Throughout their successful run since 2018, the Atlanta Braves have experienced considerable achievements, claiming six consecutive division titles and clinching the World Series in 2021. While their long-term prospects seem promising, they’ve encountered a significant challenge in facing the Philadelphia Phillies.
Presently, the Phillies don’t pose a major threat to the Braves’ dominance in the NL East, given the depth of Atlanta’s roster and their consistent performance throughout a lengthy regular season. However, the Phillies, led by top pitchers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, along with formidable hitters like Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, present a formidable challenge in postseason matchups. Despite the Braves’ divisional success, they’ve struggled against the Phillies in recent postseasons.
Adding to the concern, there’s a looming possibility that the situation could worsen for the Braves. Reports indicate that the Phillies have aggressively pursued Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the top starting pitcher in the current market, potentially strengthening an already formidable roster.
Phillies offer to Yamamoto could be a disaster for the Braves
It’s not particularly surprising that the Phillies are interested in Yamamoto. Dave Dombrowski has a track record of pursuing top-tier talent in the market, and despite the Phillies’ shortcomings, they’ve recently made deep postseason runs and heavily invested in their current competitive phase. Although their immediate need may be a bat rather than a pitcher, passing up on a talent like Yamamoto is challenging.
Fortunately for the Braves, the likelihood of the Phillies securing Yamamoto seems low. Reports from Matt Gelb at The Athletic and Alex Coffey at the Philadelphia Inquirer suggest that Philadelphia’s offer may not be the most lucrative, with teams like the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants considered more probable destinations for the pitcher.
However, if the Phillies were to successfully sign Yamamoto, it would pose a significant threat to the Braves. The addition of Yamamoto to a rotation already featuring Wheeler, Nola, and him would make the Phillies a formidable playoff opponent, potentially giving them a real shot at winning the National League East.
In an ideal scenario, the Braves would pursue Yamamoto to bolster their rotation. Unfortunately, this seems unlikely due to Alex Anthopoulos’ reluctance to commit to high-value free-agent deals for pitchers and the Braves’ current luxury tax constraints. Braves fans can only hope that Yamamoto doesn’t end up in their division and doesn’t join a powerhouse team that could jeopardize Atlanta’s playoff prospects.
