2018 Atlanta Braves season

The 2018 Atlanta Braves season was the Braves' 53rd season in Atlanta, 148th overall, and second season at SunTrust Park. They completely reversed their 72-90 season in 2017, and made the postseason and won a division title for the first time since 2013. They lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games in the NLDS.

Offseason

October

On October 2, 2017, John Coppolella resigned as general manager of the Braves amid a Major League Baseball investigation into Atlanta's international signings, having committed what the Braves termed "a breach of MLB rules regarding the international player market".

November On November 13, 2017, the Braves announced Alex Anthopoulos as the new general manager and executive vice president. John Hart was removed as team president and assumed a senior adviser role with the organization. Braves chairman Terry McGuirk apologized to fans "on behalf of the entire Braves family" for the scandal. McGuirk described Anthopoulos as "a man of integrity" and that "he will operate in a way that will make all of our Braves fans proud." On November 17, 2017, the Braves announced that John Hart had stepped down as senior advisor for the organization. Hart said in a statement that "with the hiring of Alex Anthopoulos as general manager, this organization is in great hands."

On November 21, 2017, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the findings of the MLB investigation into Atlanta's international signings. Manfred ruled that the Braves must forfeit 13 international prospects, including highly touted Kevin Maitan, an infielder from Venezuela who signed for $4.25 million in 2016. The team also forfeited a third-round draft pick in the 2018 draft. Former Braves general manager John Coppolella was placed on baseball's permanently ineligible list.

Additionally, the Braves shall be prohibited from signing any international player for more than $10,000 during the 2019–20 signing period and their international signing bonus pool for the 2020–21 signing period will be reduced by 50 percent.

December

The Braves traded outfielder Matt Kemp to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Charlie Culberson, first baseman Adrián González and pitchers Scott Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy on December 16, 2017. The Braves released Adrián González a few days later.

Regular season

Game log

|-style="background:#bfb;" | 1 || March 29 || Phillies || 8–5 || Vizcaíno (1–0) || Neris (0–1) || — || 40,208 || 1–0 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 2 || March 30 || Phillies || 4–5 (11) || Hutchison (1–0) || Carle (0–1) || — || 35,123 || 1–1 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 3 || March 31 || Phillies || 15–2 || McCarthy (1–0) || Velasquez (0–1) || — || 37,777 || 2–1 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 4 || April 2 || Nationals|| 1–8 || Roark (1–0) || Newcomb (0–1) || — || 25,054 || 2–2 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 5 || April 3 || Nationals || 13–6 || Carle (1–1) || Cole (0–1) || — || 26,782 || 3–2 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 6 || April 4 || Nationals || 7–1 || Foltynewicz (1–0) || Scherzer (1–1) || — || 29,834 || 4–2 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 7 || April 6 || @ Rockies || 8–3 || McCarthy (2–0) || Márquez (0–1) || — || 48,216 || 5–2 || W3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 8 || April 7 || @ Rockies || 2–3 (10) || Ottavino (2–0) || Vizcaíno (1–1) || — || 40,120 || 5–3 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 9 || April 8 || @ Rockies || 4–0 || Newcomb (1–1) || Freeland (0–2) || — || 42,031 || 6–3 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 10 || April 9 || @ Nationals || 0–2 || Scherzer (2–1) || Teherán (0–1) || — || 19,528 || 6–4 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 11 || April 10 || @ Nationals || 1–4 || Strasburg (2–1) || Foltynewicz (1–1) || Madson (1) || 19,357 || 6–5 || L2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 12 || April 11 || @ Nationals || 5–3 (12) || Carle (2–1) || Madson (0–1) || — || 21,109 || 7–5 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 13 || April 13 || @ Cubs || 4–0 || Sánchez (1–0) || Darvish (0–1) || — || 29,775 || 8–5 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb | 14 || April 14 || @ Cubs || 10–14 || Wilson (1–0) || Ramirez (0–1) || — || 36,788 || 8–6 || L1 |-style=background:#bbb | — ||April 15 || @ Cubs ||colspan=7|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for May 14 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 15 || April 16 || Phillies || 2–1 || Teherán (1–1) || Nola (1–1) || Vizcaíno (1) || 17,812 || 9–6 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 16 || April 17 || Phillies || 1–5 || Neris (1–1) || Ramirez (0–2) || — || 17,913 || 9–7 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb;" | 17 || April 18 || Phillies || 7–3 || McCarthy (3–0) || Velasquez (1–2) || — || 22,135 || 10–7 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb;" | 18 || April 19 || Mets || 12–4 || Wisler (1–0) || Harvey (0–2) || — || 23,610 ||11–7 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb;" | 19 || April 20 || Mets || 3–5 (12) || Gsellman (2–0) || Ravin (0–1) || Familia (8) || 39,016 || 11–8 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb;" | 20 || April 21 || Mets || 4–3 || Biddle (1–0) || Familia (1–1) || — || 41,396 || 12–8 || W1 |-style=background:#bbb;" | — || April 22 || Mets ||colspan=7|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for May 28 |-style=background:#fbb | 21 || April 23 || @ Reds || 4–10 || Romano (1–2) || Freeman (0–1) || Iglesias (3) || 9,463 || 12–9 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 22 || April 24 || @ Reds || 7–9 (12) || Hughes (1–2) || Fried (0–1) || — || 14,139 || 12–10 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb | 23 || April 25 || @ Reds || 4–3 || Winkler (1–0) || Shackelford (0–1) || Minter (1) || 13,113 || 13–10 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 24 || April 26 || @ Reds || 7–4 || Freeman (1–1) || Peralta (1–1) || Vizcaíno (2) || 11,919 || 14–10 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb | 25 || April 27 || @ Phillies || 3–7 || Nola (3–1) || Fried (0–2) || — || 27,076 || 14–11 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 26 || April 28 || @ Phillies || 4–1 || Foltynewicz (2–1) || Pivetta (1–1) || Vizcaíno (3) || 27,794 || 15–11 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 27 || April 29 || @ Phillies || 10–1 || McCarthy (4–0) || Velasquez (1–4) || — || 31,010 || 16–11 || W2

