Are there any holes in the Atlanta Braves current lineup?

Braves crush Nats and it was amazing!

This Atlanta Braves lineup is really surprising me…and I think they’re surprising many others as well.  Including the Washington Nationals.  Friday afternoon’s game had me thinking, does this lineup have any holes?

Okay, before you think I’m crazy and you click away, let me explain.  And this isn’t just insane talk coming off a 13 run, 15 hit game.

The Braves are turning the corner and it’s clear to see.  We currently sit at 42-44, 8.5 games back for the NL East lead and 7.5 games back from a Wild Card spot.  It would be great to take another one from the Nats on Sunday.

The lineup the Braves have put together is stout and it’s just going to get better.  With Freddie Freeman returning to an already pretty hot lineup, it’s just adding fuel to the fire.

Many can argue they’d like to see prospects or someone else in the Braves lineup, but we should be happy with what we’ve got right now.  I feel like the mix of veterans and youngsters is the right amount.

Atlanta’s lineup is deep and right now, there are no gaps.  One through eight is hitting the ball and hitting it well.  Yeah, you can debate all day Matt Kemp may battling an injury and seems to be hitting the ball into the ground way too much, but this team is dangerous.

Get this…all hitters in the Braves lineup today are hitting above the .280 mark (excluding Kurt Suzuki, but it feels like he should be with thea number of hits he’s been getting).  Throw in Tyler Flowers and boy, this lineup, eh?

Yes, that would be eliminating Dansby Swanson from the lineup, but the Braves need to keep Johan Camargo in this lineup right now.

For Sunday’s game, the Braves could sit Brandon Phillips and move Camargo to second base.  Though it’s the final game before the All-Star break so it’s very possible they don’t sit Phillips.

The Braves got on the board early and often on Saturday.  Two runs in the 2nd inning and four more in the 3rd inning.  In both innings, Julio Teheran helped himself out by hitting two RBI singles.

Timely hits were key for the Braves and against Stephen Strasburg.  What was even more key for the Braves was to come out strong after the game on Friday that they let slip through their hands. To perform like they did after that heartbreaking lose, really shows there is something special about this team.

Atlanta scored 13 runs on Saturday and only four runs came off homers.  Nick Markakis hit his fourth home run of the season in the 7th inning, but it was only a solo.  Matt Adams hit his 14th homer in the 9th inning and it was a three-run shot…when the game was already over.

Singles were key in the afternoon beat down!

Speaking of Julio…he went seven strong innings, giving up four hits, no runs, two walks and had five strikeouts.  He picked up his seventh win of the 2017 season.

That raises the next question that’s up for debate…is that performance help Teheran’s trade value or does that help the Braves and Teheran get back on track for the rest of the season.

In the final two innings, the Braves bullpen proved that their better than the Nats in another category…the bullpen.

Rex Brothers and Akeel Morris finished off the game on Saturday.  Yeah, the game was out of hand for the Nats and they had a few bench players playing, but still.

Next: Midseason BA 100 List Includes 9 Atlanta Braves

The Braves and Nationals play at 1:35pm ET on Sunday to complete this four-game series.  Sean Newcomb will pitch for the Braves and Joe Ross will take the mound for the Nats.  Let’s take three of four from Washington!