The Braves let one slip away in opposition to the Reds on Tuesday night time, placing their playoff lives in peril.
After constructing a 5-1 lead within the fourth inning, the Braves (81-70) allowed 5 unanswered runs to the Reds in a 6-5 loss. Making issues worse, the Mets (83-68) hammered the Nationals, 10-1, extending their lead over the Braves to 2 video games within the battle for the NL’s last wild-card spot.
Atlanta has misplaced three in a row, 4 of its final 10 video games and is 28-27 for the reason that All-Star break.
Per Baseball Reference, it entered the day with a 38.8 p.c probability to make the postseason. When the season’s second half started, the Braves’ odds of reaching the playoffs stood at 95.8 p.c.
Atlanta has sorely missed second baseman Ozzie Albies (left wrist fracture), third baseman Austin Riley (proper hand fracture) and outfield Ronald Acuna Jr. (torn ACL), who’re all on the injured record.
Per FanGraphs, for the reason that All-Star break, Atlanta ranks twentieth in crew batting common (.237) and sixteenth in runs (234).
The dearth of manufacturing on the plate has squandered the crew’s sturdy pitching workers, led by Cy Younger favourite Chris Sale.
With 11 video games remaining, the Braves nonetheless have sufficient time to doubtlessly regain their edge within the standings and make it to a wild-card collection. However they’re trending within the fallacious route and are with out a number of key contributors throughout their essential late-season stretch, which features a three-game collection at house in opposition to the Mets from Sept. 24-26.
In the event that they miss the playoffs, it will be an indication of how rapidly issues change. It was solely a 12 months in the past that the Braves had the most effective file within the majors, 104-58.
In a preseason preview of the NL East, The Athletic wrote, “On paper they’re higher now,” whereas projecting the Braves to win 95 video games and end atop the division.
