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Atlanta Braves: 5 requirements for the Braves to win the NL East in 2019

By Clint Manry

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 22: Nick Markakis #22 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with champagne after clinching the NL East Division against the Philadelphia Phillies at SunTrust Park on September 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 22: Nick Markakis #22 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with champagne after clinching the NL East Division against the Philadelphia Phillies at SunTrust Park on September 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14:
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14: /

 4. Need Three Stud Pitchers to Emerge

In 2018, Braves fans got to witness the proverbial ‘turn of the corner’ for Mike Foltynewicz, as he performed like an established top-tier starting pitcher last season.

There also was the surprise late-career skills of the veteran, Anibal Sanchez. Both Folty and Anibal were solid throughout the season.

But it has been widely known that in order to have a formidable playoff ball club you must have three studs in the rotation, something the Braves lacked until Gausman came to Atlanta in a mid-season trade.

Just look at the LA Dodgers in 2018. They had Kershaw, Buehler and Hill that the team could count on as 3/5 of their staff. For the second-half of last season, the Braves were fortunate to have  Gausman and his nasty splitter.

These are the numbers that Folty, Anibal and Gausman produced in 2018:

Here’s all three combined:

  • 65 starts
  • 25 wins
  • 2.85 ERA
  • 3.59 FIP
  • 8.48 K/9
  • 2.94 BB/9
  • 7.2 fWAR

Just imagine if the Braves would’ve had Gausman all season. The trio in 2018 was one of the main reasons the Braves won 90 games and got back atop the NL East.

Though as the 2018 season started, Folty and Sean Newcomb were expected to be the 1..2..punch for the Braves, but unfortunately Newcomb took a step back. With Anibal Sanchez gone, someone needs to step up.

You can go ahead and pencil in Foltynewicz as the #1 for 2019, but who’s gonna be the #2 and #3? 

The thought of a full year of Kevin Gausman could certainly lead you to believe that he could be the second-best pitcher for the Braves, building off of his excellent 10 starts with the team. Maybe Sean Newcomb can bounce back and get back on track as a future top-tier starter in the Major Leagues.

Also, whose to say that one of the young Braves prospects couldn’t break out in 2019? The four-spot in the rotation will most likely go to Julio Teheran, but the fifth and final spot is still technically up for grabs, especially after Soroka had to be shut down last week because of shoulder issues.

And you never know, Julio could shut all the critics up and finally return to his previous form. He’s not past his prime yet, and at the moment he has zero injury concerns. Stranger things have happened!

Regardless, someone must step up. Foltynewicz cannot be the only consistently successful pitcher in 2019 if the Braves expect to make any noise.

The ability for the Braves to attain three solid starting pitchers in 2019 may just be the most important priority going into the season; because as we saw in the Division Series last season – you can never have too much pitching.

Who is it gonna be?

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