1995 Atlanta Braves season

Updated on Nov 17, 2023

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Record 90–54 (.625) Owner(s) Ted Turner Manager(s) Bobby Cox		Divisional place 1st General manager(s) John Schuerholz
Local television WTBS TBS Superstation (Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Joe Simpson) SportSouth (Tim Brando, Ernie Johnson, Ernie Johnson, Jr.)

The 1995 Atlanta Braves season was the 125th season in the history of the franchise and 30th season in the city of Atlanta. The team finished the strike-shortened season with a record of 90–54, the best in the National League, en route to winning the World Series. For the sixth straight season, the team was managed by Bobby Cox.

The Braves started the season in mediocre fashion, posting a 20–17 record up to June 4, putting them in third place behind the Philadelphia Phillies and the Montreal Expos. The team went on to win twenty of the last twenty-five games before the All-Star Break to put themselves in first place by four and a half games. In the second half of the season, the Braves pulled away from the rest of the division by going 11–7 over the rest of July and 19–10 in August. The team went on to win the division by twenty-one games. The Braves' 90–54 record was second only to the American League's Cleveland Indians, who went 100–44 on the season. The National League East title was the first of 11 consecutive NL East titles and the fourth of 14 consecutive division titles for the Braves (The Braves won the NL West from 1991–93).

In the postseason, the Braves beat the Colorado Rockies in the NL Division Series three games to one, then swept the Cincinnati Reds four games to zero to win the NL Championship Series. In the World Series, the Braves beat the Cleveland Indians four games to two, bringing the first (and currently only) World Championship to the city of Atlanta.

Through completion of the 2015 MLB season, the Braves are the only team out of eight MLB franchises to have first swept their opponent in the League Championship Series (LCS), and subsequently go onto win the World Series. This two-decades-long milestone for Atlanta is based upon the (LCS) becoming a best-of-seven (games) format 10 years earlier, 1985.

Opening Day starter Greg Maddux led the National League in wins (19) and earned run average (1.63) to secure his fourth consecutive Cy Young Award. Marquis Grissom won a Gold Glove for center field, and Greg Maddux won his sixth (of thirteen) consecutive Gold Gloves.

Offseason

The Braves 1995 season began without some of the regular contributors of 1994. The team lost Terry Pendleton, Dave Gallagher, and Bill Pecota to free agency. Roberto Kelly and Tony Tarasco were also traded with Esteban Yan to the Montreal Expos for Marquis Grissom. They signed free agents Mike Sharperson, Dwight Smith, and Mike Stanton. The Braves five starting pitchers remained the same from 1994.

The Braves would also be playing in the brand–new National League East in 1995. The division was formed through realignment prior to the 1994 Major League Baseball season, but division championships were not awarded in 1994 due to the 1994 strike. The division includes the Philadelphia Phillies, the Montreal Expos, the Florida Marlins, and the New York Mets.

Opening Day starters

SS Jeff Blauser

CF Marquis Grissom

3B Chipper Jones

RF David Justice

LF Mike Kelly

2B Mark Lemke

C Javy López

P Greg Maddux

1B Fred McGriff

Notable transactions

April 6, 1995: Roberto Kelly was traded by the Atlanta Braves with Tony Tarasco and Esteban Yan to the Montreal Expos for the outfielder Marquis Grissom.

April 12, 1995: Pitcher Mike Stanton signed up as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves.

July 31, 1995: Mike Stanton was traded by the Atlanta Braves along with a player to be named later to the Boston Red Sox for players to be named later. The Atlanta Braves sent Matt Murray (on August 31, 1995) to the Boston Red Sox to complete the trade. The Boston Red Sox sent Mike Jacobs (minors) (on August 31, 1995) and Marc Lewis (minors) (August 31, 1995) to the Atlanta Braves to complete the trade.

August 11, 1995: Luis Polonia was traded by the New York Yankees to the Atlanta Braves for Troy Hughes (minors).

August 25, 1995: Mike Devereaux was traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Atlanta Braves for Andre King (minors).

National League Divisional Playoffs

Atlanta wins series, 3-1

National League Championship Series

Atlanta wins series, 4-0

Game 1

October 21, 1995, at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta

Game 2

October 22, 1995, at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta

Game 3

October 24, 1995, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Game 4

October 25, 1995, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Game 5

October 26, 1995, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

Game 6

October 28, 1995, at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta

Regular starters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; BB = Base on balls; SO = Strikeouts; Avg. = Batting average; OBP = On base percentage; SLG = Slugging percentage

Other batters

Starting pitchers

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; CG = Complete games; SHO = Shutouts; IP = Innings pitched; BB = Base on balls; SO = Strikeouts

Relief Pitchers

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run vverage; G = Games; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; CG = Complete games; SHO = Shutouts; IP = Innings pitched; BB = Base on balls; SO = Strikeouts

Award winners

Mike Devereaux, OF, NLCS Most Valuable Player

Tom Glavine, P, Babe Ruth Award

Tom Glavine, P, Silver Slugger

Tom Glavine, P, World Series Most Valuable Player

Marquis Grissom, OF, Gold Glove

Greg Maddux, P, Gold Glove

Greg Maddux, P, National League Cy Young Award

Greg Maddux, P, Pitcher of the Month, July

Greg Maddux, Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award

1995 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Fred McGriff, 1B, Starter

Greg Maddux, Pitcher, Reserve

References

1995 Atlanta Braves season Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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