Atlanta Braves: 5 Biggest Storylines During 2022 Season
There are a ton of great storylines for the Atlanta Braves in 2022, we talk about the five biggest ones as Opening Day approaches.
We’re a week away from Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season and the Atlanta Braves are geared up to defend their title.
One of the greatest aspects of a Major League Baseball season are the storylines throughout. The journey of a 162-game season is what makes baseball so special.
There will be storylines created during the season, but there is also some that figure to last from beginning to end.
Here are the five biggest storylines for the Atlanta Braves entering the 2022 season that we’ll be following all year long.
5. Can Austin Riley Repeat His 2021 Performance
One of the biggest surprises in 2021 was the emergence of third baseman Austin Riley. He came into Spring Training last year having to earn the spot — with the Braves even bringing in Jake Lamb as insurance.
Riley won the job and ended up being the most consistent player in the lineup throughout the year as he only had an OPS under .800 in one month.
He finished 2021 with an OPS of .898 to go along with 33 home runs and was a 4.2 WAR player according to FanGraphs — 6.1 by Baseball Reference’s metrics.
This coming after he posted an OPS of .750 and .716 in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Riley being good shouldn’t be a surprise as he was a top 100 prospect entering 2019, but it was a pretty big turnaround that many will wonder if he can do it again.
4. Which Young Starter Will Step Up
The top of the Atlanta Braves starting rotation is set with Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and Ian Anderson.
How good the rotation will be depends on which young starter steps up and emerges as a mainstay in the rotation.
There are several great candidates in Kyle Wright, Huascar Ynoa, Tucker Davidson, Kyle Muller, and Touki Toussaint.
Maybe later in the year prospects like Bryce Elder, Freddy Tarnok, and Spencer Strider could get a chance.
And then, of course, Mike Soroka could return in the second half of the season.
It’s not a question of when or if, it’s a matter of who will it be. My money is on Kyle Wright. Who do you think it will be?
3. Matt Olson and Freddie Freeman Comparisons
Whether you like it or not, one storyline that will keep coming up throughout the 2022 season — and likely even beyond that — is Matt Olson versus Freddie Freeman.
You already know that Chip Carey will constantly be making comments about Freddie Freeman in comparison to Matt Olson.
It will intensify when the two teams play in April and June. And help us all if the two meet in the postseason.
It will grow tiring for fans, but those two will be linked throughout the rest of their careers.
2. The Return of Ronald Acuna Jr.
Not just for Atlanta Braves fans, but all baseball fans, the return of Ronald Acuna Jr. will be a huge storyline.
He was on an MVP pace in 2021 with a 157 wRC+, 4.2 WAR (FanGraphs), 24 home runs, 17 stolen bases, 72 runs, and 52 RBI in just 82 games.
How quickly can he get back to that MVP level? That’s something Braves fans will be watching for.
But again, as a baseball fan, it has to be exciting just to be able to watch one of the best young superstars in the game. The same can be said with Mike Trout coming back after playing just 36 games last year.
It’s fun when all the stars are healthy and displaying their elite talent on a nightly basis.
1. Can the Atlanta Braves Repeat as World Series Champions
How can this not be the top storyline — what will the Braves do as an encore after winning their first World Series in 26 years?
We haven’t had back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000.
And a National League team hasn’t done it since the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-1976.
Next. Why Braves Should Extend Swanson Now. dark
Alex Anthopoulos has done a great job of putting a roster together capable of repeating, but also a team that should be competing for championships over the next five years.