Braves Must Win in Washington After Another Blown Opportunity

The Atlanta Braves must turn the page quickly again after losing another rescheduled game 1-0.

Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

An 162-game schedule often allows for a wide margin for error. But then in September, we remember how small that margin can really be.

The Atlanta Braves currently sit one game behind the New York Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot. So, it shouldn't sit well with Braves fans that the team lost 1-0 to the below-.500 Cincinnati Reds on Monday.

Yes, it was the 10th time the previously dominant Braves offense was shut out this season. But even more discouragingly, it was the second time this season the Braves fell 1-0 in a rescheduled rainout.

The previous 1-0 defeat in a rescheduled affair came against the Chicago White Sox on June 27. That Thursday was supposed to be a day off at the end of a long road trip for the Braves. Instead, they had to fly from St. Louis to Chicago for one game.

The Braves may have been better off not even getting off the plane. The lowly White Sox recorded the victory in two hours and 14 minutes.

The loss didn't appear to be a major deal at the time. But couple that with another 1-0 loss to a non-playoff team Monday, and those two defeats could very well keep the Braves out of the postseason.

Atlanta's record against a few non-playoff teams has been an issue too. After Monday, the Braves fell to 0-3 versus the Reds. They were also just 1-2 against the White Sox, who could set the MLB record for most losses in a season.

The Braves will get one more crack at the Reds in Cincinnati next week. But starting Tuesday, the Braves will visit the Washington Nationals for a 2-game set. Atlanta is just 4-7 versus Washington this season.

The Braves have had this weekend's series against the Los Angeles Dodgers circled on the calendar since the beginning of the season. And of course, the final home stand versus the Mets and Kansas City Royals will be enormously important.

But right now, the margin of error for the Braves is practically zero. They will need to win almost every game against any team out of playoff contention to stave off elimination themselves.