ATLANTA — My lasting memory of the 2022 Braves: Standing in the visiting clubhouse in Philadelphia while Dansby Swanson, moisture in his eyes, declared the whole season a failure. In that moment, the 101 wins and fifth straight National League East title didn’t matter much to Swanson. They’d became irrelevant once the Phillies easily dispatched the Braves in the NL Division Series.
I’m sure that, once the sting wore off, Swanson gained some perspective on what the Braves accomplished in 2022. I’m equally certain that there will be a similar scene in their clubhouse if the 2023 season ends short of the World Series.
Swanson won’t be there because he plays for the Cubs. That won’t change expectations for the Braves, just like Freddie Freeman leaving for the Dodgers didn’t change them before last season. As far as the Braves and many of their supporters are concerned it’s World Series or bust, again.
