This 3-game series vs the Red Sox concludes today for Atlanta. What will the result of this series tell us about the Atlanta Braves as a team?
Despite the 2 losses already to Boston, the Atlanta Braves have shown promise by sticking in the game until the going gets tough.
The Atlanta Braves have struggled to drive in runners in scoring position, and have struggled to pitch efficiently to Boston hitters. Does this mean the Braves are supposed to pitch well against Boston? No, not really. The Red Sox are the best team in baseball. To expect the Braves to pummel the Sox is unrealistic. But to expect the Braves to have some success is absolutely reasonable.
Does success vs. the Red Sox mean getting wins?
Wins would be nice, but what we need to pay more attention to are all of the small things that happen during these games such as pitchers getting out of jams, hitters driving in runners, pitchers limiting walks or surrendering too many walks, young player performances, and more. So no, wins do not equal success this series.
But wins are crucial at this point in the season as the Braves’ lead in the NL East was cut to 3 games after last night’s loss to Boston. However, I don’t think the wins and losses during this series count from a team performance perspective. They obviously count in the season standings, but not from an evaluation standpoint.