Atlanta Braves rookie pitcher Didier Fuentes made his second start this week. After an impressive start, the New York Mets adjusted to the rookie and dug an early hole the Atlanta offense wouldn't be able to climb out of. It was the first time in seven games that the Mets have beaten a Braves team that continues to have their number.
The bigger story was the twenty-year-old Fuentes, who continues to prove he isn't yet ready for this big of a stage. It is important to note that Fuentes is an incredibly exciting prospect and isn't to blame for his underwhelming performance. You're asking a twenty-year-old kid to make an impossible leap without further needed development.
The problem for the Braves is the fact that they have a cheap front office and ownership group, and have nowhere else to turn. Look at the Gwinnett Stripers roster and attempt to find a fifth starter who gives you a better chance than Fuentes. It is important to note that to be in this position, both Reynaldo Lopez and Chris Sale had to go down with injuries. However, after an injury-plagued 2024 season, one would think the Braves would prepare for such a situation.
Atlanta's Lack of Offseason Spending Continues to Cost the Braves
Whether it is the front office or ownership that deserves blame is a bit difficult to decipher. What isn't, is the fact that the team's willful cheapness is costing the team the 2025 season. Not only this, but it could be damaging to the confidence of Fuentes, who has all the needed tools to turn into a top-of-the-rotation arm in the future. Having the starter get beaten up before he is ready to make the jump is obviously not ideal.
The Braves must attempt to find another answer, whether it is a trade or attempting to give an underwhelming option a chance. Atlanta continuing to struggle below .500 is due to two factors: the first being underachieving veteran players, and the second, the problem that has Fuentes earning this chance in the first place.
Refusing to add obvious depth has cost the Braves the season and is now hurting the team's development. It speaks to a front office that appears to have lost its way, forgetting the importance of depth pieces. Even if Atlanta's ownership is penny-pinching, as it appears they have been the front office still has earned blame. Even bargain shopping would have been better than opting to simply sit back and hope everyone stays healthy. This predictably failed and has Atlanta's season on the brink of irrelevance.