It was a missed opportunity Sunday afternoon in Washington D.C. to get a four-game sweep of the Nationals. Instead, the Braves took a 7-3 loss. But by any measure, Atlanta’s last month-and-a-half of action in this 2022 season has been a resounding success as the team goes into baseball’s All-Star break.

The Braves are 56-38, two-and-a-half games back of the NL-East leading Mets. Those 56 wins before the break? The most for the franchise since the 2003 Braves edition won 61. Since the start of June, Atlanta is 33-11.

Offensively, it’s a franchise record for home runs before the All-Star break. The pitching by-and-large…has been solid.

The Braves send six players to Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles - Ronald Acuña, Dansby Swanson, Austin Riley, Travis d’Arnaud, William Contreras and Max Fried. Everyone is a first-time All-Star except for Acuña (who also will participate in Monday’s Home Run Derby). Fried will not participate in the ASG after throwing seven innings with 90-plus pitches in a Saturday night win at Washington.

The second half of the season will be a battle against New York for the division crown. The Braves’ next game is Friday night at home in Truist Park against the Los Angeles Angels.

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