Over the last couple of weeks, the Atlanta Braves have witnessed their once massive NL East lead dwindle very rapidly. Yes, the baseball has been a tough watch, so in these moments it's never a bad idea to look back on much more enjoyable times.
The most recent feel-good divisional comeback happened back in 2022, when Atlanta famously chased down the Mets. That comeback culminated with an epic late September series at Truist Park, one that Atlanta's former shortstop defined as the peak rivalry series in his career.
Dansby Swanson calls the 2022 Braves-Mets finale the "peak rivalry series" of his career
In a recent interview with Adam Weinrib of The Baseball Insiders, Dansby Swanson spoke on the World Cup, trade deadline, and some of the fiercest rivalries of his big league career. Swanson was asked to compare the current Cubs-Brewers rivalry to the rivalries he experienced in Atlanta. The former Brave was quick to point out how special the Braves-Mets rivalry was, especially during the epic 2022 NL East race.
The former Braves shortstop even went as far as calling it the "peak" regular season series he has been a part of. Sweeping prime Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and the Mets is certainly a peak memory for many Braves fans. Swanson left the Braves following that 2022 season, after Atlanta fell to another division rival in the NLDS.
Swanson has since been right in the middle of an intense Cubs-Brewers rivalry; one that also featured a postseason showdown in 2025. Meanwhile, the Braves-Mets rivalry still rages on despite New York's disappointing 2026 season thus far.
However, it was not that long ago when Braves fans were enjoying one of the most exhilarating regular season series in recent memory, and Swanson is in agreement with that notion. Hopefully, the Braves do not fall to the inverse of that 2022 season, as a fast-approaching Philadelphia Phillies team is making things all too uncomfortable in the NL East.
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