MLB Exec: Braves Are the Best Team in Baseball 'and It's Not Even Close'

The Atlanta Braves have baseball's best record, its best run differential and the respect from other league executives.

"They're the best [team in baseball], and it's not even close," one NL East general manager told Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

The Braves currently carry an 86-45 record and are on pace to win 100 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in two decades. Their 763 runs scored leads all teams, and they are tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the fewest runs allowed with 532.

"I think they are dangerous because of their lineup depth," one executive said. "They've got nine guys who can beat you offensively every single night. And they can do it in a number of different ways—they hit the homer, run the bases, etc. It would be difficult to imagine them having a weeklong, teamwide slump. So they should be able to score runs regardless of who is hot at that moment in time. There truly is not a safe lead. It will be really hard to keep them down for that many games.

"Plus, they can pitch. Their starting rotation is top-heavy, which is exactly what you want in the postseason. They can roll out a top-of-the-rotation kind of starter in each of the first few games of a series, so they can match up with anyone."

Winners of the 2021 World Series, Atlanta is currently a +330 favorite to win the 2023 Fall Classic at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Los Angeles Dodgers (+400) are the only other team with odds better than 6-1.

Ronald Acuna Jr. has emerged as the favorite for NL MVP, currently sitting one home run away from the sixth 30-30 season in Braves history. He will become the second player in franchise history to have multiple 30-30 seasons as well, joining Ron Gant.