3 Atlanta Braves takeaways from a glorious night in Southern California

2. Josh Donaldson is Summer Hot

Detractors might still want to complain about Josh Donaldson‘s batting average – currently at .253, down from a .273 career mark and well down from 4 seasons of superior production (29.3 fWAR combined) between 2013 and 2016.

Whatever.  This guy is still a force to be reckoned with.

The really odd part is that Donaldson hasn’t been hitting on the road at all:  158 Runs Created score (wRC+) in Atlanta and a pedestrian 95 away from Georgia.

Not last night.

Donaldson pounded a pair of homers – a 3 run jack in the 1st followed by a late solo shot that turned out to be very helpful insurance as the Braves went long ball to beat the Padres 5-3.

Donaldson was 2 for 4 with both homers going to the opposite field – another excellent sign.  That gives him 20 on the season with 7 of them pulled, 7 toward CF, and 6 going oppo.

Looking at his spray chart:  it’s a thing of beauty, particularly the cluster of homers in right center field where 2 more ended up last night.

Moreover, 13 of those homers have now come since June started and his strikeouts are trending downward a bit as well.

All of this seems to be signaling that the beast is nearly unleashed, and that fact should strike fear in the hearts of NL (and AL Central) pitching staffs.

Of course Donaldson isn’t the only big threat in this potent lineup… and if you make this other guy mad… well, you’re just going to have to face the consequences.