The 2002 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 37th season in Atlanta and 132nd overall. The Braves won their eighth consecutive division title, finishing 19 games ahead of the second-place Montreal Expos. The Braves lost the 2002 Divisional Series to the eventual NL Champion San Francisco Giants, 3–2. This would be the first of four consecutive NLDS losses in as many years, and the first of three consecutive years to do so by losing the deciding Game 5 at Turner Field.
2002 marked the final year that pitchers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz played on the same team ending the reign of what has been considered by many the greatest pitching trio of all-time. All three would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame a decade later. Smoltz set the Braves' single season record for saves (55). Chipper Jones moved to the outfield in left field to allow for Vinny Castilla to be signed and added to the lineup at third base. Julio Franco became a regular player in the second stint of his Major League career and Gary Sheffield was acquired to the Braves in 2002, playing at right field.
Offseason October 26, 2001: Aaron Small was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. December 4, 2001: John Smoltz was re-signed from free agency back to the Atlanta Braves. December 11, 2001: Vinny Castilla signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. December 17, 2001: Julio Franco was re-signed from free agency back to the Atlanta Braves.Julio Franco Statistics Baseball-Reference.com January 15, 2002: Gary Sheffield was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Atlanta Braves for Andrew Brown, Brian Jordan and Odalis Pérez. January 16, 2002: Doug Linton was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. March 20, 2002: Henry Blanco was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers to the Atlanta Braves for Paul Bako and Jose Cabrera.
Regular season
Opening Day starters Vinny Castilla Rafael Furcal Marcus Giles Tom Glavine Andruw Jones Chipper Jones Javy López Gary Sheffield B. J. Surhoff
Season standings
National League East
Record vs. opponents
Transactions June 4, 2002: Jeff Francoeur was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1st round (23rd pick) of the 2002 amateur draft. Player signed July 8, 2002.Jeff Francoeur Statistics Baseball-Reference.com September 30, 2002: Aaron Small was released by the Atlanta Braves.
Roster 2002 Atlanta Braves Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches
Game log
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 || April 1 || Phillies || 7–2 || Glavine (1–0) || Person (0–1) || — || 51,638 || 1–0 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 || April 3 || Phillies || 1–3 || Padilla (1–0) || Millwood (0–1) || Mesa (1) || 23,865 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 || April 4 || Phillies || 11–2 || Marquis (1–0) || Adams (0–1) || — || 24,640 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 || April 5 || Mets || 3–9 || Astacio (1–0) || Lopez (0–1) || — || 35,347 || 2–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 || April 6 || Mets || 2–11 || Weathers (1–0) || Smoltz (0–1) || — || 41,124 || 2–3 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 || April 7 || Mets || 5–2 || Lopez (1–1) || Komiyama (0–1) || — || 34,210 || 3–3 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 || April 8 || @ Phillies || 2–1 || Millwood (1–1) || Padilla (1–1) || Smoltz (1) || 14,502 || 4–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 || April 9 || @ Phillies || 4–7 || Santiago (1–1) || Marquis (1–1) || Mesa (3) || 13,020 || 4–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 || April 10 || @ Phillies || 5–7 || Politte (2–0) || Ligtenberg (0–1) || — || 14,542 || 4–5 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 || April 11 || @ Phillies || 6–2 || Glavine (2–0) || Coggin (0–1) || Holmes (1) || 14,111 || 5–5 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 || April 12 || @ Marlins || 2–0 || Maddux (1–0) || Beckett (0–1) || Smoltz (2) || 12,066 || 6–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 || April 13 || @ Marlins || 4–5 || Knotts (1–0) || Gryboski (0–1) || — || 18,784 || 6–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 || April 14 || @ Marlins || 0–7 || Burnett (2–1) || Marquis (1–2) || — || 11,506 || 6–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 || April 15 || @ Mets || 6–7 || Strickland (1–1) || Hammond (0–1) || — || 28,843 || 6–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 || April 16 || @ Mets || 1–3 || Astacio (3–0) || Glavine (2–1) || — || 31,472 || 6–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 || April 17 || @ Mets || 2–1 || Millwood (2–1) || D'Amico (1–1) || Smoltz (3) || 30,702 || 7–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 || April 19 || Marlins || 3–2 || Holmes (1–0) || Dempster (0–1) || Smoltz (4) || 27,256 || 8–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 || April 20 || Marlins || 3–1 || Maddux (2–0) || Burnett (2–2) || Smoltz (5) || 33,649 || 9–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 || April 21 || Marlins || 4–2 || Glavine (3–1) || Olsen (0–1) || Smoltz (6) || 27,425 || 10–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 || April 22 || Marlins || 3–8 || Penny (2–1) || Millwood (2–2) || — || 21,461 || 10–10 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 || April 23 || Diamondbacks || 2–5 || Schilling (4–1) || Bong (0–1) || Kim (3) || 30,674 || 10–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 || April 24 || Diamondbacks || 4–3 || Foster (1–0) || Prinz (0–1) || Smoltz (7) || 21,122 || 11–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 || April 25 || Diamondbacks || 5–11 || Helling (3–2) || Maddux (2–1) || — || 27,632 || 11–12 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 || April 26 || Astros || 9–0 || Glavine (4–1) || Redding (0–2) || — || 25,249 || 12–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 || April 27 || Astros || 3–6 || Mlicki (3–2) || Millwood (2–3) || Wagner (3) || 33,006 || 12–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 || April 28 || Astros || 1–7 || Hernandez (2–0) || Lopez (1–2) || — || 31,018 || 12–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 || April 30 || @ Brewers || 3–4 || Figueroa (1–1) || Maddux (2–2) || DeJean (5) || 16,067 || 12–15
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 || May 1 || @ Brewers || 3–1 || Glavine (5–1) || Quevedo (1–3) || Smoltz (8) || 17,084 || 13–15 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 || May 2 || @ Brewers || 3–2 || Holmes (2–0) || DeJean (0–1) || Smoltz (9) || 18,113 || 14–15 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 || May 3 || @ Cardinals || 2–1 || Hammond (1–1) || Stechschulte (2–1) || Smoltz (10) || 40,758 || 15–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 || May 4 || @ Cardinals || 2–3 || Simontacchi (1–0) || Lopez (1–3) || Isringhausen (5) || 42,455 || 15–16 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 || May 5 || @ Cardinals || 4–2 || Maddux (3–2) || Kile (1–2) || Smoltz (11) || 39,509 || 16–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc | 33 || May 7 || Dodgers || 5–6 || Carrara (2–0) || Ligtenberg (0–2) || Orosco (1) || 26,914 || 16–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc | 34 || May 8 || Dodgers || 1–3 || Perez (4–1) || Millwood (2–4) || Gagne (11) || 22,163 || 16–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc | 35 || May 9 || Dodgers || 6–2 || Moss (1–0) || Ashby (2–3) || — || 23,930 || 17–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 || May 10 || Padres || 7–3 || Remlinger (1–0) || Fikac (3–2) || — || 29,075 || 18–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 || May 11 || Padres || 6–1 || Marquis (2–2) || Lawrence (4–2) || — || 36,273 || 19–18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 || May 12 || Padres || 5–6 || Boyd (1–0) || Glavine (5–2) || Hoffman (12) || 25,636 || 19–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 || May 13 || @ Giants || 6–7 || Worrell (3–0) || Hammond (1–2) || — || 36,331 || 19–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 || May 14 || @ Giants || 0–2 || Jensen (4–2) || Moss (1–1) || Nen (12) || 36,972 || 19–21 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 || May 15 || @ Giants || 6–1 || Maddux (4–2) || Hernandez (4–4) || — || 38,164 || 20–21 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 || May 16 || @ Giants || 5–4 || Marquis (3–2) || Schmidt (0–1) || — || 40,236 || 21–21 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 || May 17 || @ Rockies || 4–2 || Glavine (6–2) || Thomson (5–3) || Smoltz (12) || 40,357 || 22–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 44 || May 18 || @ Rockies || 3–7 || Stark (2–0) || Millwood (2–5) || — || 42,780 || 22–22 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 || May 19 || @ Rockies || 2–1 || Remlinger (2–0) || Nichting (0–1) || Smoltz (13) || 43,151 || 23–22 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 || May 21 || @ Expos || 4–5 || Tucker (2–0) || Holmes (2–1) || — || 5,442 || 23–23 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 || May 22 || @ Expos || 2–0 || Glavine (7–2) || Armas (5–5) || — || 5,504 || 24–23 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 || May 24 || Reds || 11–2 || Millwood (3–5) || Hamilton (2–2) || — || 29,307 || 25–23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 || May 