Things have not gone according to plan for the Atlanta Braves.
The Braves (35-29) have lost six of their last 10 games, including four in a row. Stopping the losing streak doesn’t get any easier Wednesday as they play the second game of a three-game road series against the Baltimore Orioles (44-22).
A loss on Wednesday night would give Atlanta a five-game losing streak, their longest since the 2017 season.
That season was also the last in which the Braves failed to post a winning record or reach the playoffs.
Already 10 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East standings, their six-year reign atop the division is in serious trouble.
Atlanta heads into tonight’s matchup without the services of the 2023 NL MVP and four-time All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr., who underwent surgery on his torn left ACL last week.
The Braves have shown that they can compete without their superstar in the past, having won the 2021 World Series with him sidelined due to a different ACL injury.
However, this year’s squad has not found its spark offensively all season.
After leading the league in runs scored in 2023, the Braves have already been shut out as many times through 64 games (2) as they were all of last season. They’ve also scored three or fewer runs in 26 games.
Atlanta must also figure out how to win away from home. Currently 16-17 on the road, the Braves will have to go 36-12 the rest of the way to match last season’s 52 victories outside of Truist Park.
The season is far from over, but this year’s edition of the Atlanta Braves has a lot of work to do if they want to be considered true contenders.
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