The Atlanta Braves have already taken care of their biggest piece of business this season, but they still have games left on the schedule.
Atlanta will host the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday at Truist Park for the second game of their series. The Braves enter the matchup following a 4-0 loss to Cincinnati on Tuesday, a result that carries considerably less weight now that Atlanta has secured the National League East title.
The Braves clinched the division for the seventh time in the past nine seasons, adding another NL East crown before turning their attention toward the postseason.
Tyler Mahle Has Delivered Since Joining Braves
One of the pitchers who helped Atlanta finish the regular season in that position is Tyler Mahle.
Mahle has been outstanding since joining the Braves in a trade involving the San Francisco Giants. Through eight starts for Atlanta, the 31-year-old right-hander has posted a 4-1 record with a 1.28 ERA.
Manager Walt Weiss recently discussed Mahle during an interview with 680 The Fan, explaining what attracted the Braves to the veteran pitcher and how important his performance has become for the club.
“And then you talk about Mahle. I think Alex, when he saw him, was intrigued about a guy that could put down innings, because he’s always been a guy that can do that—pitch deeper into games,” Weiss said. “He’s a strike-thrower; I know Alex really likes that. They also saw some things that they felt like he could tweak with his pitch mix.”
Weiss credited Alex Anthopoulos and Atlanta’s front office with identifying pitchers who may have room to improve after joining the organization.
Walt Weiss Praises Braves’ Work With Mahle
“Alex and his team do a great job of that, man,” Weiss continued. “They do a great job of identifying those guys that might be a little under the radar, but they feel like there’s more upside—and that’s exactly what we’ve gotten from Mahle.”
The results are hard to argue with. Mahle’s 1.28 ERA since arriving in Atlanta represents one of the strongest stretches of his career, and Weiss made clear that he considers the right-hander a significant part of the Braves’ late-season success.
“I mean, he’s been unbelievable,” Weiss said. “I think a 1.20-something ERA since we got him. Just phenomenal. He’s another one—we’re not where we are without obviously those two guys you mentioned and a handful of others, but without Tyler Mahle, I don’t think we’re sitting here right now where we are.”
Mahle also brings considerable major-league experience to Atlanta. Over 10 seasons, he has appeared in 168 games, including 167 starts, while pitching for the Reds, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Giants and Braves.
Mahle Gives Atlanta Another Option for October
His time with Cincinnati makes Atlanta’s current series particularly familiar territory. But the more important development for the Braves is what Mahle has done since changing uniforms.
Atlanta acquired a veteran starter who can provide innings and throw strikes. Over his first eight starts with the club, Mahle has delivered considerably more than simply rotation stability.
With the division already secured, the Braves can begin looking toward the postseason. Mahle’s recent form gives Atlanta another experienced starter pitching at his best at precisely the point in the calendar when the Braves will need their rotation most.
