By MIKE ROBERTS
The Atlanta Braves played top-shelf baseball this past week, winning each of their series (both at home) by taking two of three from both the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox. Atlanta remains unbeaten in home series this season and, through games played May 17, owns the best record (32-15) in all of baseball. With Sunday’s 8-1 win over Boston, the Braves are now 7-1 in rubber games this season, including a perfect 5-0 in home.
This year’s Braves squad is stacked full of talent and is a legitimate World Series contender. For this week’s report, we’re handing out awards to the best of the Braves, based on their performances this past week.
Best Starting Pitcher
Chris Sale (6-3, 1.96 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) is the Braves’ best starting pitcher. But when it comes to the team’s best starter of the past week, veteran Grant Holmes (3-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) gets the nod.
Holmes allowed a hit, two runs, and recorded five strikeouts in Tuesday’s 5-2 victory over the Cubs. Then in Sunday’s win against the Red Sox, Holmes put together one of his best performances of the year: no runs and five hits in his six innings of work, which marked his second scoreless outing in nine starts this season. Perhaps Holmes could’ve gone even deeper if it wasn’t for a hail storm that hit Truist Park. It doesn’t matter, though, since the Braves got the win.
Best Clutch Player
Mike Yastrzemski (.232 AVG., .643 OPS, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 1 SB) was instrumental in Friday night’s 3-2 win over the Red Sox, which went to 10 innings. Although Yastrzemski struck out during the seventh inning, pinch-hitting for Jose Azocar (.385 AVG., .967 OPS, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB), he came through in the 10th inning with a double to score the deciding run. That had to have been a great feeling for Yastrzemski, who grew up in the Boston area and is the grandson of Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski.
Yastrzemski had a strong week overall; he swatted a home run in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Cubs – his first dinger as a Brave – and drove in the go-ahead run in Wednesday’s 4-1 victory against Chicago.
He may not have blowaway numbers overall but he’s on a hot streak, hitting .545 with two home runs and six RBIs over his last seven games, and slugging at a huge 1.273 rate.
Best Hitter
One thing’s for sure: Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (.301 AVG., .928 OPS, 13 HR, 38 RBI, 1 SB) can hit. The 2025 National League Rookie of the Year had at least one hit in five of six games this past week. In the only game where he went hitless, Sunday, he lofted a sacrifice fly that scored Jorge Mateo (.310 AVG., .820 OPS, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 SB) and extended Atlanta’s lead to 8-0 in the eighth inning.
Baldwin hit a home run against the Cubs and had two against the Red Sox – one Friday and one Saturday. He’s filled in nicely as the leadoff hitter with Ronald Acuna, Jr., currently sidelined. And he’s the first catcher in modern franchise history to lead off a game with a homer – something he did most recently Saturday against the Sawx.
MVP of the Bullpen
Raisel Iglesias (0.00 ERA, 0.73 WHIP) pitched three times this past week: twice against Chicago and once during the Red Sox series. He’s yet to give up an earned run and recorded back-to-back saves (his seventh and eighth of the season) on Tuesday and Wednesday against the Cubs, who came into the week with the second-best record in the NL.
Looking Ahead
Next up, the Braves return to divisional play. First, they hit the road for a four-game series against the Miami Marlins, starting Monday. Then they’ll return home for a three-game set against the Washington Nationals, starting Friday.
Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule, including TV information and probable pitchers:
Monday, 5/18: 6:40 PM, BravesVision/MLB.TV, JR Ritchie (ATL) (1-0, 3.32 ERA, 1.43 WHIP) vs. Max Meyer (MIA) (3-0, 3.21 ERA, 1.15 WHIP)
Tuesday,5/19: 4:10 PM, BravesVision/MLB.TV, Martin Perez (ATL) (2-2, 2.25 ERA, 0.94 WHIP), vs. Braxton Garrett (MIA) (0-1, 33.75 ERA, 6.75 WHIP)
Wednesday, 5/20: 6:40 PM, BravesVision/MLB.TV, Chris Sale (ATL) (6-3, 1.96 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) vs. Janson Junk (MIA) (2-4, 4.14 ERA, 1.24 WHIP)
Thursday, 5/21: 6:40 PM, MLB.TV, Spencer Strider (ATL) (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) vs. Sandy Alcantara (MIA) (3-2, 3.53 ERA, 1.26 WHIP)
Friday, 5/22: 7:15 PM, MLB.TV, TBD (WAS) vs. TBD (ATL)
Saturday, 5/23: 4:10 PM, MLB.TV, TBD (WAS) vs. TBD (ATL)
Sunday, 5/24: 4:10 PM, MLB.TV, TBD (WAS) vs. TBD (ATL)