So, Alex Anthopoulos spent most of this offseason being lauded for his skill in developing Atlanta’s roster and foresight in locking up key pieces. He’d been anointed a dynasty builder with but one World Series under his belt, and it’d be hard to argue against the notion; the assemblage of young talent, controlled by ownership-friendly long-term deals created a formidable opponent. They’ve disappointed a bit this year, but they’re still a tough team.

That’s the thing with plans. Sometimes, they go poof. The San Francisco Giants made a lot of plans this offseason and then even once the season starter — plans within plans! — and all of them have evaporated before their eyes. There was no plan after Spencer Bivens the other day and he surprised us all with a stunning 5 inning performance against the Dodgers. As spectators and weirdos in the cheap seats/blogs, we’re afforded the luxury of simply wondering, “Now what?” and having no wrong answer because our thoughts on the subject have no bearing on reality — but the team has to answer the question.

Atlanta is not the best team in the NL East and they’ve suffered two crucial injuries — Ronald Acuna Jr. & Spencer Strider — that virtually guarantees they’ll be a Wild Card team this season; but, it’s still baseball, and it’s plausible that anything can happen, particularly where talent is concerned. The Phillies just lost Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, and while they might not be out for an extended period, the lead in the East is 8 games; Atlanta has been white hot at home (26-14 on the season; 8-3 in June) and this series against the Giants kicks off a 6-game homestand where the concluding trio will be against Philadelphia.

Why should this concern the Giants? Well, after ending April 19-9, Atlanta has gone just 27-27, but they’ve mostly had the problem the Giants have had of doing poorly on the road (20-22 on the season; 6-10 in June). The Wild Card is setup so that the hottest teams win it in the final month or so, but what about those teams that have cruised to a Wild Card spot? Could they get hot enough that the power of belief and the collapse of the team ahead of them gives them a division instead? The Giants could be facing a team on the runway about to takeoff.

That it comes after probably the most exciting series of this season (so far) certainly sets up a situation where the Giants don’t carry over any of that amazing moment. They haven’t won a season series against Atlanta since 2016, and they’re 8-12 at Truist Park since it opened in 2017. But, there’s always reason for optimism. The Giants will be throwing their very best starters out there. The bullpen had the benefit of a legitimate off day on Monday, and hitting in Georgia in July is going to help even the Giants’ bats — BUT!

Waaaaaait a second. Atlanta’s team line of .243/.308/.401 registers as a 100 wRC+ — exactly league average. The Giants’ .247/.317/.391 is five percent better than league average (105 wRC+). They’re… a better hitting team? That’s a surprise. Atlanta has a couple of offensive surprises going for them, but the loss of Acuna Jr. has really hurt them this season, along with a couple of cratering performances.

Atlanta wins it all back with their pitching, though. Their team ERA is not only the fourth-best team ERA in MLB (3rd in the NL), it’s literally a full run better than the Giants (4.50). The FIP matchup is half as stark: Atlanta’s team FIP is 3.50 compared to the Giants’ 3.92. Despite pitching in a bandbox, they’ve allowed the second-lowest HR/9 (0.86), behind only the Phillies (0.80). And even without Spencer Strider, their team K/9 of 9.11 is #1 in the NL (#2 in MLB). They’re also pretty good at getting groundballs (45.7% – 3rd in MLB; Giants #1 – 49.4%).

This kicks off a 6-game road trip and a 12-game stretch before the All-Star break where the Giants’ mettle will be tested. This is probably the toughest way to have started such a trip outside of maybe Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium, or Camden Park; but remember, even if the Giants go 0-12, they’ll still be in the Wild Card race.

Series details

Who: San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves
Where: Truist Park, “Atlanta,” Georgia
When: Tuesday (4:20pm PT), Wednesday (4:20pm PT), Thursday (4:20pm PT)
National broadcasts: MLB Network simulcast (Thursday)

Projected starters
Tuesday: Hayden Birdsong vs. Reynaldo Lopez
Wednesday: Jordan Hicks vs. Chris Sale
Thursday: Logan Webb vs. Charlie Morton

Where they stand
Braves, 46-36 (4th in NLC, +3.5 WC), 354 RS / 301 RA | Last 10 games: 5-5
Giants, 41-44 (4th in NLW, -3.0 WC), 380 RS / 409 RA | Last 10 games: 5-5

Braves to watch

Adam Duvall: It looks like the tattered rags of a security blanket this former Giant has provided Atlanta over the years has finally tattered too far. His .161/.244/.291 line is dreadful and in the second half of June (14 games; 50 PA) he was even worse: .146/.180/.167 with 20 strikeouts against just 2 walks. The swing and miss and low walk totals have always been a part of his game, but he had just two extra base hits in ALL of June (a homer and double). He seems more likely to be DFA’d ahead of this series rather than play in it, but if he does, you’d hate to see him finally flash some signs of life against his original team. In 42 career games, he’s hit 11 home runs and has an .837 OPS.

Chris Sale: This was a wild trade made in the offseason that most people quickly came around on because of Atlanta’s largesse. Basically, the team’s finances and talent depth were viewed as being in such good shape that they could afford to absorb the potential downside of adding the ornery Sale to the mix. He’d finally returned to make 20 starts for the Red Sox last season after years of health issues. This season, he’s already 15 starts in and shows a lot of the stuff that made him a perennial Cy Young candidate from 2012-2018. He’s struck out 118 in 93.2 IP (11.3 K/9) and walking fewer (1.6 BB/9) than his career average (2.1). The home runs haven’t been much of an issue either — just 7 allowed this year. The Giants do have the best wRC+ against left-handed pitching (121; 5th in MLB).

