4.50 ERA in 18 games after earning a 2.66 ERA in 117 games across 2018-29.
⋅ Xander Bogaerts added Boston’s second homer with a solo shot off Darren O’Day in the fifth. It was the first homer he’s allowed in 26 games with the Braves across the past two seasons (20-2/3 innings).
⋅ Third baseman Pablo Sandoval was added to the roster, started at third and hit cleanup Sunday. He went 0-for-1 with two walks.
It was the 34-year-old’s first game with the Braves since they signed him to a minor-league deal two weeks ago. It appears likely Sandoval will be on the team’s playoff roster.
⋅ Left-hander Max Fried threw in a live batting practice Sunday and should be ready for Game 1, Snitker said. “It went really well. ... Max is good to go and he’s excited.” Fried faced third baseman Austin Riley, who’s also expected to be ready for Wednesday after missing four of five games with quadriceps tightness.
⋅ The Braves will hold an optional workout Monday and a team workout around noon on Tuesday ahead of Game 1. Fried will oppose Cincinnati right-hander Trevor Bauer, who’s among the NL Cy Young frontrunners.
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