Braves’ Bittersweet Season Ends With Historic Streak
The Atlanta Braves entered the 2023 season with high expectations, only to find themselves grappling with frustrations and near-misses as the campaign unfolded. A glaring issue emerged: their struggles in one-run games, which ultimately derailed any hopes of a postseason push.
“Braves are now 75-76 since losing all 7 games on that disastrous season-opening trip. The difference between being a club in the Wild Card hunt right now and one heading home in 4 days? About 1 win per month. Throw in all those 1-run losses and it gets pretty infuriating pretty fast,” a Braves reporter noted, capturing the sentiment surrounding the team’s tumultuous journey.
A Historic Surge to Close the Season
Despite the overall disappointment, the Braves showcased their resilience as they wrapped up the season strong, culminating in a remarkable nine-game winning streak. It marked not only their longest stretch of success this year but also a historic feat in Major League Baseball.
In this extraordinary span, the Braves achieved unprecedented milestones: they did not lose a game, committed no errors, scored at least five runs in every contest, and limited opponents to no more than five runs. Such a combination of performance over nine games is without precedent in MLB history, underscoring just how dominant the team was during this late-season flourish.
Acuña’s Record-Breaking Consistency
Amidst the Braves’ recent successes, Ronald Acuña Jr. further solidified his status as a franchise cornerstone, making history in the process. Despite battling through a season of ups and downs, Acuña became the only player since the Divisional Era began in 1969 to average over 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases per 162 games played, given a minimum of 800 games.
Before the winning streak, Acuña had found himself in a bit of a slump, but he turned it around just in time to contribute to his team’s late surge. Achieving a 30-30 season consistently is no small feat, especially considering Acuña has endured two ACL tears in his career.
It’s fascinating to ponder the heights his statistics could have reached had he remained injury-free. Nevertheless, Acuña’s prowess on the field speaks volumes, and it will be crucial for the Braves to ensure his future remains in Atlanta.
Looking Ahead
As the Braves reflect on a season that ultimately fell short of expectations, the silver lining remains in the form of their late-season dominance and Acuña’s historic achievements. The transition from a World Series hopeful to a team with a letdown season has been stark, but the potential for a bright future remains. With the right decisions in the off-season, the Braves can look to build on this momentum and keep their stars shining bright.
