3 Things We Learned From Braves Series Split Against Diamondbacks

The Atlanta Braves split a 4-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jake McCarthy / Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

The general rule of thumb in baseball is a road team should always be happy splitting a 4-game series. But in a pennant race, and against an inferior opponent, a split won't feel like a victory even for the road team.

That will especially feel like the case for the Atlanta Braves after they won the first two games in Arizona. The Braves only needed to split Wednesday and Thursday's contests to secure three wins in the series, but instead, they dropped both to fall back to 10 games above .500.

There is now one series remaining before the MLB All-Star break. Here's what we learned from the Braves split in the desert.

Braves Could Use Starting Pitcher Upgrade After All

Much of the trade rumors around the Braves the past few weeks has been about outfielders. With Chris Sale, Max Fried and Reynaldo López all excelling, it makes sense that Atlanta would be more interested in shoring up holes in the lineup.

But the Braves shouldn't rule out strengthing a strength, especially with Charlie Morton currently struggling.

The Braves held a lead on two different occasions during Morton's start Wednesday, but in both cases, Morton allowed game-tying home runs. The veteran right-hander didn't take the loss, but he gave up 4 runs in 6.1 innings.

It was the third time in the past four outings that Morton yielded at least 4 runs. The Braves lost all four of those contests. The only start over the past four weeks where Morton hasn't allowed at least four runs came against the Pittsburgh Pirates -- one of the worst offenses in the league.

Morton as a No. 4 starter is a luxury. But with Atlanta's inconsistent offense and six-man rotation, it would be even better if Morton was the No. 5 starter. The Braves should at least consider that possibility before the trade deadline.

Braves Offense Continues to be Inconsistent

The Atlanta offense has awoken from its May and early June slumper. But it's still showing signs of inconsistency.

Over the past 19 games, the Braves have scored at least five runs eight times. But they have also tallied two runs or fewer on six ocassions during that stretch.

On Thursday, the Braves wasted a terrific start from Fried, where he allowed only 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings. The team's bullpen also shut down the Diamondbacks, but the Braves lost 1-0.

Atlanta left six men on base and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

Before Thursday, the Braves offense was building some consistency, scoring at least five runs in six straight contests. But the 1-0 loss put a damper on that improvement.

Making Little Progress in the NL Standings

With the two losses to end the series in Arizona, the gap between the Braves and Phillies increased back to 9.5 games. While that's important, showing tangible signs of improvement is even more vital.

But the inconsistent offense and occasional rough starts from the pitching staff has the Braves a bit stuck in the mud.

After ending a stretch of winning eight of nine on June 23, the Braves were 11 games above .500. Again, they are back to just 10 above the .500 mark after Thursday's loss.

Over the past 17 games, they are 8-9. The Braves took two out of three against the Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. But during that stretch, they also lost series to the St. Louis Cardinals along with the San Francisco Giants and a single game against the Chicago White Sox.

The Braves had a four-game winning streak prior to Wednesday. But the final two losses in Arizona mean that unless the Braves sweep the series in San Diego this weekend, then they will have played at or below .500 for almost a month prior to the All-Star break.