May 3, 2017, Atlanta: Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker looks on during the 9th inning in a 16-5 loss to the New York Mets in a MLB baseball game on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
The Atlanta Braves have played twenty-three games and are one of the best teams in baseball.
Despite several significant injuries, including a season-ending one to ace Spencer Strider and a twenty-two game (and counting) absence from All-Star catcher Sean Murphy, the Braves lead baseball in multiple offensive categories, including runs per game (5.96), batting average (.283), and OPS (.822).
Stock up: Chadwick Tromp
Entering the season as Atlanta’s third catcher, the 29-year-old Aruba native is currently on pace for the best season of his career. Batting .273/.292/.409 across his twenty-four at-bats, with three extra-base hits and five RBIs, Tromp’s gotten significant playtime while Murphy is on the injured list.
Tromp, who batted just .210 in 65 games with AAA Gwinnett last season, is doing more than just hitting well: He’s flashing defense, as well. He’s already caught two attempted base stealers in just five attempts on the year, already one CS above average (per MLB Statcast).
Stock down: David Fletcher
Fletcher, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels this offseason, was initially sent to AAA Gwinnett out of spring training after failing to beat free agent signee Luis Guillorme for the team’s backup infielder job. Getting called up when Ozzie Albies went on the IL, Fletcher occupied the short side of a platoon with Guillorme, starting only three games of the eight that Albies has missed so far.
Fletcher didn’t even get three games worth of at-bats in those starts, either, with Atlanta choosing to pinch-hit for him late and finishing with only eight plate appearances (and two hits) across his short time on the active roster before being sent back to AAA Gwinnett today in anticipation of Albies being activated tomorrow morning, when first eligible.
Stock up: Michael Harris II
Atlanta’s centerfielder has typically batted towards the bottom of the lineup and has excelled, finishing his first two seasons with a batting average greater than .290 and within shooting range of a 20/20 season.
But Money Mike has taken it to a new level in 2024, filling in for Ozzie Albies in the #2 hole in the order and putting up a career-best .330/.363/.495 slash with three homers and five stolen bases in just 102 plate appearances. Extrapolating that out to a full season of 610 plate appearances, it’s on pace for close to twenty homers and thirty stolen bases.
Stock down: Tyler Matzek
Listen, I love Tyler Matzek and always will – his clutch inning in the 2021 NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers will forever be one of those iconic moments in the history of this generation of Braves.
But in his return from Tommy John surgery, he’s not quite back just yet. Sporting a 7.88 ERA, Matzek’s averaging just 93.6 mph on his fastball and allowing a .348 batting average against, down from 2021’s 96.0 and .192 BA, while his slider hasn’t yet resumed moving like it did in 2021, when it came in 1.5 mph harder, dropped 8% more, and had significantly more horizontal movement (6.6 inches down to 4.8).