Reynaldo Lopez & Marcell Ozuna: I bring these two up not because I want to spotlight a domestic abuser in Ozuna, but because I want to bring up the comparisons to the Giants. Lopez is a closer being converted into a starter a la Jordan Hicks. He’s also basically a 5 inning guy, but overall, having a better season (2.2 fWAR vs. Hicks’ 0.6). Meanwhile, Ozuna as Atlanta’s DH has been one of the best hitters in the sport, and as a contrast to the Giants’ full-time DH and former Brave, Jorge Soler, it will probably not look equal at all and serve to remind that the Giants are doing “the poor man’s” version of what successful teams do.

Giants to watch

Michael Conforto: I like the former Met against the former division rival in a hitter-friendly park. Like Adam Duvall, he’s been largely bad in June, slashing .167/.241/.333 over his most recent 54 PA. But! If you want to really be a homer, and you should, since this is a Giants fan blog: he’s 6-for-his-last-19 with 2 doubles, a triple, and a homer. So… maybe he’s getting hot? That’d be nice.

Giants starting pitchers: It’s not just that the bullpen has been strained, it’s that these are the three best pitchers on staff at the moment. You will forgive Hayden Birdsong if he gets shelled in just his second major league start by a veteran lineup and Hicks may very well be out of gas, but Logan Webb pitching a gem on the road would sure serve as a proof of concept that the Giants are a legitimate, you know, baseball team.

Jorge Soler: His career line in Atlanta’s new home: .294/.413/.532 with 9 home runs in 173 career plate appearances. He had an .845 OPS in 109 June plate appearances so there’s legal grounds for declaring that he’s on a hot streak. Let’s watch and see if that continues.

Prediction time

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons’ defense is surrounded by as many questions as new faces in high places entering this fall.

Atlanta is coming off a substantially improved defensive effort in 2023 during which it finished No. 8 league-wide in passing yards allowed, No. 11 in total yards, No. 18 in scoring and No. 20 in run defense.

But the architecture of that unit – defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen – is gone, accepting the same role with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree, Atlanta’s top two sack collectors from last season, signed elsewhere in free agency. Each position group has a new coach.

With change comes uncertainty – but Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, the unit’s lone Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection last year, isn’t letting the standard slip. Instead, Bates has set the bar even higher.

“Our goal for 2024 as a defense is to be top five in every single category,” Bates said during OTAs. “That’s the goal.”

That mission works hand in hand with another: Winning games. Bates said he felt like last season, the Falcons put together good games but let up at the end.

From Weeks 9-15, the Falcons suffered defeats to the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. Each of the losses occurred after Atlanta’s defense allowed scores inside the final minute.

The Falcons ultimately finished the season 7-10, two games behind the NFC South-winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bates recognizes this, and he feels a sense of urgency to turn the tide in 2024.

“We let offenses score in critical situations, and I think that’s where we have to get better as a defense – being able to close out games,” Bates said.

Atlanta’s defense, led by new coordinator Jimmy Lake, returns several key players from last season, starting in the secondary with Bates and cornerback A.J. Terrell. At linebacker, Kaden Elliss, Nate Landman and Troy Andersen form a trio that first-year head coach Raheem Morris creates an “awesome problem” to figure out who gets snaps.

On the defensive front, the Falcons have a stout interior line, headlined by Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata. During the four-loss stretch of last-minute heartbreaking, Jarrett watched from his couch, unavailable to play due to a season-ending ACL tear suffered in Week 8.

The Falcons are once again facing pass rush questions but are optimistic that outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie, who had six sacks as a second-year pro in 2023, can take a step forward. The same applies for rising second-year defensive end Zach Harrison, who had three sacks and four tackles for loss in his final-three appearances as a rookie.

But while there’s uncertainty rushing the passer and at starting spots next to both Bates and Terrell, there’s little doubt in this: Atlanta expects to be playing from the lead often in 2024.

With an offense spearheaded by new quarterback Kirk Cousins, the Falcons are heavy favorites to win the NFC South. To deliver on the hype, their defense needs to do what it didn’t last season: Finish.

“Having an elite quarterback like Kirk, we’re going to put some points on the board,” Bates said. “So, being able to defend the lead and take over a game as a defense is something we’ll continue to harp on and get better at.”

Atlanta United has treated us to yet another one of those deals that make us stop and think: “How did this happen?” And most surprisingly of all? Atlanta United secured this gem in a free transfer. That’s right, folks, zero cost, zero debts to acquire Pedro Amador. A true find!

Pedro Amador, a 24-year-old youngster, is another gem from Portuguese football. With solid stints at clubs in his homeland, the left-back made 79 appearances for Moreirense. Not everyone reaches such a high number of games in a competitive league like the Portuguese, and that speaks volumes about Pedro’s quality and consistency.

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In a scenario where clubs spend millions on transfers, Atlanta United cleverly managed to secure a good reinforcement without shelling out a fortune.

But what can we expect from Pedro Amador on the field? Looking at his track record, we see a committed, disciplined player with a natural ability to adapt to different styles of play. His performance at Moreirense, where he was a defensive pillar, proves he is more than ready to face the challenges of MLS. Moreover, at just 24 years old, Amador is at the peak of his physical form, ready to run for 90 minutes and then some, if needed.

Amador’s signing by Atlanta United is also a clear message to their rivals: the club is investing and planning for the future. In a championship where every detail can make a difference, having a young yet experienced player is a trump card that few can boast of.

Adapting to a new league, a new country, and a new culture is no easy task, but it is in these moments that we see what a player is truly made of. And from all indications, Pedro Amador has all the ingredients to become a success.