TORONTO – The Braves dropped their third straight game Saturday, losing 5-2 to the Blue Jays.
Here are five takeaways:
1. The Braves’ offense has sputtered lately, but the seventh inning Saturday was a low point. Tied 2-2, the Braves loaded the bases with none out on Ronald Acuna’s single and Matt Olson’s and Austin Riley’s walks off Yimi Garcia. Yet they couldn’t muster the go-ahead run.
Catcher Sean Murphy, who’s been stellar, hit a grounder that first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. threw home for an out. Erik Swanson replaced Garcia, then outfielder Eddie Rosario, carrying a 10-game hitting streak, struck out. Second baseman Ozzie Albies flew out to left, ending the top of the inning. Toronto took the lead in the bottom of the frame.
2. The Braves have scored two runs on nine hits across 18 innings in Toronto. They’ve scored four runs over their past three games. The team unquestionably possesses a ton of firepower, and when they’re clicking might be the best offense in MLB, but even the most stacked lineups go through ruts.
Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt entered Friday with a 4.28 ERA. He pitched a two-hit shutout. Lefty Jose Berrios entered Saturday with a 4.91 ERA. He surrendered a two-run homer to designated hitter Marcell Ozuna but otherwise kept the Braves quiet over 5-2/3 frames. The Braves went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position Saturday and are 0-for-12 in such situations during this series.
“It’s going to happen,” manager Brian Snitker said. “You’re going to have to go through things like this. This probably won’t be the last time. You have some guys who are not hitting on all cylinders. That’s the nature of this game. You just fight through it.”
3. Left-hander A.J. Minter, who in recent seasons has been among baseball’s best southpaws, surrendered two runs on three hits in the seventh. His ERA has ballooned to 8.05.
“He just has to grind through it,” Snitker said. “He’s done it before. He’s a year removed from being one of the most effective relievers in baseball. But this game is cruel and it just keeps testing you. He’s just going to have to keep getting after it and competing. Just not be careful. He needs to be the aggressor, not be careful and try to nitpick. We’ve all been through it in the game. He’s been through it and he’s come back out of situations like this and been really, really good. I have every confidence he’ll do it again.”
Minter has allowed six earned runs in 6-1/3 innings this month. Since opening the season with five consecutive scoreless appearances, Minter has allowed a run in eight of 15 outings. He’s still striking hitters out – an 18:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over that time – and in some ways he’s fallen victim to the unlucky bounces of baseball, but he’s been far from his best and the Braves’ uneven bullpen could certainly use him.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
4. In his first start in Canada, Bryce Elder pitched five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked one.
The Blue Jays produced their runs off Elder on a groundout and Bo Bichette’s hit into shallow right field that had a 64.8-mph exit velocity. The Blue Jays had some opportunities but Elder pitched well in dangerous situations. Toronto was 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position against Elder. For the second straight night, though, the starter’s efforts were left unrewarded due to the offense.
“I felt solid,” Elder said. “I thought my stuff early was kind of ‘meh’ but I thought it got better as it went. I thought I made some good pitches that they fouled off, so hat’s off to them. I thought they did a good job getting me late into counts. I battled well but it could’ve been a little better.”
5. The Braves have suffered their first series loss on the road this season. They came to Toronto sporting a 15-3 road record but have lost two in a row. The Braves were previously 6-0 in road series. The team will also try to avoid being swept for the second time this season (they weren’t swept in 2022). The Astros swept the Braves in Atlanta last month.
Stat to know
8 -- The Braves have lost eight consecutive games against the Blue Jays. They went 0-6 against Toronto during their 2021 World Series championship season and have dropped the first two of this series.
Quotable
“We’ve been through it before. We’ve been through it every year I’ve been here, probably more than once over the course of a season. You weather that storm and come out on the other end as long as you handle it.” – Snitker on offensive struggles
Up next
In the series finale Sunday, the Braves will start reliever Collin McHugh in a bullpen game against the Blue Jays and lefty Yusei Kikuchi (5-0, 3.35).
