Take any team in major league baseball team and remove two of their projected starters from the rotation for the entire season. Then take three solid relievers as well and put them on the disabled list. You would imagine that a team losing so much of its pitching may struggle a bit. However, the Atlanta Braves have been phenomenal despite these injuries. In fact, they’ve been so good that their pitching staff is historically one of the best all time.
The Braves have already lost Brandon Beachy, Corey Gearrin and Kris Medlen for the season. They are still waiting on the return of Mike Minor, Gavin Floyd, and Jonny Venters which are scheduled to come back either this week or sometime in May. Despite all of these injuries, they opened the season with the second best record in baseball in wins. Tied in losses with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Why are they so good? Well, the journeyman, Aaron Harang is having his best ever start to a season. Harang has pitched as if it were 2007 when he went 16-6 with a 3.73 ERA with the Cincinnati Reds.
What is he doing differently? Nobody can pinpoint it, but sometimes a new atmosphere mixed with desperation to land a roster spot can inspire beautiful things.
Ervin Santana was a late spring pickup, but he has been phenomenal for the Braves, so far.
Younger pitchers like Alex Wood and Julio Tehran have already gone against tough counterparts like Johnny Cueto and Jose Fernandez, but they matched or surpassed those pitchers great outings. David Hale may only have one win this season, but he has consistently pitched well.
We knew the Braves bullpen was going to be amazing even without some of its best pitchers. Anthony Vavaro, Ian Thomas, David Carpenter, and Jordan Walden have all pitched above and beyond what has been needed. Craig Kimbrel has gone 9 for 9 in save opportunities this season.
The Braves are still having issues with their offense at times, they strikeout a lot. Players like Dan Uggla, Jayson Heyward, and B.J. Upton are still struggling to hit with any consistency. However, thanks to the amazing starts of Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman, Evan Gattis, and Andrelton Simmons, the offense has often earned enough runs for their pitching staff to win.
The Braves will go on to face the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, two teams with sound rotations and offenses that have been known to put up runs quickly.
I think the Braves rotation can hold on through the entire season as a quality pitching staff, but I think reality about their injuries is going to sink in during May where they have a much tougher schedule than April.
The New York Mets are having a better start than most predicted, thanks in large to a solid pitching rotation. However, not even the Mets have had much luck against the Braves early on this season. Nor have the Washington Nationals or the Philadelphia Phillies. Therefore, it seems at least for another month that the Braves will run the National League East.
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at sports injury alert.
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