Verdict Still Out on Braves Rotation, But Credit Goes Where It's Due

The Atlanta Braves have gotten to see Tyler Mahle in action, and he delivered at Yankee Stadium. In proved to be a losing effort, he delivered six scoreless innings.

Braves starting pitchers are now on a 16 inning scoreless streak, and they've allowed a combined one earned run so far this week. Holmes, Perez and Mahle have combined for 15 scoreless, and Bryce Elder delivered seven innings of one-run ball.

Chris Sale just has to have himeself a day on Saturday, and the full rotation will have a near perfect first go around after the trade deadline. Now, I could have waited until after Sale's outing to have this discussion. However, the questions marks were for those apart from the ace of the staff.

Regardless of how he does, the biggest part of the recent storyline is already complete.

How much they have actually proved isn't actually that much. Each starter has had one outing, and one of them was cut short due to weather. We don't know how the other two to three innings may have gone. That's just a fact.

First impressions are great starting point, as I said earlier this week. Holmes and Elder got their credit, it was worth following up after the new guy made his team debut. Even Perez, as short as his outing on Thursday was, gets props because the dominance of his no-hit bid carried over.

When asked, the starters may not want to say that they're using the noise as fuel. I don't blame them for not wanting it to be fuel either. But it's hard to look at the recent results and say the noise had nothing to do it with it. To their credit, they're fighting to show that this rotation is capable of getting the job done when they're needed most.

Some solid tests are ahead to get a better picture. Over the next six weeks or so, the Braves will face the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Dodgers and Phillies haven't been playing their best recently, but you don't want to be the team that helps them wake back up. The Cubs and Nationals offenses have been clicking. Beating them would make a statement.

As for the Brewers, they're one of the top teams in baseball. The Braves already took two of three at Truist Park. Doing that again in Milwaukee would only build the confidence further.

Reliable starting pitching is where navigating this tough stretch starts. If the Braves get anything close to what they got this week, they'll have a very good chance to come out on top. Should the rotation stuggle, the heat will start to crank up again.

Of course, there is the final test of October, but let's cross that bridge when we get there. Getting that far isn't the concern. There is just plenty of baseball in between to observe.

Of course, they should have some extra help on the way soon. AJ Smith-Shawver likely has one more start with Gwinnett before coming back up to join the big league rotation. His ceiling is being a No. 2 to Chris Sale, but he's pitched four big league innings since May 29, 2025. Verdict is still out on him as much as anybody.

For now, there is a group of five, soon to be six, arms looking to show that they can carry the weight that many hoped to get from an impact starter at the deadline. Each day is a test that builds up the body of work.

Being patient for the body of work to assemble is encouraged. It's ok if the positive feeling is cautious optimism. But for at least this week, the intensity can take a pause. After all, winning cures and success cures all.

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