Outlook on Braves 60-Game Schedule

With the 60-game schedule released, we already know that RF Nick Markakis and P Felix Hernandez have both opted out of playing these games with concerns to Covid-19. Also, with 1B Freddie Freeman testing positive and having symptoms, along with three other players that are asymptomatic, who knows when they might return. Part of the Covid-19 protocols the MLB has put in place is a player must test negative two times before returning to the field.

The Braves were set to open at the Diamondbacks way back on March 29, but now they are set to face the New York Mets on Friday, July 24 at Citi Field, first pitch set for 4:10pm on ESPN. The Braves open the season with five games on the road in New York for three games before traveling to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Rays (AL East) for two games. The Braves open the season at newly named Truist Park for an eight game home stand beginning Wednesday, July 29 against the same Rays. Formerly SunTrust Park, the Braves had to change the name of their stadium due to SunTrust and BB&T banks merging. The Banks new name is Truist Bank. The eight game home stand will consist of two games versus the Rays, three games against the Mets, and finish the home stand with three games versus the Toronto Blue Jays (AL East).

A lot of the times for the games have not been released, but according to MLB Network most games will be played as usual at night. Remember, MLB teams are playing in their region, so this means that the National League (NL) East will play the teams in the NL East as well as teams in the American League (AL) East. The Braves will play 40 games in the NL East and 20 games in the AL East. This also means that all teams playing in their own regions will be playing in the same time zones. This is a good thing because the body will not have to adjust to another time during this pandemic.

The first 10 games of the season will be a test because the Mets are an improved team as 1B Pete Alonso returns after he bolted 53 home runs during the 2019 campaign. The Rays are also expected to be an improved ball club. The Braves first face off against reigning World Series Champion Washington Nationals (NL East) at home on Monday, August 17 for a three game series. The Nationals are projected to take a step back this year with the loss of Ryan Zimmerman opting out this year and 3B Anthony Rendon jetting to the west coast to play for the Los Angeles Angels (AL West). That projection comes from paper. Let’s see what happens when play is on the field.

Other key matchups that fans would love to see at Truist Park this year but can’t unless watching on TV is a two game series versus the New York Yankees (AL East) beginning Tuesday, August 25 and the Boston Red Sox to close out the season at Truist Park for three games beginning Friday, September 25.

There will be an asterisk beside the team that wins their division and the World Series this year because of the shortened season. The Braves have won the NL East for the past two years, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West) in the 2018 NLDS three games to one game in the best of five, and losing last year’s NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals three games to two games in the best of five. It’s hard for me to make a prediction on this year’s Braves team because it takes at least 50 games to be able to say what type of team you have. This year, the season will almost be a wrap after 50 games. A normal season of 162 games is a marathon, but this year’s 60 game season is going to be a sprint. It’s going to be a fun season because each game is going to count just a little bit more.

Here’s to baseball cranking up at the end of this month. Let the best teams conquer.