Atlanta Braves Biggest Weaknesses Exposed in Mets Series

The Atlanta Braves are a very good team, but no team is without weaknesses and those were greatly exposed against the New York Mets. 

There is no denying at this point that the New York Mets are a better baseball team than the Atlanta Braves.

The NL East division leaders are 8-4 against the defending World Series champions and have won pretty convincingly in the past two series.

However, that doesn’t mean this season is over for the Braves and they should just pack up their bags and go home.

There is too much talent on this Atlanta team — but some things have to change.

The Mets pose a huge problem for the Braves as they expose some huge weaknesses.

Braves Offensive Weaknesses

Let’s start by talking about their strengths. This lineup is built around power. They are 4th in runs, 5th in doubles, 2nd in home runs, 3rd in slugging, and 4th in OPS.

This lineup can crush a baseball, further explained by the fact they are 3rd in average exit velocity and have the 3rd highest hard-hit percentage in baseball.

As we know, this team relies on scoring from the home run ball.

What this team lacks is the ability to get on base and put the ball in play.

They are 18th in OBP due to the fact they’ve generated the 7th fewest walks in baseball.

Those home runs aren’t as meaningful if there is no one on base.

Combine that with the fact they have the second-most strikeouts, have the 4th highest chase%, 2nd worst zone contact%, and highest whiff%.

This lineup is built on aggression and hitting the ball hard. But there is no in between.

They have to change their approach and find a balance to do a little of both, or good pitching staffs like the Mets are just going to pick them apart.

Braves Pitching Weaknesses

The weakness of the pitching staff seems much more fixable, but it goes directly against what the Mets offense does best — work counts, take walks, and put the ball in play.

Atlanta’s staff is 19th in BB/9, 23rd in pitches per inning (16.59), and 20th in 1st Pitch Strike%.

Everything else about the Braves pitching staff is great, but a lineup like the Mets will feast off those weaknesses.

Braves pitchers strike out a lot of batters, get a lot of weak contact, and don’t give up a lot of home runs.

But in order for them to improve and handle a lineup like the Mets, they have to be more aggressive — especially early in counts.

Easier said than done, but too often when a Braves pitcher does get ahead of a hitter they waste a couple of pitches trying to get the strikeout– basically non-competitive pitches.

Next thing you know, it’s a 3-2 count, they’ve fouled off a couple of pitches, and then you walk them. It felt like that happened 100 times in that five-game series.

Again, this Braves team is good. But in order to take down the Mets and the other great teams in the league, they have to change their approach at the plate and on the mound.