It's hard to believe that the Atlanta Braves have been carried by their starting rotation after losing ace Spencer Strider. But that's exactly what has happened.
After a 2023 season in which the Braves tied the Major League Baseball single-season home run record, the offense has largely gone cold.
Defending National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is out for the year with a torn ACL, while sluggers Austin Riley and Matt Olson have underperformed. If not for Marcell Ozuna's otherworldly contributions, this might be one of the worst offenses in the NL.
Meanwhile, the three-headed monster of Chris Sale, Max Fried, and Reynaldo López has carried the pitching staff, while 40-year-old Charlie Morton and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach have settled in at the back of the rotation.