Biggest Key for Atlanta Braves to Beat the New York Mets
On paper, the Atlanta Braves seem like the easy favorite against the New York Mets, but if they don't execute on the mound it will be a long series.
Last August, the Braves went to New York for a five-game series in which they lost four games and looked overmatched.
But Atlanta learned something in that series that helped them win the six of the last seven matchups between those two teams -- you have to make them beat you.
WATCH: Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets, Round 1 from Locked On Braves
In that 5-game set, Braves pitchers walked 19 batters in 41 innings. That's a BB/9 of 4.17. That would currently rank as the 26th BB/9 in baseball right now. Coincidentally, the Mets have actually struggled walking batters as well and rank 27th with a 4.18 BB/9.
But along with the walks, you saw the Mets' hitters drive up the pitch count of Braves' starters: only Kyle Wright and Max Fried completed 6 innings, while Ian Anderson, Jake Odorizzi, and Spencer Strider all failed to get through the fifth.
Something had to change with the way Braves' pitchers attacked the Mets lineup -- they had to be more aggressive.
Just a couple of weeks later, the Braves took three of four against the Mets and in the three wins they held them to a combined total of 3 runs. In those four games, Braves pitchers walked a total of 5 batters in 36 innings for a BB/9 of 1.25.
Strider, Charlie Morton, and Max Fried pitched in the three wins, with the lone loss in that series coming in a game started by Odorizzi.
And then in that final series where the Braves swept the Mets, they walked 4 batters in 3 games started by Fried, Wright, and Morton.
It's a good lineup full of good hitters for the Mets, but they thrive on working counts, taking walks, and putting the ball in play.
They don't hit a lot of home runs, but when they do, you have to make sure it's a solo shot. You do that by not giving them free baserunners and getting behind in counts.
If the Braves pitchers can do that this weekend in New York they'll have a ton of success, and hopefully, that leads to a series win to kick off this divisional rivalry.
More stories from the Mets series
Lineup, how to watch the Atlanta Braves series opener versus the New York Mets
Braves Briefing: Are the New York Mets scared of the Atlanta Braves?
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