Braves’ fatal flaw that will derail hot start to 2024 season

With a month of the 2024 MLB season almost behind us, to the surprise of no one, the Atlanta Braves hold the best record in baseball at 17-6 (.739). It appears that the preseason World Series favorite is off to a red-hot start once again. But can they keep it up?

The Braves, tracing their history back to the 1990s and early 2000s, along with their recent run, are usually one of the best regular-season teams. Twenty-three games into this season, the Braves have only lost one series while winning six, sweeping three of those.

They boast the league’s best offense, leading in slash line categories (.283/.355/.465), while also sporting the best OPS (.822). They’re fifth in hits, sixth in homers, third in runs, and fourth in runs batted in. And this has been without catcher Sean Murphy, who exited after just a couple of at-bats in the first game of the season, and second baseman Ozzie Albies, who has been out recently with a toe injury.

It’s unlikely that the Braves are going anywhere out of the top two in the National League East, as their only real competition in the division is the Philadelphia Phillies, who sit at 15-10. But there’s still a lot of baseball left to be played, and anything can derail this hot start. For the Braves, that would likely be starting pitching.

The Braves still have to figure out the fifth starter

After just two appearances by their young, flame-throwing ace, Spencer Strider, went down with an elbow injury that looks to keep him out for the season. That would be a huge blow for any team, even for someone as talented as the Braves, who still have a solid rotation.

As of now, the rotation is left up to Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Chris Sale, and Reynaldo Lopez. Strider’s replacements have been a revolving door of prospect pitchers from the Braves’ minor league system.

So far, the Braves have gone through three pitchers in Strider’s replacement: Darius Vines, Allan Winans, and 2023 All-Star Bryce Elder.

Winans, who first took over a rotation spot in Strider’s absence, was awful in his one and only start. He gave up seven runs over five innings, including two walks, being sent back down to Triple-A with a 10.80 ERA. Following him have been Vines and Elder.

Vines has been serviceable in his two outings, currently holding a 4.66 ERA, although his FIP at 5.53 is a little less than desirable. Most of that was in his second start against an offensively loaded Texas Rangers team where he gave up four earned runs on seven hits and two homers. He gave up just one earned run on four hits to the Houston Astros in his first start.

Elder made his first start of 2024 on April 22 against the lowly Marlins. Going 6 2/3 innings, he surrendered no runs but did give up eight hits to the team that only averages 7.23 per game, according to Team Rankings.

For now, this is what they have to replace Strider, a 20-game winner who struck out 281 batters last season. But that’s not all the Braves have to worry about with their starting pitching.

Uncertainty with the Braves’ veteran rotation