ATLANTA — The Braves' doubleheader loss to the Nationals does not define or erase a season highlighted by the National League's best record to date (89-62) and some of the best organization moves in baseball. But it does raise some issues and concerns for a team limping toward the finish the line.
Atlanta is just 4-6 in its last 10 games, 6-10 in the month of September. This type of slump will not truly threaten the team's eight-game lead in the NL East — its magic number remained at four entering Wednesday's series finale — but it could call into the question the NL's No. 1 overall seed and, more importantly, the team's overall performance entering a much-anticipated month of playoff baseball.
How important is the top seed for the Braves? Well, they're a .700 team at Turner Field. They're a sub-.500 team on the road. Home field advantage isn't everything, but it's a really, really crucial thing for Fredi Gonzalez's team.
Our Braves writers — Zach Dillard, Cory McCartney and Jay Clemons — discuss the Braves troubles over the past month or so and whether there is any need for concern. Here are some of the highlights:
-- After the doubleheader loss, Gonzalez once again said the offense needs to come around. How important is it for the bats to pick back up and what are some options for the team moving forward?
-- Can it be understated how important home-field advantage is for this team? Are they still the favorites to capture the top seed?
-- Would the Nationals making the playoffs and the Braves losing out on the top seed be the worst-case scenario for Atlanta — and, perhaps, the rest of the league. The Nationals are 4 1/2 games back in the wild card, but does anybody want to play them in a five- or seven-game series?
-- Freddie Freeman knocked in his 100th RBI of the season on Tuesday. What does this mean for his MVP candidacy?
-- It's a bit untimely following his first blown save in quite some time, but should Craig Kimbrel — or any closer - be in the Cy Young discussion?
