Hello, friends, and welcome to a rare postgame edition of the Braves Report.
Also: I’m sorry.
Because, as columnist Michael Cunningham put it, this team just provided more proof that it’s just … bad. And don’t count on Craig Kimbrel’s looming return to cure those ills.
ALL FOR NAUGHT
Credit: Mike Stewart/AP
Credit: Mike Stewart/AP
I started drafting this newsletter around the eighth inning of today’s game.
We’ve learned not to read too much into one result, I wrote, but hey — the generally anemic offense scored 10 runs. They hit homers and (gasp) went 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Progress!
All of which, I guess, is still true.
But lots of other words are coming to mind now. Only some of which are fit for a family publication.
As you’re probably well aware of by now, the Braves took a 10-4 lead into the ninth inning — and the tag team of (ahem) Scott Blewett and Raisel Iglesias gave it all away.
🫠 Homer. Walk. Homer. Walk. Double. Single. Single. Go-ahead, two-RBI double.
🫠 Diamondbacks 11, Braves 10.
🫠 Atlanta’s first loss after leading by at least six runs going into the ninth inning since July 17, 1973. And Arizona’s first such win in 420 tries.
“It’s a horrible loss,” manager Brian Snitker told reporters afterward, admitting the obvious. “Now we get to sit on it for five hours on the airplane. We’re all going to be miserable, and we should.”
Remember way back in mid-May, when we celebrated this team “finally getting to .500?″
They’ve now lost 11 of 14 games and sit at 27-34 — seven games under. Right back where they started.
Only now, time is very much running out. And there are dwindling few reasons for optimism.
The starting pitching is solid. The offense, at least conceivably, has some version of a turnaround in it (see more below).
But the bullpen is undeniably unreliable. And perhaps beyond repair, as currently constructed.
🫠 Iglesias’ ERA now sits at 6.75. He’s allowed at least one run in eight of his last 11 appearances. His WAR (wins above replacement) is literally negative.
And he’s remained the closer — because there are no other good options (even with old friend Craig Kimbrel reportedly en route from the minors).
🫠 Per ESPN, Braves relievers have had 21 save opportunities, which is already among the fewest in baseball. Worse: They’ve only converted 10 of them.
After this afternoon’s game, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said he felt “like a proud dad” who was “watching a bunch of Little Leaguers go out there and have some fun and get the job done.”
And the Braves? Well, catcher Drake Baldwin agreed that this sure looks like rock bottom. So did the fans raining down a chorus of boos at game’s end.
And I don’t blame them. What else is there to do at this point?
How are y’all feeling about things? What’s the solution? Shoot me an email to sound off.
GETTING OFFENSIVE
OK, so … it is actually worth highlighting some of the good performances we saw at the plate, pre-meltdown.
📈 Ronald Acuña Jr., Drake Baldwin and Austin Riley hit 1-2-3 in Thursday’s lineup — and all three homered
- Acuña’s and Baldwin’s came back-to-back in the sixth inning.
- Riley’s was his third in the last seven games. Before that he’d gone homerless in 21 games.
📈 Michael Harris II recorded two hits, including an RBI single in the eighth.
📈 Marcell Ozuna, Alex Verdugo and Ozzie Albies accounted for the rest of the RBIs.
- Albies reached base three times, continuing his recent turnaround.
Who knows? Maybe they’re on to something. But will it matter?
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Mike Stewart/AP
Credit: Mike Stewart/AP
At least we got to see this guy run into a wall?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT …
Fan voting for this summer’s MLB All-Star game at Truist Park is now open.
Not sure how many Braves deserve unbiased backing at this point (and you’ll have to make Drake Baldwin a write-in selection, if want to go that route at catcher).
⭐ But perhaps I’ll give you a peek at my very official ballot in Friday’s newsletter.
COMING UP NEXT
More on this in tomorrow’s edition, too. But FYI: Atlanta now hits the road for a six-game road trip that starts in San Francisco and ends in Milwaukee.
Friday’s series opener against the Giants doesn’t get underway until 10:15 p.m. EDT — but Saturday and Sunday’s contests are, mercifully, 4:05 p.m. starts.
Thanks for reading Braves Report. Tell a friend — and maybe give the AJC’s Sports Daily newsletter a shot, too.
Until next time.
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