Braves Catcher Drake Baldwin Showing Signs of Turning the Corner

The Atlanta Braves' have been back in the win column more lately, and it's lining up with a star bat in the lineup slowly returning to form

Baldwin is starting to shake the rust off | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The last month had been a slog for Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin. He isn't quite at the level he was at during the tear that made him an All-Star. But he's showing promise that he can get back there.

In Thursday's 10-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, he went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a walk. It's his second consecutive game with an RBI.

Overall, he has seven hits in his last 18 at-bats (.388). He has more hits in that time than he had in his previous 63 at-bats. Having three multi-hit performances over his last five games certainly helps too.

He only has one extra-base hit during that span, which is an important note, but the one he has was a grand slam. Eventually, some more extra-base hits should be able to come. Since July 4, he's batted seven balls in play with an exit velocity of 100 mph or faster.

The baseball is starting to find the outfield grass. He's hitting the ball hard. He's going to head is way into the All-Star break in a more fitting fashion.

The injury and the cold spell didn't stop him from being named the National League's starting catcher in the All-Star Game. But it helps show the voters got it right when you go on a run leading up to it.

The type of ballplayer he is is why he's been able to regroup and look like an All-Star again.

"Very well deserved," Matt Olson said of Baldwin's All-Star case. "You know, somebody who's mature beyond his years in this game."

Overall, the Braves have started to look better as Baldwin has. Like him, they aren't on a tear, but it's been better. In July, they're 5-4 throught nine games. If anything, it's an improvement from losting 13 of 17.

As Baldwin starts to look closer to his regular self, perhaps we can expect the Braves to look closer to their selves from earlier in the season too. It's not really that simple, but having a bat perform at his expected level should make and had made a difference.

Add us as a preferred source on Google