|- style=background:#fbb; |-style=background:#bfb | 28 || May 1 || @ Mets || 3–2 || Soroka (1–0) || Syndergaard (2–1) || Vizcaíno (4) || 22,527 || 17–11 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb | 29 || May 2 || @ Mets || 7–0 || Newcomb (2–1) || Sewald (0–2) || — || 23,528 || 18–11 || W4 |-style=background:#bfb | 30 || May 3|| @ Mets || 11–0 || Teherán (2–1) ||Vargas (0–2) || — || 26,882 || 19–11 ||W5 |-style=background:#fbb | 31 || May 4|| Giants || 4–9 || Stratton (3–2) || Foltynewicz (2–2) || — || 41,807 || 19–12 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 32 || May 5|| Giants || 2–11 || Blach (3–3) || McCarthy (4–1) || — || 38,264 || 19–13 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 33 || May 6|| Giants || 3–4 || Suárez (1–1) || Soroka (1–1) || Strickland (8) || 37,896 || 19–14 || L3 |-style=background:#bfb | 34 || May 8|| @ Rays || 1–0 || Newcomb (3–1) || Snell (4–2) || Vizcaíno (5) || 15,382 || 20–14 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 35 || May 9|| @ Rays || 5–2 || Teherán (3–1) || Yarbrough (2–2) || Vizcaíno (6) || 12,082 || 21–14 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb | 36 || May 10|| @ Marlins ||9–2||Foltynewicz (3–2)||Smith (2–4)||Gohara (1)||8,277||22–14||W3 |-style=background:#fbb | 37 || May 11|| @ Marlins ||3–6||Straily (1–0)||McCarthy (4–2)||Ziegler (5)||9,149||22–15||L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 38 || May 12|| @ Marlins || 10–5 || Minter (1–0) || Steckenrider (1–1) || — || 12,383 || 23–15 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 39 || May 13|| @ Marlins || 4–3 || Newcomb (4–1) ||Ureña (0–6) || Vizcaíno (7)||7,435 || 24–15 ||W2 |-style="background:#bfb | 40 || May 14 || @ Cubs || 6–5 || Teherán (4–1) || Quintana (4–3) || Minter (2) || 35,946 || 25–15 || W3 |-style=background:#fbb | 41 || May 15|| Cubs || 2–3 || Edwards Jr. (2–0) || Vizcaíno (1–2) || Morrow (10) || 34,452 || 25–16 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 42 || May 16|| Cubs || 4–1 || Minter (2–0) || Edwards Jr. (2–1) || Vizcaíno (8) || 28,264 || 26–16 || W1 |-style=background:#bbb | — || May 17|| Cubs || colspan=7|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for August 30 |-style=background:#fbb | 43 || May 18|| Marlins || 0–2 || Straily (2–0) || Wisler (1–1) || Ziegler (8) || 27,705 || 26–17 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 44 || May 19|| Marlins || 8–1 || Newcomb (5–1) || Ureña (0–7) || — || 37,715 || 27–17 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 45 || May 20|| Marlins || 10–9 || Minter (3–0) || Guerrero (0–2) || — || 28,352 || 28–17 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb | 46 || May 21|| @ Phillies || 0–3 || Pivetta (4–2) || Foltynewicz (3–3) || Neris (9) || 21,284 || 28–18 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 47 || May 22|| @ Phillies || 3–1 || McCarthy (5–2) || Velasquez (4–5) || Vizcaíno (9) || 18,545 || 29–18 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 48 || May 23|| @ Phillies || 0–4 || Arrieta (4–2) || Gohara (0–1) || — || 27,647 || 29–19 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 49 || May 25 || @ Red Sox || 2–6 || Rodríguez (5–1) || Teherán (4–2) || — || 37,008 || 29–20 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 50 || May 26 || @ Red Sox || 6–8 || Wright (1–0) || Freeman (1–2) || Kimbrel (16) || 36,510 || 29–21 || L3 |-style=background:#bfb | 51 || May 27 || @ Red Sox || 7–1 || Foltynewicz (4–3) || Sale (5–2) || — || 36,543 || 30–21 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 52 || May 28 (1) || Mets || 4–3 || Carle (3–1) || Lugo (1–1) || — || 32,377 || 31–21 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb | 53 || May 28 (2) || Mets || 5–8 || Gsellman (5-1) || Minter (3-1) || Familia (14) || 31,779 || 31–22 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 54 || May 29 || Mets || 7–6 || Winkler (2–0) || Bautista (0–1) || — || 19,443 || 32–22 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 55 || May 30 || Mets || 1–4 || Vargas (2–3) || Teherán (4–3) || Gsellman (2) || 21,449 || 32–23 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 56 || May 31 || Nationals || 4–2 || Newcomb (6–1) || Roark (2–5) || Vizcaíno (10)|| 22,380 || 33–23 || W1

