Four things Braves can do to boost chances of repeating as World Series champions

The Atlanta Braves gained the 2021 World Sequence on Tuesday night time, disposing of the Houston Astros in six video games. The Braves’ championship, their first since 1995, serves because the cherry on prime of an inconceivable run. Atlanta entered August with a shedding document, and did not take management of the Nationwide League East till halfway by the month. Add in how the Braves have been in a position to do that with out their greatest hitter and beginning pitcher, in Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mike Soroka, they usually’re the uncommon championship crew who could be proper to say that nobody outdoors of their very own constructing believed of their probabilities.

The Braves will celebrate with a parade on Friday. After that, they will must get right down to the brass tacks of the offseason in the event that they need to change into the primary repeat champion because the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, who gained three Fall Classics in a row.

How would possibly the Braves go about making certain they put themselves in the very best place attainable? Enable us to reply utilizing 4 conveniently broad subheadings.

1. Higher well being from their stars

There’s solely a lot the Braves can do on this respect, but it surely’s honest to write down that if the Braves are going to repeat then they will want outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and starter Mike Soroka to remain on the sphere. Acuña missed the second half after tearing his ACL, whereas Soroka missed your complete season after re-injuring his Achilles tendon.

There are situations the place accidents stem from poor conditioning or useless risk-taking; in these circumstances, it was a matter of dangerous luck. (Ditto for Charlie Morton struggling a fractured fibula throughout his World Sequence begin.)

It must be famous that Atlanta had good well being luck total. Their 1,286 days missed represented the seventh-fewest within the majors, per Spotrac. In that sense, the Braves can solely hope that their fortune holds up — this time with Acuña and Soroka.

2. Deliver again Freeman, however do not get too sentimental 

The Braves ought to make some extent to re-sign first baseman Freddie Freeman, who’s eligible free of charge company for the primary time in his profession. In any other case? Atlanta could need to go on retaining its different free brokers, a bunch that features the next gamers:

There is not any doubt that Rosario, Duvall, Soler, and Pederson every performed a task in Atlanta’s postseason success. All of them have their charms as free brokers, principally as platoon varieties. If the Braves find yourself bringing again one or two of them, that is advantageous; the secret’s that the Braves should not deal with their retention as a necessity.

Slightly, the Braves ought to move into the offseason with the mentality that they need to get higher. Retaining the identical group of gamers and anticipating the identical outcomes is a misunderstanding of how regression works. The excellent news for the Braves is that their entrance workplace is wise sufficient to grasp and keep away from that pratfall. 

3. Buttress the pitching employees

As talked about, the Braves needed to cope with accidents to Soroka and Morton. Huascar Ynoa additionally suffered an harm that required his elimination from the playoff roster. Including one other veteran starter to the combination, if just for insurance coverage functions, would appear smart. Likewise, the Braves are all however sure to signal a reliever, the way in which most each contender does. 

The Braves do have numerous inside choices they should kind by, together with Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint, and Tucker Davidson. The Braves have another kids coming, too, like Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder. If Atlanta is assured in these choices, the membership would possibly abstain from doing greater than the minimal right here.

4. Get fortunate

This may occasionally look like an insult, but it surely’s not. Profitable a World Sequence at all times entails luck; profitable two in a row, it causes, entails much more. That may imply staying more healthy; it will possibly imply having your commerce deadline acquisitions play higher than anticipated; it will possibly imply getting a good draw; or any variety of different issues. 

“Luck” is a four-letter phrase, but it surely needn’t be handled like one. Each success and failure has some extent of luck to credit score or accountable. The Braves know that firsthand. And, in the event that they’re to repeat, they will want it to stay that manner.