The Atlanta Braves‘ sprint to the finish line starts Friday night as they return from the All-Star Break to face the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-game series at Truist Park. The Braves entered the break with a record of 53-42, 11 games above .500, but their first half was inconsistent. They went 19-9 in April but have since played .500 ball, largely due to injuries and underwhelming offensive performance.

After leading the majors in almost all offensive categories in 2023, the Braves have seen a drop in 2024. They are ranked 19th in runs scored and tied for tenth with 109 home runs. However, they lead the majors in average exit velocity (90.3 mph), are tied for first in hard-hit rate (43.0%), and are second in barrel rate. The team hopes their performance will improve in the next two months; otherwise, the remainder of the season could be challenging.

Atlanta may get a boost with the return of Michael Harris II, who is on the Injured List with a hamstring injury. He was making progress before the All-Star Break and might start a rehab assignment soon. The Braves also removed Brian Anderson from the roster during the break and will need to fill that spot before Friday’s game.