The Atlanta Braves are currently sitting comfortably at the top of the NL East standings with a 39-24 record and are currently on a 6-game winning streak. Coming out of a series sweep over the New York Mets, the Braves are in a solid position to win their sixth consecutive division title.
However, the one team that could potentially cause a threat to the Braves in the NL East are the Miami Marlins, who are playing hot right now and as of this writing are six games above .500 for the season. This ballclub has surprised a lot of people in the league and are currently the only other team in the NL East that is above .500.
With that being said, here are reasons why the Braves should worry about the Marlins catching up with them in the division, as well as some reasons why they shouldn't.
Why The Braves Should Worry
Luis Arraez
If there is one name from the Marlin's roster the Braves should worry about, it's Luis Arraez. Miami's second baseman is the hottest hitter in baseball right now, hitting a jaw-dropping .400 for the season, the highest batting average in the league. According to Sarah Langs from MLB.com, Arraez's batting average is the 10th-best by a qualified hitter in his team’s first 64 games, since 1941. He joins a list of hitters that includes Braves great Chipper Jones to do achieve such a feat.
Speaking of batting average, Arraez is averaging .384 on the road. He also leads the Marlins in hits (88) and OBP (.449). The Marlins are currently scheduled to play the Braves in Truist Park for a three game series starting June 30th. If Arraez continues to be hot, he will more than certainly cause some trouble for a Braves bullpen that has been suffering through injuries and depth issues. We will see how both teams look when they Marlins travel to Atlanta later this month.