Monday, July 27

Jason Foster wrote this edition of the Braves Beat newsletter.

When evaluating the Braves' needs at the Trade Deadline, their starting rotation remains the most glaring weakness and is likely to be their focus over the next week.

But the need to add a significant bat at DH or in the outfield shouldn't be overlooked or downplayed. If there's doubt about that, consider one surprising but telling stat that illustrates the point.

Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Braves are among the MLB leaders in 1-2-3 innings on offense. As in, nobody reaching base. Nothin' doin'. Going quietly. The Braves entered Sunday with 316 innings in which the side was retired in order -- the fourth most in the NL and the sixth most in MLB this season.

This may come as a surprise to some, given how well the offense performed during the first two months, but it certainly offers evidence of lineup vulnerabilities. And, obviously, it's not ideal for a team with World Series aspirations. 

A huge contributor to all those quiet innings was their dreadful June, when they had an MLB-worst .213 average and .599 OPS. And within that offensively challenged month were several specific factors, some of which haven't necessarily been resolved since.  

Ronald Acuña Jr.'s absence: Acuña reinjured his right hamstring on June 9 and has missed more than six weeks. And though he hadn't produced his usual slugging numbers before that, he still had a .373 on-base percentage when he hit the IL, a number that really helps prevent quick innings.

Drake Baldwin's absence and long slump: Baldwin had a .932 OPS before he injured an oblique on May 18 and missed a month. When he returned, he clubbed a 473-foot homer on his first swing, then endured a 2-for-43 slump. But just as big an issue occurred during Baldwin's absence.

No production from Baldwin's backups: The catchers who filled in for Baldwin contributed almost nothing in terms of offense. Sandy León, Chadwick Tromp and Austin Wynns hit a combined .110 with a .231 OPS while Baldwin was out. At one point, they went a combined 1-for-40.

The trouble at shortstop: Production from shortstop has been a problem when anyone other than Mauricio Dubón or Jim Jarvis has played there. Ha-Seong Kim and Jorge Mateo have combined to hit .169 when manning the position this season, with nearly all of it coming from Mateo. The combo was especially bad in June, when it produced a .102 average and a .322 OPS.

Austin Riley's struggles: It's mostly been a season to forget for Austin Riley. Though he's performed much better since the All-Star break (.921 OPS), he carried just a .288 on-base percentage over his first 95 games with a 29.4 percent strikeout rate. That's not a recipe that keeps the line moving.

It should be noted that the Braves aren't the only contender with a ton of 1-2-3 innings. Entering Sunday, the Yankees (321, most in MLB), Phillies (317, fifth most) and D-backs (312, seventh most) were also in the top 10, but Atlanta was the only division leader even in the top dozen.

Of course, a high number of 1-2-3 innings isn't the only thing that illustrates why the Braves would benefit from offensive upgrades. While the offense has performed far better in July than it did in June, there are still concerns.

For one, shortstop still carries lots of uncertainty. Meanwhile, Atlanta's starting left fielders have produced an MLB-worst .629 OPS this season, while the DH spot has produced just a .652 OPS since May 1, ranking 26th in the Majors during that span. Upgrades to at least one of those positions could prove critical down the stretch and in the postseason, especially if more injuries or extended slumps affect key players.

But what might an upgrade look like? Potential fits, assuming they're made available, could include the Royals' Lane Thomas or the Angels' Jo Adell. Maybe the Astros' Jeremy Peña. A less-obvious target could be the Giants' Casey Schmitt, who brings power and defensive versatility. 

Whether it's one of those guys or someone else, the Braves need to add a notable bat to maximize their offensive potential. A lineup prone to 1-2-3 innings won't play in October.

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