ATLANTA — There are two ways to look at an early season rough patch like the Atlanta Braves are enduring now. The first way is to look at the calendar and remember that it’s still early in the season, with four full months remaining in the schedule.
The second is to look at all those playoff flags from seasons past looming over the right-field fence at Truist Park, and remember that for most of their history in Atlanta, the Braves are the living embodiment of a really good ballclub. “Pretty good” keeps the fans engaged. But “pretty good” doesn’t win world championships.
Atlanta is less than three years removed from its most recent World Series victory, and many key members of that team are still on the roster. The team entered 2024 as one of the overwhelming favorites to win another ring. But a season-ending injury to Cy Young favorite Spencer Strider early in the season blew a hole in the rotation, and another season-ending injury to Ronald Acuña Jr. just last weekend sent an already-reeling team into a tailspin.
