The Braves have 19 games remaining on their schedule. They lead the National League East by 4-1/2 games. Their magic number is 15 before Wednesday’s games.
As it’s trending, the Braves are marching toward securing their fourth consecutive division title. And while the Braves work toward securing such, these are three players who are seeking big finishes that can carry into the postseason:
SS Dansby Swanson
Swanson is having a career year, but he’s tailed off recently. He has a hit in only three of 11 games this month. He’s hitting .111/.209/.222 with two extra-base hits in September. This comes after an electric August in which Swanson hit .320 with five doubles, five homers and 20 RBIs, helping the Braves take over first place.
Swanson was an integral part of the lineup’s rejuvenation, and for the team to win another postseason series and compete in October, they’ll need Swanson at his best. Fortunately for him and the team, he has three weeks to catch fire again. The Braves’ lineup will need to be firing on all cylinders for the postseason, when the likeliest matchup would be the pitching-laden Brewers in the NL Division Series.
SP Ian Anderson
The Braves feel confident in Charlie Morton and Max Fried atop their postseason rotation. Anderson re-establishing himself would give them a fearsome trio – one they’ll need to match pitching firepower in potential series against the Brewers, Giants and Dodgers, who boast incredible rotations.
Anderson was a star in his first postseason. He didn’t allow a run over his first three starts (15-2/3 innings) and started Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Experience won’t be a concern for the 23-year-old. He’s been OK in three starts since returning from injury, posting a 3.95 ERA in 13-2/3 innings, and he has time to further reacclimate himself. Before he left his July 11 outing with shoulder inflammation, which led to a lengthy injured list stint, he had a 3.27 ERA over 17 starts. Anderson in that form could change the Braves’ fortunes.
Closer Will Smith
Smith has converted nine of his past 10 save chances, which while the bottom line, doesn’t tell the whole story. Since Aug. 5, Smith has a 4.96 ERA in 17 appearances. He’s logged only three clean outings in that stretch. He’s also converted 10 of 13 save opportunities in that time, but only two of those saves were perfect innings.
Using a closer who plays with fire is a dangerous proposition in the postseason, but the Braves are left with little other choice. Manager Brian Snitker has never wavered, remaining committed to Smith even in his worst stretches. Fans called for Richard Rodriguez to get closing opportunities, but he’s come back to earth. The Braves lack other viable closer options, as they don’t want to shift some players out of roles in which they’ve found success (such as Luke Jackson).
Smith’s bottom-line production has been solid, but October is a different animal. If the Braves are clinging to a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, Smith becomes their most important player in that moment. Since August, he hasn’t made too many appearances stress-free for fans. Smith’s performance is vital for the Braves to protect their NL East lead and, if they do, advance in the postseason.
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