The two underrated heroes of the Atlanta Braves’ pitching staff

The Atlanta Braves offense has been the talk of the town for the past month, and unlike last year, it’s for all the wrong reasons.

This trio set multiple records in 2023, but has been one of baseball’s worst lineups since late April. However, the Braves are still nine games above.500, well within striking distance of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, owing to a pitching staff that has performed admirably even without its ace, Spencer Strider, who was lost for the season after only two starts.

Much of the credit goes to the top of the Atlanta Braves rotation. Max Fried, Chris Sale, and Reynaldo López have been three of baseball’s top pitchers so far. Atlanta’s top bullpen performers have also exceeded expectations. However, the Braves’ two finest relievers throughout the first two months may surprise you, even if they shouldn’t.

Dylan Lee and Jesse Chavez are the individuals in question. They aren’t necessarily high-profile players, but they’ve been nearly flawless every time they’ve on the field, regardless of the situation. Lee has recovered admirably from a 2023 season that ended with a shoulder injury. These are often difficult to recover from, but don’t tell him that. Lee had an amazing 1.11 ERA and 370 ERA+ in 24.1 innings (270% higher than the league average).

Jesse Chavez is not far behind, either. The 40-year-old spent Spring Training with the White Sox and was so dismal that the poorest team in MLB released him. Of course, the Braves were right there to pick him back up, as they have so many times before, and Chavez has delivered, with a 1.52 ERA in 23.2 innings.

It doesn’t make sense, but this is how Chavez and Lee have been for a long time with the Braves. Lee had a 2.13 ERA in 50.2 innings in 2022, his last healthy season. And Alex Anthopoulos can’t seem to get rid of Jesse Chavez, despite dealing him and letting him go on multiple occasions. In his last two seasons with the Atlanta Braves, he had a 1.54 ERA in 58.1 innings. These two deserve far more credit for the success of Atlanta’s pitching staff, which has been among the best in the game for the past two months.