25 || Reds || 4–6 || Haynes (4–5) || Marquis (3–3) || Graves (16) || 44,026 || 25–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 || May 26 || Reds || 7–5 || Maddux (5–2) || Reitsma (3–1) || — || 40,142 || 26–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 || May 27 || Expos || 5–1 || Glavine (8–2) || Armas (5–6) || — || 30,187 || 27–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 52 || May 28 || Expos || 5–2 || Moss (2–1) || Yoshii (2–2) || Smoltz (14) || 22,278 || 28–24 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 || May 29 || Expos || 3–4 || Tucker (4–0) || Smoltz (0–2) || Stewart (3) || 20,162 || 28–25 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 54 || May 30 || Expos || 5–2 || Marquis (4–3) || Pavano (3–6) || — || 24,025 || 29–25 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 || May 31 || @ Reds || 7–0 || Maddux (6–2) || Reitsma (3–2) || — || 38,777 || 30–25
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 56 || June 1 || @ Reds || 7–1 || Glavine (9–2) || Rijo (4–3) || — || 27,080 || 31–25 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 || June 2 || @ Reds || 1–5 || Dessens (4–3) || Moss (2–2) || — || 26,470 || 31–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 || June 3 || Mets || 5–4 || Hammond (2–2) || Trachsel (3–6) || Smoltz (15) || 31,704 || 32–26 |- bgcolor="#cccccc" | – || June 4 || Mets || colspan=7|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for September 11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 || June 5 || Mets || 6–4 || Hammond (3–2) || Strickland (5–3) || Smoltz (16) || 30,986 || 33–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 || June 6 || Mets || 3–2 || Glavine (10–2) || Weathers (2–2) || Smoltz (17) || 41,286 || 34–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 || June 7 || @ Rangers || 13–7 || Hammond (4–2) || Park (2–3) || — || 42,765 || 35–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62 || June 8 || @ Rangers || 6–3 || Remlinger (3–0) || Irabu (2–6) || Smoltz (18) || 48,776 || 36–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 63 || June 9 || @ Rangers || 9–3 || Marquis (5–3) || Burba (3–4) || — || 35,436 || 37–26 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 || June 10 || @ Twins || 5–6 || Fiore (4–1) || Ligtenberg (0–3) || — || 24,534 || 37–27 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 65 || June 11 || @ Twins || 11–0 || Glavine (11–2) || Lohse (6–4) || — || 23,256 || 39–27 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 66 || June 12 || @ Twins || 3–2 || Moss (3–2) || Santana (1–1) || Smoltz (19) || 21,485 || 39–27 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 67 || June 14 || Red Sox || 2–1 || Hammond (5–2) || Martínez (7–2) || Smoltz (20) || 48,922 || 40–27 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 68 || June 15 || Red Sox || 4–2 || Maddux (7–2) || Burkett (7–2) || Smoltz (21) || 50,764 || 41–27 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 || June 16 || Red Sox || 1–6 || Lowe (11–2) || Glavine (11–3) || — || 45,666 || 41–28 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 || June 18 || Tigers || 0–6 || Weaver (5–8) || Marquis (5–4) || — || 28,173 || 41–29 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 || June 19 || Tigers || 4–1 || Millwood (4–5) || Maroth (1–1) || Smoltz (22) || 25,118 || 42–29 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 || June 20 || Tigers || 3–2 || Ligtenberg (1–3) || Acevedo (1–3) || — || 28,843 || 43–29 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 || June 21 || White Sox || 3–2 || Gryboski (1–1) || Ritchie (4–9) || Smoltz (23) || 35,102 || 44–29 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 74 || June 22 || White Sox || 15–2 || Moss (4–2) || Glover (2–3) || — || 47,276 || 45–29 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 75 || June 23 || White Sox || 9–1 || Marquis (6–4) || Wright (5–8) || — || 30,883 || 46–29 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 76 || June 24 || @ Mets || 3–2 || Gryboski (2–1) || Strickland (6–4) || Smoltz (24) || 34,708 || 47–29 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 77 || June 25 || @ Mets || 4–7 || Trachsel (6–6) || Lopez (1–4) || Benitez (19) || 31,607 || 47–30 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 78 || June 26 || @ Mets || 6–3 || Hammond (6–2) || Weathers (2–3) || Smoltz (25) || 30,974 || 48–30 |- bgcolor="#cccccc" | – || June 27 || @ Mets || colspan=7|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for September 27 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 79 || June 28 || @ Red Sox || 4–2 || Remlinger (4–0) || Wakefield (2–3) || Smoltz (26) || 33,137 || 49–30 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc"