CLEVELAND – Nine in a row.
With a 4-2 win over the Guardians on Monday at Progressive Field, the Braves extended their winning streak to a season-high nine games. At 57-27, they own MLB’s best record.
Five observations:
1. During this incredible run, the Braves have tallied so many jaw-dropping accomplishments – individually and as a team. Records. Career highs. Things rarely done.
It almost makes you take the big-picture outlook for granted: The Braves keep winning.
“It’s a different guy every night,” Michael Harris II said. “We trust everybody in this lineup. One through nine, we go out there and we trust each other, and our pitchers, bullpen. We trust everybody. It’s a fun team and I guess it’s kind of showing out on the field sometimes too.”
At times, they have outslugged teams. In some games – like the one Monday – their pitching and defense lead them to victory.
Enjoy this. Smell the roses. Don’t take it all for granted.
The Braves have three winning streaks of at least eight games this season. No other team in baseball has even two eight-game winning streaks, and only five teams have a single one.
2. As Harris rounded the bases after the first of two home runs, fireworks shot up in center field.
This was, of course, an error. But it provided a funny moment.
“I was confused at first as to why everybody started booing so loudly,” Harris said. “I thought it was toward me. But I remembered when I crossed the plate that the fireworks went off.”
Harris wasn’t done.
In the fifth inning, he homered for the second time off Cleveland righty Gavin Williams. This time, Harris went to the opposite field. His homers accounted for two of Atlanta’s four runs.
Monday marked Harris’ second career multi-homer game. Over his last 24 games, Harris is batting .416 with seven homers, six doubles, one triple, 16 RBIs and five stolen bases. He’s increased his average from .163 to .269 over that span.
3. Harris’ performance leads us to a larger point: The Braves’ lineup continues to be devastatingly long.
Entering Monday, Atlanta’s seven through nine hitters ranked first in MLB with a .791 OPS, which was about 40 points higher than second place. The last three hitters in the order had .272 average, which also led all of MLB.
The No. 9 hitter specifically?
Before Monday, the Braves in that spot – it’s mostly been Harris – had combined to hit .279, which was second behind the Phillies’ .281. They’d posted a .786 OPS that ranked second behind Tampa Bay.
“I feel like it’s pretty frustrating for other pitchers,” said Harris, who also pitched in high school. “They get through who they think is going to do all the damage and then they get down to the bottom of the lineup, and I guess we can still do a little damage, too. It’s a pretty special lineup and it’s really fun playing with this team.”
4. In the top of the third inning, Ronald Acuña Jr. slid into second base for his 40th stolen base of the season. When he did so, he appeared to hurt his right shoulder on impact. His left hand touched the base, and as he slid through, his right arm took all that force.
Luckily, it only appeared to be a momentary scare. The Braves’ athletic training staff examined his shoulder and ensured everything was in place, and then he played the rest of the game.
“Just a little bit of pain when I landed on it,” Acuña said through interpreter Franco García. “Just a moment of discomfort really, but all good.”
With that stolen base, Acuña became the first player in history with at least 20 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 50 RBIs before the All-Star break. He’s also the third player to hit at least 20 homers and steal at least 40 bases in his team’s first 84 games, joining Rickey Henderson (1990) and Eric Davis (1986).
“I’m really grateful and happy for the way the season’s been panning out for me and for the team, but more specifically for the team and the way that it’s been going, nine or 10 of us consistently playing and just breaking all these records,” Acuña said.
5. Bryce Elder allowed only two runs over 6 2/3 innings. So, basically, he was Bryce Elder.
His 2.45 ERA ranks second in baseball.
The more important part might be this: He’s gone at least six innings in 12 of his 17 starts.
“As a ground-ball pitcher and a sinker-baller, that’s kind of very important,” Elder said. “It’s not always going to happen and I’m not starting every outing thinking, ‘Oh, I got to do that.’ When I do keep it in the zone and execute pitches, I think that’s kind of the result (is) getting quick outs.”
Stat to know
77 of 84 - Acuña has reached base in 77 of 84 games this season, and has reached base a MLB-high 158 times.
Quotable
“It’s the best lineup I think I’ve seen, maybe ever.”-Elder on the 2023 Braves (This means a lot, because Elder watched the powerful 2011 Rangers lineup as a kid
Up next
The Braves on Tuesday will face Cleveland ace Shane Bieber. Kolby Allard will start for Atlanta.
