Upcoming Schedule Has Both Advantages and Challenges for Braves
The Philadelphia Phillies are not as well-scheduled as the Atlanta Braves, but they do face some immediate difficulties.
The season has started off well for the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta’s current record of 26-14 is impressive given the difficulties they have faced thus far, including the injuries to Sean Murphy (oblique) and Spencer Strider (elbow), though Murphy will begin a rehab assignment next week and should return soon, the absences of Ozzie Albies (foot) and Austin Riley (side), and the offensive slumps of Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson.
Looking back, it’s almost remarkable that Atlanta is just three games behind in the National League East; as of Thursday morning, the Philadelphia Phillies have won sixteen of their previous nineteen games, increasing their advantage in the division to three games.
Though there will be difficulties, the Atlanta schedule that is coming up should be helpful.
The quality of the opponent matters. One of the most obvious distinctions between Atlanta’s and Philadelphia’s schedules has been the calibre of opponents they have faced. Based on winning percentage, the Phillies have had the easiest schedule in baseball thus far, with an ESPN Strength of Schedule of just.457.
Intriguingly, the Braves, who defeated Philadelphia two games to one in the season-opening series at Citizens Bank Park, are the only team Philadelphia has faced with a winning record through 44 games played. Over the course of the remaining games, this will balance out a little bit. With a Strength of Schedule of.504, Philly presently has the 13th-hardest schedule to contend with for the duration of the season. Ten games versus Atlanta, six games against the Los Angeles Dodgers, three games each against the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, and six games against the Milwaukee Brewers are among their hardest challenges.
On the other hand, Atlanta has played twenty games against clubs that have a.500 or higher record, and they have an 11-9 record in those matches. With only.490 left in their Strength of Schedule, they rank 25th hardest. In addition to three games against the Los Angeles Angels and six against the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta still has six games against the Colorado Rockies and a complete divisional schedule against the Washington Nationals.
In an unfortunate turn of events, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the 28th hardest schedule left, with their one series against the Orioles, the Braves, and the Phillies ranking as their toughest opponents.
The upcoming schedule doesn’t have a lot of rest, however
Even if the remaining schedule is simple, Atlanta is going to be entering a strenuous period of play. The Braves have seventeen days of games after today’s off day. Monday, June 3rd, is the team’s next open date.
Atlanta’s strategically used off days to give their starters extra rest – Reynaldo López hasn’t made a start on anything less than one additional day of rest so far this season, getting either five or six days of rest before all but one of his outings (and seven days of rest on the other). Chris Sale is in a similar situation, having made one of his starts on regular rest but getting either five or six days between the others. To extend that strategy into this upcoming stretch, the Braves will need to strategically use call-ups from Triple-A Gwinnett to push back their scheduled starters.
