The Atlanta Braves, like other teams throughout MLB, have started spring training. As of Tuesday, they will have their first full squad workout to begin preparations for the 2024 season.
The Braves are hoping these preparations in February will help them when it comes to October, which hasn't exactly gone as planned in the last two seasons after winning the World Series in 2021. The owners of the last six straight NL East titles have fallen way short of expectations after winning 100-plus games in each of their last two seasons, making their 88-win championship season seem a bit like a fluke now.
But is it really a fluke when the Braves have a large portion of the MLB's top 100 players in the league on their roster? One of whom is last year's National League MVP, Ronald Acuna Jr. That one's tough to argue.
Again, it's not as if the Braves haven't made the postseason. They've done that rather easily, even making a dramatic comeback at the end of the season in 2022 to overtake the New York Mets for the division crown. But it's their other division rival, the Philadelphia Phillies, that has become a thorn in their side, knocking them out of the postseason in the divisional round the last two years.
What has been most concerning about Atlanta in watching them falter the last two seasons in the playoffs is that they have looked completely flat and outmatched almost immediately after the first pitch. How can a team that was so dominating during the regular season, especially last year when they were offensively one of the best in baseball, quickly become inept once the calendar turns to October? Is that just baseball, or is there something much larger at hand? That's what manager Brian Snitker and staff hope to have figured out this spring and not in the fall when it's too late.
As of now, all the records are set at zero and the calendars are still in February. So even though the ghosts, goblins, and Fall Classic are off in the distance for now, it's never too early to start thinking about how to get there and what the 2024 Atlanta Braves will look like. So, let's get into some Braves bold predictions.
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Michael Harris II hits 25 homers, steals 35 bases
Most people forget that Michael Harris II is still just 22 years old. We haven't even scratched the surface with this guy yet. Last year, injuries tended to hold Harris back, where in June he was hitting a paltry .163. But over the next 100 games, he went off and finished his season as almost a .300 hitter (.293). And don't forget, most of that was hitting toward the bottom of the lineup.
Harris is almost a little bit like a left-handed Acuna. He not only has some power at the plate but speed on the basepaths. He hit 18 home runs and stole 20 bases last season. If injuries don't plague him again this year like last, where he missed 24 games, then this is feasible.
Chris Sale fits in like a glove is the edge team needs… and stays healthy
Perhaps one of the things missing from the Braves roster the last couple seasons was that “edgy” guy, someone like Joc Pederson who was not afraid to let you know what he was thinking once he was out on the diamond, whether against teammate or opponent. Well, maybe the Braves found their guy with Sale in 2024, or at least that's what fans are hoping for.
“You know, I’m for the most part pretty laid-back, except for when I’m on a baseball field,” Sale told David O'Brien of The Athletic. “I just don’t think that that’s a good adjective to have on a baseball field. Being laid-back in competition is never going to be good for you. So, I do get intense. I like to compete. And I hate to lose.”
Braves fans did tend to shake their heads, though, after Atlanta traded for Sale, knowing that the 34-year-old has had a litany of injuries over the years, including a broken wrist last year while with the Boston Red Sox. Staying healthy for the left-hander will be a major help for the Braves rotation.
Austin Riley will finish in the top 3 in NL MVP voting
Austin Riley was getting some love last season as a potential NL MVP candidate behind his other two teammates, Matt Olson and eventual winner Ronald Acuna Jr. However, numbers were seemingly lost behind Olson's 54 home runs and Acuna's 40/70 season.
Riley finished last season slashing .281/.345/.516 with 37 homers and 97 RBIs. He's easily becoming one of the best hitters in baseball, not to mention continuing to become one of the better third basemen in the game as well. He's so often overlooked, though. Maybe it's because Riley is just one of those guys that goes out there and handles his business as a baseball player — no flash, no flair. And that's perfectly fine. But he deserves his recognition.
Ronald Acuna Jr.'s 40/70 sequel
In a recent interview with Brian Snitker down at the Braves spring training facilities, the Atlanta skipper was quoted as saying that his right fielder was only going to get better. That has to be downright terrifying to opposing pitchers of Acuna, who is still just 26 years old.
"You know what the scary part is? He's at an age where he's gonna get better."
Here's 2 minutes and 37 seconds of Brian Snitker raving about Ronald Acuña Jr. 🔊 pic.twitter.com/3lTvf2gBSL
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) February 17, 2024
Acuna had a remarkable season last year. It was of course one that won him the NL MVP. But if he really is just getting started, then there's no reason that he can't replicate a lot of what he did last year and then some.
Is 40/70 selling him short? Should we say 50/70? 40/80? Staying healthy is definitely key, which Acuna was able to do last season. Should he likewise stay that way in 2024, there's no telling what he may be able to accomplish.
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