The Atlanta Braves finished the season 104-58, good enough for their sixth straight NL East title. It was a historic season all around, with Ronald Acuña Jr. establishing the 40-70 club and Spencer Strider knocking off John Smoltz's franchise strikeout record.
Brian Snitker has been seated front row for a lot of impressive feats this season. Therefore, it's hardly surprising that Marcell Ozuna's two-home run performance in Sunday's season finale — which tied Atlanta with the 2019 Minnesota Twins for the all-time single season home run record — passed with barely an acknowledgement.
"Yeah, I guess," Snitker deadpanned when asked if the Braves' record-tying season was cool.
In addition to tying the home run record, the 2023 Braves also possess the highest slugging percentage in league history (.501), according to MLB.com.
Brian Snitker barely reacts to Atlanta Braves' home run record
The Braves will enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the National League with a first-round bye. Atlanta will await the winner of Miami vs. Philadelphia, giving the NL East several different paths to glory — so long as the division doesn't cannibalize itself. The Braves will be favorites in any series, but it's the MLB postseason. Anything can happen.
Ozuna's towering homer in the ninth inning of Sunday's loss to Washington pushed him over the 40-home run, 100-RBI threshold. He is one of several Braves putting together career-best years at the plate. He started the season in a rut, which only makes his subsequent explosion all the more impressive.
With Acuña first in line for MVP (and his teammate Matt Olson probably third in line), this Braves season will long be remembered in the annals of MLB history. The postseason spares no one, but it's hard to see Atlanta going out without a serious battle. The Braves' offense towers above every other MLB team, and despite myriad injuries, the pitching staff isn't half bad either. It will take a minor miracle to knock Atlanta off its pedestal. Miracles are commonplace in the playoffs, but even so, the Braves are a terrifying matchup for even the best opponents.
Snitker can play coy all he wants, but one has to imagine he's smiling to himself off camera when he reflects on the Braves' season and all this group has accomplished under his guidance. He is quickly rising in the ranks of all-time Atlanta managers and, while he's not the one hitting the home runs, Snitker deserves credit for bringing the most out of his roster.