|- style=background:#fbb; |- style=background:#bfb | 57 || June 1 || Nationals || 4–0 || Foltynewicz (5–3) || Strasburg (6–5) || — || 33,845 || 34–23 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb | 58 || June 2 || Nationals || 3–5 (14) || Miller (2–0) || Socolovich (0–1) || Doolittle (14) || 39,578 || 34–24 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 59 || June 3 || Nationals || 4–2 || Vizcaíno (2–2) || Roark (2–6) || – || 33,132 || 35–24 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 60 || June 4 || @ Padres || 4–11 || Richard (4–6) || Teherán (4–4) || — || 19,419 || 35–25 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 61 || June 5 || @ Padres || 14–1 || Newcomb (7–1) || Lyles (2–2) || Jackson (1) || 21,049 || 36–25 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 62 || June 6 || @ Padres || 1–3 || Castillo (1–0) || Foltynewicz (5–4) || Hand (18) || 20,898 || 36–26 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 63 || June 8 || @ Dodgers || 3–7 || Buehler (4–1) || McCarthy (5–3) || — || 47,262 || 36–27 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb | 64 || June 9 || @ Dodgers || 5–3 || Sánchez (2–0) || Wood (1–5) || Vizcaíno (11) || 52,718 || 37–27 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 65 || June 10 || @ Dodgers || 2–7 || Stripling (5–1) || Newcomb (7–2) || — || 47,711 || 37–28 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 66 || June 12 || Mets || 8–2 || Carle (4–1) || Wheeler (2–5) || — || 29,892 || 38–28 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 67 || June 13 || Mets || 2–0 || Soroka (2–1) || deGrom (4–2) || Vizcaíno (12) || 32,015 || 39–28 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb | 68 || June 14 || Padres || 4–2 || Sánchez (3–0) || Ross (5–4) || Vizcaíno (13) || 25,250 || 40–28 || W3 |-style=background:#fbb | 69 || June 15 || Padres || 3–9 || Richard (6–6)|| Freeman (1–3) || — || 41,497|| 40–29 ||L1 |-style=background:#bfb | 70 || June 16 || Padres || 1–0 || Newcomb (8–2)||Lyles (2–4) || Vizcaíno (14)|| 41,916 || 41–29 ||W1 |-style=background:#bfb | 71 || June 17 || Padres || 4–1 ||Teherán (5–4) || Castillo (1–1) || Vizcaíno (15)|| 40,251|| 42–29 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb | 72 || June 19 || @ Blue Jays || 11–4 || Freeman (2–3) || García (2–6) || — || 32,466 || 43–29 || W3 |-style=background:#fbb | 73 || June 20 || @ Blue Jays || 4–5 || Happ (9–3) || Sánchez (3–1) || Tepera (5) || 45,563 || 43–30 || L1