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The Atlanta Braves made some adjustments to their roster after falling further behind the New York Mets in the National League East race. Coming into the five-game series, Braves fans hoped they could close the gap or potentially even steal the lead away. This did not happen, so changes had to be made.
The Braves announced the roster moves to Twitter, and many fans considered some of the changes long overdue.
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The biggest move here is the demotion of pitcher Ian Anderson to Triple-A. He was expected to be a key part of the Braves' rotation but has struggled in recent months. With Anderson's 5.11 ERA and a National League-leading 53 walks, a change was needed. Some fans feel the entire pitching staff, that was expected to be one of the best in the MLB, has been underperforming.
If these changes had been made sooner, the pivotal series against the New York Mets could have gone very differently. While the Atlanta Braves' playoff hopes are still intact, winning the division is highly unlikely. However, if these changes lead to a hot streak for the Braves, they could close the gap.
Many fans see this as a clear message from the Atlanta Braves manager that this level of play will not be tolerated.
Given that the team has World Series aspirations, they need the best from every player on the roster.
There is some hope that this time in the minor leagues can help Ian Anderson get back to his 2021 form. If he is able to do so and return for the postseason, he will be quite a boost to the starting pitcher rotation.
The Atlanta Braves fan base is largely thrilled with the roster changes. At this point, they are willing to try anything to surpass the New York Mets.
Atlanta Braves will need to be nearly flawless to win the National League East
The Braves are currently 5.5 games back of the New York Mets. This means that every game over the remaining two months will be vitally important. If the Mets slow down or give the Braves any opening to pass them in the standings, the Braves have to be ready to take it.
The Braves are the defending World Series champions. If these roster changes can't help them beat the Mets, maybe nothing will.
