I didn’t watch the game last night. In fact, it was the first game all season I didn’t catch even a single pitch of.
But one of the magical aspects of baseball is the box score; something the other sports just don’t have.
The eye test is absolutely essential to evaluation in football, basketball and hockey. But baseball? You can gather a lot from numbers next to names.
To be clear, not everything can be gleaned from a box score. I won’t comment on how Max Fried looked in his return last night; I didn’t watch Max Fried in his return last night. Some things need eyeballs.
But even without seeing the game, there are a few things I can say. It’s time for a (very short) box score based game review.
Positives:
- The Braves put up 14+ runs on the Mets at Citi field again. That’s two consecutive games in New York with at last two touchdowns from the offense. If only the postseason bubble featured New York City.
- Eight different players recorded an RBI, including Ender Inciarte. It has been said over and over, but the depth of this offense is still ridiculous.
- Welcome back to the home run party, Ronald Acuña Jr.! Hopefully the day off Thursday helped him re-group going into this final push.
- Only 80 pitches in five frames for Fried, but there was no reason to push him given the score. A solid first start back, and just one more to go for him before he takes the ball in game one of the best-of-three series.
- Two scoreless innings of low leverage work for Luke Jackson. He should probably stay in those low leverage spots from here on in, but it’s nice to see.
- 30 wins in the bank. The playoff spot hasn’t been clinched, but the playoff spot has been clinched. It’s science.
Negatives:
- Dansby Swanson’s slump continued with an 0-for-6 night at the plate. He has always been a very streaky hitter, so you just have to hope he’s setting himself up for a hot streak as the playoffs approach.
Former Brave Of The Day:
Tommy La Stella picked up two hits and an RBI for Oakland as the Athletics beat the Giants 6–0 to clinch a postseason spot.
Quote Of The Game:
“Some people could do without the games as long as they got the box scores.”
— John M. Culkin
Tomorrow’s Goal:
Let’s get Dansby Swanson back on track with a couple hits.
