History-chasing Atlanta Braves seeking to emulate New York Yankees Dynasty: 4 Reasons why they will be first team in 22 years to win back-to-back MLB titles
With all the hype surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros in the MLB, there's very little credit being given to the Atlanta Braves. On June 1, the Braves were 10 1/2 games back of first and four behind the final Wild Card with a 24-27 record.
Since then, the Atlanta Braves have a 50-20 record to show they're a threat to repeat as world champs. The Atlanta Braves look like the real deal, and here are four reasons why they are once again the team to beat in 2022.
The youth movement
The Braves have five everyday position players aged 25 or younger and none are hitting below .266. This doesn't include the breakout season of Dansby Swanson, who's currently hitting .292 with 16 HRs.
Their youth doesn't stop with position players. The Braves rotation is also anchored by rookie stars Spencer Strider and Kyle Wright. The veteran of their rotation is 28-year-old ace Max Fried, who sports a 2.60 ERA to go with 133 K's through 145 IP.
No matter which way you slice it, Atlanta's youth movement has taken over, setting up a core that's primed to be competitive for years to come.
Veteran leadership
It is unusual for teams to have as much superstar youth as the Tribe while maintaining a strong veteran presence. Without the veteran leadership on this team, the Braves' young guns would lack the poise to execute at the MLB level. Instead, they have a uniquely perfect mix of youngsters and veterans to balance their lineup.
A look at this MLB Network segment with Charlie Morton tells you everything you need to know about Atlanta's balance of leadership.
"It's the responsibility to do things the right way"
Charlie Morton joined #MLBTonight to discuss his big-game performances and leadership that has the @Braves on the brink of another NL East title.
NTT #BallparkCam I #ForTheA https://t.co/Mz98eqoTko
"It's the responsibility to do things the right way" - MLB Network
Power pitching and power hitting
The Braves offense is aggressively straightforward. They're not going to small-ball opponents to death. They're going for the throat with straight power, headlined by their star third-baseman Austin Riley, who leads the way with 30 HR's and counting.
Oh by the way, Austin Riley has 30 HRs🚀
He also has the 2nd best odds for NL MVP (+500)👀https://t.co/mztayjVO7R
"Austin Riley has 30 HRs" - MaximBet
As important as pitching is, rarely does the Braves' pitching have to make up for their lack of hitting. Not many teams could lose Freddie Freeman and maintain their offensive prowess as one of the league's most potent lineups.
On the flip side, Atlanta's pitching arms provide no less power than their bats do. If their offense has an off-game, their starting rotation and complementary arms have the ability to shut hitters down. Their 6th-best 3.60 ERA and league-leading 1,152 strikeouts alone could pave the way to another World Series berth.
Their 2021 World Series title
The same reason MLB experts and fans write off the reigning World Series champs is the same reason we feel they're primed to repeat the feat.
Simply put, Atlanta's championship-winning experience gives them a leg up on the competition of MLB teams looking to prove their worth in the postseason. They have already shown they have what it takes by winning the 2021 title, and that same character tends to shine in clutch situations.
Will the Atlanta Braves win back-to-back MLB titles?
No one has won back-to-back championships in more than 20 years since the New York Yankees in 2000. That alone tells you that many things have to fall in place to achieve such a rare feat.
Each trait cited in this piece defines what makes a winner. With an equally harmonious blend of youth and veteran talent on both sides of the ball, the Atlanta Braves can beat any opponent in many ways. Their youth is still developing, so there's no reason to think they can't do it in even more convincing fashion in 2022.