ATLANTA -- The Braves have become World Series favorites with the help of underdogs like Mauricio Dubón and Martín Pérez.
Manager Walt Weiss once again pushed all of the right buttons as the Braves became MLB’s first team to reach 30 wins with a 4-1 victory over the Cubs on Wednesday night at Truist Park.
“It comes from [Weiss] with the culture he's put in this clubhouse, the way he gives his support and everything,” Dubón said. “I think that's why everybody's trying to go out there and grind.”
Weiss’ aggressive approach was witnessed again on Wednesday with the way he managed his bullpen after his starting pitcher lasted less than five innings for a second straight night. His ability to get to his three highest-leverage relievers created the opportunity for Mike Yastrzemski to deliver a go-ahead two-out double in the eighth and then jog home when Dubón followed with a two-run homer off Phil Maton.
“I think in years past [with the Astros], I would have gotten pinch-hit for right there,” Dubón said. “I ended up hitting a two-run homer. I think that’s the confidence [Weiss] gives you.”
The Astros were going to non-tender Dubón before they traded him to the Braves for Nick Allen in November. This deal further fueled the two-time Gold Glove utility player, who has been trying to silence his doubters for more than a decade.
“I was a 26th-round Draft pick [in 2013],” Dubón said. “I was the 773rd pick. I still have that chip on my shoulder.”
Matt Olson is an early-season NL MVP favorite and both Chris Sale and Bryce Elder would receive Cy Young Award votes if the season ended today. Weiss’ club has plenty of star power, despite the fact that Ronald Acuña Jr. has produced a .740 OPS in just 34 games.
But it’s impossible to ignore the contributions of players like Pérez, who has thrived despite not knowing whether he’s going to be used as a starter, long reliever or his latest role as a middle reliever, from a week-to-week or day-to-day basis.
“I told him, ‘Hey Martín, this isn't ideal, man, what we're doing to you,’” Weiss said. “But he's been unbelievable.”
Making just his fourth career start on Wednesday, Braves rookie JR Ritchie allowed just one run, but needed 87 pitches to complete 4 1/3 innings. He was replaced by Tyler Kinley, who surrendered Nico Hoerner’s game-tying single and then recorded the inning’s final two outs.
It looked like Pérez might work the next two or three innings. But because Didier Fuentes worked three scoreless innings after Grant Holmes lasted just four innings on Tuesday, Weiss knew he could use his high-leverage relievers on Wednesday and still have at least one available for Thursday’s series finale.
So, Pérez, who has a 2.31 ERA over 35 innings, exited after his 12-pitch scoreless sixth and prepared to possibly make a start during this weekend’s series against the Red Sox. His latest contribution allowed Weiss to use Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez and closer Raisel Iglesias over the final three innings. The trio has combined to allow just three earned runs over 51 1/3 innings (0.53 ERA) this year.
“I was trying to win that game tonight, and then we’ll deal with tomorrow,” Weiss said. “We’ve got Chris Sale on the mound tomorrow.”
Despite the Braves’ starters lasting less than five innings the past two nights, Sale will still have capable bullpen arms ready to support him. Reynaldo López, Aaron Bummer, Kinley and Suarez should all be available.
With Kinley and Suarez being the only members of this group who would qualify as legit high-leverage options, getting six or more innings from Sale would be optimal.
But while guiding the Braves to this great start, Weiss has remained focused on winning the game at hand and dealing with the consequences later. His bullpen decisions on Wednesday night led him to him pulling Yastrzemski off the bench to pinch-hit with two outs in the eighth.
Yastrzemski entered this series with a .516 OPS through 125 plate appearances. He tallied two hits, including a go-ahead homer, in Tuesday night’s game and then delivered a second straight game-winner with his two-out double off Maton on Wednesday.
Safe to say, Yastrzemski is among the many Braves feeling good about the confidence Weiss has continued to show in them.
“I think the players in this locker room are giving Walt a really good opportunity to hit the right button,” Yastrzemski said. “It’s not to say that every move is going to be right. But, in terms of confidence in these guys, I don't think there's a wrong button that he can hit.”