PITTSBURGH – After Saturday’s loss, which included another disappointing offensive effort, Braves manager Brian Snitker took a measured approach.
“It’s still a long way to go,” he said after his team completed the 49th of 162 games this season. “You just have to handle these situations and keep fighting your way through it. Like I say, if you do and you do handle it, there’s always good on the other end.”
The Braves’ lineup is not performing its best. And the team arrived at PNC Park on Sunday trailing the Phillies by seven games in the National League East standings.
The upcoming week could be the start of the Braves’ turnaround. After beating Pittsburgh on Sunday, they are 30-20 through 50 games.
The Braves’ next homestand: Four games against the Nationals (23-27 entering Sunday) and three versus Oakland (22-32). The Nationals are probably not as bad as people expected them to be, but the Braves can overmatch both them and the Athletics.
And then after this homestand, the Braves play two in Boston before going to Washington for four more games against the Nationals.
Of course, we must throw in these caveats: Every major-league team is talented and shouldn’t be overlooked. And with the way the Braves’ offense has performed, perhaps we shouldn’t suggest they can overpower teams at this point.
And this story was first written and published before Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered a left knee injury. The Braves don’t know how long he’ll be out, and they’re a better team with him leading off.
But they’re still the Braves. Their stars have hit, and will hit again. And the Braves could have both Austin Riley and Sean Murphy in the lineup on Monday.
The Braves put together a historic offensive season in 2023. They might not reach those heights, but they expect to get going.
“And I guess that’s where a lot of the expectations come in, while we’re not in the same spot (that) we were last year,” Michael Harris II said. “But this game is still hard and pitchers are only getting tougher. It’s a long season and we still know we can turn it around at some point. We just gotta keep doing what we’re doing and correct some of the little things.”
Reynaldo López, who started Saturday’s game, knows how good this offense can be. He pitched against it.
He knows it’ll return.
“This is the beginning of the season, and they’re just hitting it hard right to the (fielders),” López. “I know everything’s gonna change. I have faith. I just believe in my guys here and I know it can be better, and I know we’re gonna win some games.”
Elder makes first start back with Gwinnett
On Saturday afternoon, Snitker discussed Bryce Elder’s opportunity to get right in Triple A.
“I think just getting in a groove, in a rhythm, repeat your delivery, staying ahead, putting hitters away – things like that,” Snitker said. “We’ve seen him, he’s got the stuff. Guys go through stretches like that, so hopefully down there, (with) consistent work that he’ll get there, that he can just kind of get back on track and get himself going like we know he’s capable of.”
On Saturday night, Elder allowed six runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings. He allowed two homers.
The number that probably stands out more than those: He walked seven batters.
The roster shuffle
The Braves are at a point where they’re making tons of roster moves to survive a stretch of consecutive games without an off day.
On Monday, they optioned Ray Kerr and opted for Daysbel Hernández as a fresh arm. They optioned Hernández to bring up AJ Smith-Shawver for a start. Then he suffered a Grade 2 left oblique strain and went on the injured list, and the Braves recalled Kerr for Friday’s start. It didn’t go well and Darius Vines pitched a lot on Friday in relief of Kerr, so the Braves optioned Vines after Friday’s game. On Saturday, they recalled Jimmy Herget to be a fresh arm out of the bullpen.
Follow all that?
How does Snitker keep track of it all when he’s also focused on everything else with the big-league team?
“It’s just one of those things that you kind of get used to it in this business, I think,” he said. “When I managed in Triple A, I’d go in there every day and see who was left, who was here, before I’d put a lineup together. It’s just part of it – shuffling guys through and getting through it. Everybody does it. I don’t think anybody is ever immune from it. It’s just part of the business. That’s why I say we end up using all the depth in the organization over the course of the six-month season.”
Pitching matchups
Here are the probable starting pitching matchups for the Braves’ four-game series against the Nationals ...
Monday: Charlie Morton versus Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker
Tuesday: Max Fried versus Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin
Wednesday: Braves TBA versus Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore
Thursday: Reynaldo López versus Nationals right-hander Trevor Williams
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