I think the best way to describe 2024 to people is that 2024 is the year that the Braves were lapped by the Mets. These Braves, with Marcell Ozuna, Max Fried, Matt Olson and Austin Riley, were pushed to third place last week because the Mets were surging. The Braves have taken 2nd back, but they're only a half game ahead, and facing the Giants this week while the Mets comparatively coast against the A's and Marlins.
On one hand, you can see why this has come about. Not only are the Braves without Acuna, Strider and Harris this year, but they're currently without Albies and Reynaldo Lopez. Those are some huge pieces to be missing, and of course it happens the year the Braves deal like ten different depth options away for beer money. So now they have to play Adam Duvall and Ramon Laureano pretty regularly, which I do not think was their intention heading into the season, especially with Duvall hitting .181. I bet they also didn't think they'd need to scoop up Whit Merrifield to cover for Albies. Merrifield's doing better than he did in Philly, with a .258 average, but he's nowhere near his peak.
I think the biggest surprise of 2024 for the Braves has been Travis d'Arnaud becoming essentially the primary catcher, even upon Sean Murphy's return. I think Murphy's year has just been seriously hampered by the injury, and even his return material hasn't been great. All of the depth and versatility we saw just last season just doesn't seem to be there. Meanwhile, d'Arnaud, at 35, is having a phenomenal year, hitting .250 with 37 RBIs and 12 homers in 76 games. This is the last official year on d'Arnaud's contract, but the Braves can keep him on for 2025 if they want, which I do think will happen. I think it's pretty incredible that after getting hurt practically every season in New York, d'Arnaud flipped a switch at like 29 and became one of the most underrated hitting catchers in the league, and got a World Series ring out of it, too. Like with Morton, life truly begins after 30.
The Braves still do have some surging assets, like Chris Sale, Max Fried, Marcell Ozuna and now Jorge Soler who's been hitting like it's 2021 all over again. They've also gotten a ton of production from rookie Spencer Schwellenbach, who's come into his own in Atlanta after some shaky starts. But it's all kind of masking the fact that the Braves' core, which made them a competitor for so many years, is hollow right now. What good is a Braves team without Acuna, Albies, Strider or Harris? Only so good. And if the Mets lap them and block them out of a playoff run, it'll be very telling to see how the Braves respond for 2025.
Coming Tomorrow- I always applauded the Twins for having enough depth to provide a strong #4 starter the last few years. Well, due to a departure and an injury, he's now the #2 starter, and he's definitely acting like it.
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