Disclaimer 1: This post is long. It also has a lot of images (charts, tables, etc.). Sorry if it takes a while to load.
Disclaimer 2: If you’re expecting a silver bullet explanation that answers the title question, I’m afraid you might leave this post disappointed. This is really just a sojourn through a lot of hitting data, and I’m afraid there’s no single super-satisfying answer.
Coming into the season, the Atlanta Braves roster did not feature an overwhelming array of bright spots. Freddie Freeman looked prime to devour the National League with his bat, newly-extended Ender Inciarte is a treat with the glove and has had average success with his bat, and a number of rotation arms featured some interesting upside.