Atlanta Braves 2021 schedule: better to wrap things up early

Atlanta’s dangerous September

SEPTEMBER.  Now comes the month that I have the most concern about — starting with those games in LA.

There’s one more Dodger game on September 1st before the Braves go to Denver.  On balance, that should at least be a couple of wins in Colorado.

Coming back home, the Braves face the Nationals, Marlins, and Rockies before immediately going back out West again.

Now here comes the “trap“:  normally, September has an extra off-day or two so that rainout (or COVID) games can be made up.  The Braves have 3 such days:  the 6th, 13th, and 27th… two of them earlier in the month than we’d hope.

Of course, if there are make-up games to be dealt with, then somebody is liable to steal one of those August 25-26 days first.

In the middle is this 13 day, 13 game, 4 city tour that starts in Atlanta and continues on the road to San Francisco, Phoenix, and San Diego in succession.

Note that San Diego series:  it’s at the end of this long road trip… that will be difficult, no doubt.

After this, the Braves come home to end the season against the Phillies and the Mets (October 1st-3rd).

Sure:  games against the Marlins, Rockies, (twice), and Giants should be easier than most.  However, saving two West Coast road trips for the end of the year is going to be rough.

Combine that with the last 3 series against the Padres, Phillies, and Mets — all teams that could be in contention and still fighting for playoff positions — and that makes for potential problems for the Braves.

In short, Atlanta will need to beat the teams they need to beat early on and build a lead in the NL East.  If they get into September with a need to hang on to a slim lead, then things could get dicey with exhausting trips and tough opponents.

Best case scenario?  San Diego and New York are locked into Wild Card positions by that time and are starting to both rest their starters and set up their pitching for the playoffs.

But of course, all of this comes from projections of what might transpire during this 2021 season.  One thing for sure:  it will be a lot different from last year’s 60-game campaign.