Braves' Complete Guide, Preview for 2nd Half of 2023 MLB Season
The Atlanta Braves were baseball's best team during the first half of the season, going 60-29 to build an 8.5-game lead in the NL East standings heading into the All-Star break.
The offense is on a record-setting home run pace, and the starting rotation has managed to effectively overcome the fact that Max Fried and Kyle Wright have both missed significant time on the injured list.
There may not be any glaring holes on the roster, but with their window of title contention wide open, expect them to still pursue potential upgrades at the trade deadline on both sides of the ball.
Ahead, we've provided a preview for the second half of the season, complete with potential X-factors, a trade deadline outlook and a blueprint for this Braves team to reach the postseason.
Second-Half X-Factors
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Max Fried/Kyle Wright
Fried and Wright chewed through 365.2 innings last season and finished second and 10th in NL Cy Young voting, respectively. This year, they have made just 10 combined starts so far, and both have been sidelined since early May with Fried dealing with a forearm strain and Wright with a shoulder strain.
The fact that the Braves rank seventh in the majors in starting pitching ERA (3.77) without them is a testament to their depth. Fried made a rehab start before the break and is expected to return later this month, while Wright has a late August timetable.
Michael Harris II
The reigning NL Rookie of the Year missed 19 games in April with a back injury and then hit .167 over 96 plate appearances in May. That was followed by a .372/.388/.617 line with six doubles, five home runs and 14 RBI in June, and if he can provide more of that level of production going forward it makes an already great Atlanta offense that much better.
A.J. Minter
Minter was one of the best setup relievers in baseball last season with a 2.06 ERA, 12.1 K/9 and 34 holds in 75 appearances. This year, he has a 4.91 ERA in 44 games, but those numbers are inflated by an awful first month of the season. His consistency going forward is the key to the bullpen. With 15 postseason appearances over the past three years, he is a pitcher the team will again lean heavily on in October.
Trade Deadline Outlook
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The Braves don't need to make any blockbuster moves at the deadline, and that's good because their farm system is among the thinnest in baseball.
The biggest need is more help in the bullpen, and targeting relievers with control beyond the 2023 season could be their preferred approach if they are going to part with what little prospect talent they have.
Scott Barlow (KC) is the biggest name on the non-rental reliever market, while Jason Foley (DET) is also a name to watch who is quietly enjoying a breakout season and is controllable all the way through 2027.
The team could also look for a right-handed hitting outfield bat and a depth arm capable of filling a swingman role between the rotation and bullpen, but the biggest need is at least one more proven late-inning reliever.
The Braves Make the Postseason If...
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Even if the Braves play .500 ball the rest of the way, they would still finish with 96 wins and likely coast into the playoffs.
FanGraphs currently gives them a literal 100 percent chance of making the playoffs, and they are the only team in baseball with that lofty distinction at the All-Star break.
There have been enough epic collapses in sports history to never take anything for granted, but this team looks like a lock to be playing in October, and getting Max Fried and Kyle Wright back healthy will only make an already great team that much better.
Stay healthy, keep mashing and go find a bullpen arm or two and the postseason is a lock.
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