Multiple Atlanta Braves have silenced reactionary critics

Baseball is a funny sport because randomness is woven into the fabric of the game. Sometimes, nothing makes sense, and I think that’s why baseball fans are so crazy, which applies especially to Braves Country this year.

The season hasn’t gone exactly how everyone wanted, and it’s led to some overreactions from Atlanta fans. There are a few players who have proven track records, but were garnering the most ridiculous takes for one reason or another.

Thankfully, each has quieted doubters to varying degrees.

Chris Sale

In his first four outings, the reigning Cy Young winner struggled to locate his pitches, and it resulted in a 6.63 ERA across 19 innings, leading to a 1-3 record. It prompted many to question whether he had lost a step, but Sale has responded.

In his last four outings, the veteran has started locating his pitches, leading to a 1.96 ERA across 23 innings. The Braves have won 3 of Sale’s last four starts and only mustered one run in the only loss.

Raisel Iglesias

Iglesias similarly struggled to locate his pitches early in the season, and it happened again last night. The difference between Sale and Iglesias, though, is that it wasn’t just Braves fans questioning him. It was beat writers, too.

“Unfortunately for Raisel Iglesias, his Baseball Savant page shows his struggles haven’t been a fluke or a product of bad luck. Expected weighted on-base average uses quality of contact, strikeouts and walks to predict the results a hitter or pitcher would get on average, removing the variables of defense and luck. The Braves closer has a .439 xwOBA. This ranks 367th out of 371 qualified pitchers. He has been the bullpen’s weakest link,” Bowman wrote ahead of the Braves series with the Dodgers.

Chase has outlined why it was too early to sound the alarms, and you should read the article in its entirety, but here’s an excerpt from his piece: Raisel Iglesias is quickly quieting early season detractors.

The issues for Raisel Iglesias to begin the season were obvious. He was hanging sliders, and every time he did, the opponent did not miss. However, a ten or so game sample size shouldn’t have forced anybody to jump ship, and the ones that did should probably take a lesson in patience.

In four appearances dating back to April 28th, Iglesias has not allowed a run, surrendering just two hits with eight strikeouts — good for a FIP of -0.92. He got the win last night in extra innings as he prevented the free runner from scoring, and prior to that, he saved a one run game against the Dodgers by striking out the final three batters he faced.

Iglesias’ struggles have nothing to do with his velocity and everything to do with location. Prior to the blow-up against the Reds, he’d been locating his slider more consistently. Last night, we saw what happens when he hangs that slider: a go-ahead two-run home run. Thankfully, the Braves were able to pull off an improbable comeback, but it’s still too early to be calling for Igleisas’ job as he showed signs of being that elite closer in the outings prior.

Sean Murphy

Sean Murphy’s struggles from 2024, combined with the rib injury he suffered in Spring Training and Drake Baldwin’s emergence, gave rise to a faction of Braves Country wanting to ship Murphy out of Atlanta.

All he’s done since his return is put up an .831 OPS thanks to his seven home runs in just 22 games, but even more than that, his presence behind the plate has had a profound impact, something few Braves fans ever consider when talking about the dynamics of the position.

A.J. Smith-Shawver just had the best outing of his young career. He finished eight innings of shutout ball while allowing just one hit, bringing his ERA to an even 3.00, and after the outing, AJSS first credited Sean Murphy.

The veteran backstop provides a safety blanket for pitches, calls games as well as any catcher in the game, and still provides a lot with the stick. It’s an important reminder that Braves fans should wait to make sweeping statements, and there are a couple of others who need your patience.

Next up: Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris

Both of these players are off to rough starts, and it’s brought about some insane takes from the Braves fan base. I’ve even seen people suggest Anthopoulos should trade Harris so that Eli White and Alex Verdugo can stay in the lineup when Ronald Acuna Jr. returns.

Both players are undoubtedly experiencing troubles, but they deserve patience. Albies has always been a streaky hitter, and underlying metrics have never been particularly kind to Atlanta’s second baseman, even when he was an All-Star in 2023. As for Harris, across 362 games from 2022-24, the Braves center fielder carries a .285 average and 116 OPS+. So, a 37-game sample size shouldn’t sway your opinion of the Stockbridge native.

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Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

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