The Atlanta Braves came into this season with sky-high expectations. After winning the National League East for the last six seasons and winning over 100 games in two out of the last three years, the Braves have seen their season thus far continue to spiral. The good news is that they still sit in second place in the division at 35-29. However, they’re ten games out of first place behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who currently have the best record in MLB. After a 4-0 shutout loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, the Braves offense is hitting a new low it hasn’t seen in over a year.

From injuries to star players like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider, and the offense not being able to put up much production, the Braves are one of the MLB’s most disappointing teams so far relative to expectations. While there can be plenty of blame to go around, the offense has been the Braves’ Achilles heel this season. This is especially true over the last several games.

Braves Offense Reaches New Low

After the Braves’ latest lackluster performance at the plate in Baltimore, they have now been shut out twice in their last six games. While that may not seem like a huge deal, it is. Atlanta recently went over a year without being shut out in a game, a remarkable feat. But their often potent offense is showing no signs of life these days, which presents a major issue.

the Braves offense since May 1st pic.twitter.com/bRONUnyqcO

— BrooksGate (@Brooks_Gate) June 12, 2024

Losing Acuña for the season, one of the most dynamic offensive presences in the game, takes a big toll. However, this team still has players who are capable of producing runs at a high rate. Mainstays like Matt Olson, Orlando Arcia, Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley have proven they can be major factors on offense, so this lineup has been a huge disappointment. Their struggles continue to mount at the worst time as they continue to trail the Phillies by a wide margin with no end in sight. If the drought continues, Philadelphia’s lead may become insurmountable.

Braves Need a Quick Turnaround

These next several series for the Braves may make or break their season. It is only June, but this could be a pivotal stretch for Atlanta. After their series in Baltimore concludes, they will be taking on the Tampa Bay Rays and the Detroit Tigers at home. Both teams currently sit below .500. It is vital for the Braves to win both those series, as they will then have to play one of the best teams in baseball and a World Series contender, the New York Yankees.

These next games for Atlanta are crucial if they want to at least gain some ground on the Phillies, or even if they want to hold on to one of the National League Wild Card spots. In order to turn it around, the offense will have to dig deep and start putting up runs again, or else the season could start to spiral out of control.

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