With the Atlanta Braves up eight runs and the game well within hand on Sunday, manager Walt Weiss pulled Reynaldo Lopez to give Tyler Kinley a chance to work the game's final frame. Being in such complete control of the game and turning things over to Kinley tells you exactly how little faith the franchise has in a reliever expected to be among the team's high-leverage options. Instead, the team attempted to utilize a blowout to build up Kinley's confidence.
This didn't work in Atlanta's favor with the right-hander giving up a run in his one inning worked. It continues a recent trend of struggles with Kinley, having given up four earned runs in his last 3.1 innings worked. The Braves cannot rely on the reliever when the game is tight, and this tipped the team's hand in that regard.
In fairness, this isn't a bad decision when all fans have to do is look at close game management or look at Kinley's recent box score to understand this trend. No question, the Braves are losing faith, and there is reason to wonder how patient the team is going to remain with a wealth of pitching options both for the rotation and bullpen.
Braves Late-Inning Decision Signal Complete Lack of Trust in Tyler Kinley
Didier Fuentes is an example of just how many options the Braves currently have when it comes to filling out their pitching roster. Fuentes remains a respected prospect, but due to a crowded rotation, has been relegated to the bullpen, where the young right-hander has thrived in a relief role. Lopez is another demoted starter that the Braves can now lean on once his confidence is built back up.
This is on top of having one of the game's best late inning trios in Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias. When the game is tight, there are simply too many reliable options for the Braves to continue to give Kinley an opportunity. With that said, it remains early in the 2026 season with plenty of time for the reliever to turn things around.
Time that could run out when Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach are ready to return and force Atlanta to make tough decisions in the team's current rotation. Still, there is a path for Kinley to put his season back on track if the reliever can turn the page on his recent struggles. For the Braves, it simply speaks to how elite the pitching has been that what was a key offseason re-signing is now looked at as a non-factor in tight games.
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