Weekend reflections: Braves need their stars to shine, like the Dodgers

The Dodgers had three MVP award winners at the top of their lineup Sunday: Shohei Ohtani (2021, ’23, ’24), Mookie Betts (2018) and Freddie Freeman (2020). No. 4 hitter Teoscar Hernández is a two-time All-Star. Catcher Will Smith, also a two-time All-Star, wasn’t in the lineup Sunday but came in to pinch-hit.

In the series opener, Smith hit a sacrifice fly to score Betts in the fourth inning, and Betts hit a homer in the sixth. The Dodgers won 2-1. In Saturday’s game, the Dodgers’ top five combined for 12 hits and eight RBIs. The Dodgers won 10-3.

“Their guys that are supposed to produce, produce,” Snitker said. “They come up big in big moments.”

The Braves finally tamed L.A.’s stars Sunday. They still had to sweat in the ninth inning when the Dodgers had a runner on third with two outs. Closer Raisel Iglesias, 35, finally looked like himself while throwing fastballs by Smith, Miguel Rojas and Austin Barnes. Braves slugger Austin Riley’s two home runs and four RBIs ended up being enough for a 4-3 victory.

Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Hernández and Smith all rank among the top 51 big leaguers in OPS. The Braves have just two players in that group: Riley and Marcell Ozuna. The Braves need more of their stars to star if they hope to climb out of the 0-7 hole they started the year with.

Get Matt Olson going. Get Ronald Acuña Jr. back. Then the Braves can rival L.A.‘s star power.

“We’re right there,” Snitker said after the 4-3 victory. “Like I said earlier, those (Dodgers) guys produce. They come through in big situations.”

Atlanta United’s fight goes missing

After Nashville tied the score in the 66th minute on Saturday, Fox Sports announcer Joe Malva said, “the fight just isn’t there for Atlanta.” That sounded too harsh to me, considering United was solid until giving up yet another set-piece goal (that makes six conceded by Atlanta).

Then, over the next several minutes, United showed that Malva had a point.

Atlanta was lucky not to allow a goal when Brad Guzan made a save with two Nashville players loose in the box for the rebound, as United defenders watched. Then Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar made a run at goal with teammates in support, as United’s defenders ran back with little urgency. Soon after that, Guzan was forced to make another good save when Jonathan Perez was free in the box for a shot 12 yards from goal.

Later, United’s Miguel Almirón took a long ball down the left side for what looked like a promising offensive chance, but no teammates there when he looked to the middle of the field. Nashville recovered and the possession went nowhere. A few minutes later, Guzan made a save and leaped to his feet with the ball, eager to start a quick counter, but his teammates were slow to run the other way.

United meekly accepted a draw. That was after a promising first half that included United’s first goal in 363 minutes of game time, Almirón‘s finish of Brooks Lennon’s excellent pass. Once again, United couldn’t produce a complete effort. Their winless streak is at five games.

Atlanta manager Ronny Deila finally made alignment changes that outsiders had been seeking for weeks. The offensive flow looked better, until it didn’t. United had one shot on goal over the final 60 minutes.

After the final whistle, Fox Soccer color commentator Ricky Lopez-Espin said, “There is a culture problem in Atlanta.” That also sounded like a too-harsh assessment to me, but Deila‘s team is running out of arguments against the sharp criticisms.

Spencer Schwellenbach‘s struggles

Spencer Schwellenbach is trying to break the pattern of young Braves pitchers. So many guys burned brightly for a moment then were never the same: Ian Anderson, Mike Soroka, Kyle Wright and Bryce Elder. (Elder is showing signs of rediscovering his 2023 form — he held the Dodgers to two runs over five innings — but I need to see more.)

Schwellenbach was very good as a rookie in 2024: 3.35 ERA, 127 strikeouts, 23 walks, 17 home runs in 123⅔ innings. He started this season with one earned run over his first three starts. Schwellenbach has compiled a 7.17 ERA over his past four starts. His outing against the Dodgers on Saturday was the worst of them all: six runs over 3⅔ innings.

It seems batters are going to the plate with a plan to attack Schwellenbach‘s pitches.

“I’ve seen it more aggressive early because he’s such a strike thrower,” Snitker said. “It’s one of those things that he can turn around on the opposition, too. I told him: ‘You’re not going to surprise anybody anymore. Now, everybody’s aware of you.’”

Georgia Tech’s transfer of talent

Georgia Tech men’s basketball coach Damon Stouadamire got a commitment from guard Lamar Washington, formerly of Pacific and Texas Tech. Washington follows transfers Peyton Marshall from Missouri and Kam Craft from Miami (Ohio). The incoming players aren’t as good as those outgoing, according to 247Sports.

The departing Jackets include third-leading scorer Naithan George, fourth-leading scorer Duncan Powell and 2024 blue-chip recruit Darrion Sutton. Those losses are somewhat offset by a high school recruiting class that is rated sixth-best in the ACC by 247Sports. Overall, Tech‘s class (including transfers) is ranked 48th nationally and 11th in the ACC.

Things looked good for Stoudamire’s Jackets in early March. They’d won seven of nine games, including two victories against ranked teams. Tech‘s defense was better. The Jackets had learned how to win, despite a long injury list that included experienced players. They figure to be better with improved depth next season.

Now, it’s going to be more difficult for Stoudamire after the transfer losses plus the departures of seniors Lance Terry and Javian McCollum. There still will be size and talent on the roster, but Stoudamire will have to get something out of a largely new group of players without much experience. That’s the job nowadays.