Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop, Box Score, Mallex Smith Returns

Baseball Reference

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: The Atlanta Braves have now won four games in a row after beating the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.  Braves starter, Joel De La Cruz pitched well enough to pick up a win, but the 27-year-old is still winless in 2016.  He pitched five innings, gave up six hits, four runs, two walks and had five strikeouts.  It was a rough first inning as he gave up a leadoff walk and a double to Ryan Howard as well as an even rougher second inning.  De La Cruz started the second inning giving up a single, double and then a homer to A.J. Ellis.  Braves were down 4-1, but came back in the fifth inning.  Matt Kemp hit a bomb to center field that scored Adonis Garcia and Freddie Freeman.  In the top of the ninth inning, the Braves scored four more runs to take the victory.  For a full recap, check ours out here.

Braves WIN 8-4

Gwinnett Daily Post

Kemp leads red-hot Atlanta Braves to fifth straight win

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Red-Hot and Atlanta Braves in the same headline?!?  Yes, please.  Didn’t think that would happen this season.  The Braves have now won seven or their last 10 games and are the hottest team in the NL East…also best 10 game record only behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL.  The Braves seem like a different team ever since they traded for Matt Kemp, though he hasn’t always got the big hits, he seems to have changed something about this team.  The huge cloud in the room will be what do the Braves do heading into 2017 with their outfield.

"The Atlanta Braves might have the worst record in the National League, but thanks to some clutch hitting in the middle of their lineup, they’re now one of baseball’s hottest teams.“We know we have a pretty bad record,” Braves left fielder Matt Kemp said after hitting a three-run homer and finishing with four RBIs in Friday night’s come-from-behind 8-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.“But we want to feed off these last two months, especially September, and try to carry that over into next year.”The Braves (52-83) have won five straight games and Kemp, who bats cleanup, and first baseman Freddie Freeman, who bats third, are two big reasons. Freeman, who delivered the winning single in a four-run ninth inning, leads the Braves with 28 home runs. Kemp is right behind him with 27."

Baseball Essential

Mallex Smith to Begin Rehab Assignment with Mississippi Braves

Tomahawk Take Editor’s Note: Speaking of the cloud in the room, Mallex Smith is returning to the field after being out since mid-June.  What will the Braves do going into 2017 in the outfield?  I’m thinking they try to find a suitor for Nick Markakis, and then move Ender Inciarte to right field and Smith back to center.  The 32-year-old has had a pretty good year for the Braves.  He’s hit at least .280 in early month except for May.  Obviously the home run total isn’t there — he did only hit three last year — but he has hit nine this season.  He’s never been a home run hitter, most was in 2007 when he had 23 homers, so teams should see him as a consistent hitter that will help a loaded team.  AKA, how about the Baltimore Orioles?

"The Atlanta Braves announced on Thursday that outfielder Mallex Smith, who has been sidelined with a fractured left thumb since June 19, will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Mississippi beginning on Thursday night. The club has yet to announce a target date for Smith’s return to Atlanta, but MLB.com beat writer Mark Bowman speculates that Smith could get the call sometime next week. Upon his return, Smith will join an already crowded Atlanta outfield that features Matt Kemp, Ender Inciarte, and Nick Markakis, all of whom have played well of late. It could be a challenge to find regular at-bats for Smith over the season’s final weeks, but manager Brian Snitker does have the luxury of using Smith in other roles such as a defensive replacement or pinch-runner.After entering the 2016 season as the Braves highest-ranked outfield prospect, Smith quickly earned an opportunity with the big club when newly acquired center fielder Inciarte was placed on the disabled list after just three games. Smith played in 58 games with Atlanta, posting a batting line of .237/.312/.379 with 14 stolen bases in 21 attempts. The key to Smith’s development as he becomes a more integral part of the lineup will be an improvement versus left-handed pitchers, against whom he batted just .067/.167/.111. The Braves batted Smith leadoff for much of this season prior to his injury, and he figures to get a long look next season as the organization begins to make a push back toward contention. For Smith to return a month earlier than expected from an injury that could have greatly affected his swing has to be encouraging for Atlanta."