Atlanta Braves amazing run to the NLDS ended quietly
By Fred Owens
Atlanta Braves bullpen didn’t fail.
Along with Acuna Jr, d’Arnaud, Olson, and Wright, the bullpen deserves recognition for its performance during the NLDS.
Ignore ERAs! ERA is an awful way to judge a relief pitcher to begin with, and in a short series where every inning they pitch is high leverage, ERA can look awful even though the reliever did the job well.
The Middlemen
Much maligned starter Jake Odorizzi entered game three with the Braves trailing 6-0 and threw three scoreless innings before leaving with two men on and no one out in the seventh.
If the game had been closer, Odorizzi wouldn’t have started the seventh inning. The two runs scored because Jesse Chavez was asked to face Realmuto, Harper, and Castellanos, a repeat of game one and a mismatch by anyone’s standard. Maybe it’s time for Jake to transition to middle relief?
Chavez gave up one run in each appearance, but facing the middle of the Phillies order twice in three days and holding them to one while striking out Realmuto, Harper, Bohm, and Marsh and enticing six ground ball outs of pretty good work.
Dylan Lee gave up a first-pitch homer to Harper in 2/3 of an inning during game three but also threw a scoreless inning in game one and another in game four.
Jackson Stephens threw a scoreless inning in the eighth and another in the ninth inning of game one to hold the enemy at bay and give the Braves a chance to come back. The comeback fell short, but Stephens made sure they had the chance.
The big arms
The big three at the back of the bullpen were asked to perform outside of their usual roles. A.J. Minter pitched a clean inning in game one, came into game four, threw a clean inning in the fourth, and had two out in the fifth when Raisel Iglesias replaced him and allowed the two runners on base to score. I’d have stayed with A.J., but the manager didn’t.
Iglesias had pitched a clean eighth in game two before surrendering A.J.’s runs and one of his own in game four.
Kenley Jansen earned the save in game two with a 1-2-3 ninth but entered game four in the eighth and gave up a run on a solo shot by Harper. Jansen looked as sharp as he’s ever been. Allowing a home run to Harper in that situation doesn’t change my view of his performance.
That’s a wrap
The Atlanta Braves kept a healthy rotation for most of the season, they two of their important pieces were unable to perform. The lineup hadn’t performed well since the series with the Mets.
The situations were exactly the opposite for the Phillies; their pitching silenced the Braves’ bats, and their lineup wore down a decimated Braves starting rotation.
The Braves had a great season, but the Phillies were healthy and hot at the right time and deserved their win. I expect the Padres to end the bell ringing and force the Phillies to watch the World Series from home.
Next. Maybe the Braves won't bring Dansby back.. dark
The Atlanta Braves will be back next year to even the score with the Phillies.