To say Atlanta has gotten off to a disappointing start would be a vast understatement. The Braves' 0-7 start made sure if this team was going to return to the postseason, it would require making history. No team has gotten off to this rough of a start and made it to the playoffs.
The weight of this must be taken seriously and requires the Braves to approach the next weeks of the season with a high level of aggression.
The pending returns of Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider will go a long way in fixing the team's current concerns. Losing both players in the 2024 season made sure it took everything Atlanta had in the tank just to make the postseason. Still, the return of both players isn't enough for the season to turn around. The Braves are going to need a lot more to fall their way.
1. Brian Snitker Must Continue to Take an Open Approach
Whether it is age or the stress of the past seasons, Brian Snitker's future remains in question. Considering the veteran's time in Atlanta, it isn't surprising that retirement is at least in consideration. Still, Snitker is the team's leader for at least the 2025 season and is already proving to understand what it will take for this team to turn things around.
We've seen it with how the manager has dealt with the situation at shortstop and in the bullpen. There is an understanding that this isn't the team of seasons past, where you can simply trot out the same lineup and bullpen pieces in a predictable fashion. For one of the few times in Snitker's recent career, the manager is going to be relied on to understand and manipulate this roster.
Even if flashy trades are ahead, this team has to at least climb to .500 for the front office to be buyers ahead of the MLB trade deadline. This means winning with the current roster, and that is going to require accurately taking the pulse of your roster and understanding who can be relied on in big spots. Changing the lineup and bullpen pieces just as the Atlanta manager has for the past handful of games.