The Atlanta Braves have won the National League (NL) East for the sixth straight year. Led by a potent offense that featured 10 double-digit home run hitters, the Braves raised hopes of winning the World Series for the first time in two years.
Atlanta clinched the NL East title with a 4-1 victory over the 2023 Major League Baseball Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday (Sept. 14) at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, with 16 games remaining in the season. Clinched the second-fastest division title in franchise history. Fastest since Sept. 10, 2002. The team also won on Sept. 14, 1995, the second-fastest in franchise history.
Atlanta, which is 96-50 on the season and has the best winning percentage (.658) among Major League Baseball’s 30 clubs, has now won a district title for six straight years, beginning in 2018. It is the league’s 23rd district title since the division was realigned in 1969, another extended reign following an 11-year streak atop the division from 1995-2005.
Atlanta is powered by two strong NL MVP candidates in Ronald Acuña Jr. (batting .335 with 37 home runs, 97 RBIs, 66 doubles and a 1.002 OPS) and Matt Olson (batting .279 with 51 home runs, 128 RBIs and a .999 OPS). The team also leads the league in key offensive categories including batting average (.275), home runs (282), slugging percentage (.343), on-base percentage (.501) and OPS (.844).
In addition to Olson and Acuña, the Twins have 10 players in the batting order with double-digit home runs, including Austin Riley (35), Marcell Osuna (34), A.J. Albies (29), Eddie Rosario (21), Sean Murphy (20), Orlando Arcia (17), Michael Harris II (16), and Travis d’Arnaud (11). On pace to surpass the major league record of 307 team home runs in a single season, set by the Minnesota Twins in 2019. They’re mathematically on pace for 313 home runs.
They also have the fifth-best team ERA (3.90) and a solid mound. With starters Max Fried and Kyle Wright sidelined with injuries, sophomore Bryce Elder (12-4, 3.38) has surged to lead the way on the mound, along with Spencer Strider (17-5, 3.73) and Charlie Morton (14-11, 3.42). Add in Fried (7-1, 2.64), who returned from injury in August, and you have a strong 1-4 start.
Closer Raisel Iglesias (5-4, 29 saves, 3.26 ERA) and the bullpen of Curve Yates (7-1, 5 saves, 8.70 ERA), A.J. Minter (3-5, 10 saves, 19.84 ERA), Joe Jimenez (3-12, 3.38 ERA) and Michael Tonkin (6-2, 2 saves, 1.64 ERA) have been solid, making it difficult to find holes in the rotation.스포츠토토
Atlanta has won a division title in six of seven years under Brian Snitker, who took over in 2017, and is in the midst of its second glory period after the Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Chipper Jones era of the 1990s. They have a chance to win their third World Series title in franchise history, joining 1995 and 2021.
According to MLB.com, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said, “Everybody worked really hard. I told the guys, ‘Don’t forget this feeling. ‘ It’s a great feeling to see your hard work pay off.” “There’s something special about this team,” said Riley, the big third baseman. We believe in each other and work hard. It’s fun to come to the ballpark every day.” “Our work is not done,” Acuña said, looking toward a World Series title.