The Braves Are Historically Great Right Now and Baseball Has Never Seen This Before

The Atlanta Braves are doing something this franchise hasn't done since before the mound was moved back to 60 feet, six inches in 1893. They're 25-10 through 35 games, sitting on the best record in Major League Baseball by 1.5 games, and they're making everyone else look like they're playing a different sport.

Let's put this in context because it's wild. The only better starts in franchise history came in 1884 (28-7), 1892 (26-9), and 1889 (26-9). That means the Braves teams that dominated the 1990s and 2000s? Not as good through 35 games. The 2021 World Series champs? Nowhere close. The 2022-23 juggernaut regular-season teams? Nope. This Braves roster is operating on another level entirely.

The Numbers Are Genuinely Stupid

Start with this: the Braves are on pace to win 115 games. They've won 19 of their last 24 after opening 6-5, and they're the only team in baseball that hasn't lost a series yet. They own the best run differential by 15 runs and have scored 205 runs compared to the Cubs' 185 for second place. Their team OPS sits at .806, highest in the majors. They're hitting .276 as a team. They lead baseball in that category too.

On the mound, Atlanta is second in ERA at 3.19 behind only the Yankees. The rotation is third at 3.17 despite major injury issues heading into the season. The bullpen is third at 3.22 with just two blown saves, and they've had to do it without closer Raisel Iglesias, who's sitting on the injured list.

Even Missing Their Best Guy, They Keep Rolling

Ronald Acuña Jr. is out with a hamstring strain, which should matter. It hasn't. Through 11 games with the team before landing on the IL, Acuña was slashing .252/.362/.378 with two homers and seven stolen bases in 11 tries anyway. The guy wasn't even having a great year and they're still running away with the National League East by 8.5 games.

Sure, regression is coming. That's baseball. But right now, today, this moment in May, the Braves are the best team in baseball and it's not even debatable.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.