Atlanta's level of frustration has reached a new high after dropping a very winnable series in Toronto. Despite Spencer Strider only allowing two earned runs in his return to the rotation, Atlanta never had a chance. The team struck out 19 times and played the worst possible situational baseball.
This sent the Braves to 5-13 and has the franchise firmly at the bottom of the National League East. If there is anything that drives home how ugly the start has been, it is looking up in the standings to the Marlins and Nationals. Both teams that rarely spent in recent years and appear to be in a perpetual state of rebuild.
Veteran Matt Olson commented on the team's issues, suggesting that there isn't a secret or obvious way out. Olson's words are difficult to swallow and hardly reassuring to Atlanta fans looking for reasons to believe in a turnaround. Olson has been a big part of Atlanta's problem with the offense unable to execute the fundamentals in big spots.
Matt Olson: "We gotta play better. There’s no secret to that. Sure, we got a lot of games left, but we can’t do this shit forever. We gotta find a way to start playing better baseball all the way around."
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) April 16, 2025
Olson's quote makes sense on its face, and there is a level of truth to it. However, it ignores two things, one of which is well within the veteran's control. Atlanta lives and dies by the home run ball and has lost their ability to execute the simplistic. How often has this team had a runner at second or third in the last year with less than two outs and failed to even move the base runner? Atlanta fell in love with the long ball in the 2023 season and, in doing so, has lost a lot of the basics of playing winning baseball.
Yes, fans love the home run ball, and it is a needed part of Atlanta's game. A lineup with Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Sean Murphy, Ozzie Albies, and Ronald Acuna Jr. should be putting up strong power numbers. Still, you must be able to move runners up and put the ball in play when the situation calls for it. It is a basic tweak in Atlanta's offensive approach of being willing to sacrifice an at-bat to make the right play.
Until the Braves are able to execute at this level, the struggles are going to continue.
A big piece of this is the need for improved plate discipline. Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris are both great examples of the team's need to improve in this area. The free-swinging approach is costing the team, and a primary reason why they cannot generate runs consistently without the long ball.
Leading to the second issue that is completely out of Olson's control, and that is the 2025 Atlanta offseason. Choosing to ignore clear depth needs the Braves are now paying for that mistake. Counting on injured players returning and bargain deals to fix every hole in your roster was a penny-pinching fumble by the Atlanta front office.
The team still has time to correct at this year's trade deadline if the Braves are able to climb out of an early hole. For that to happen, Olson and Atlanta's lineup must wake up, changing their approach at the plate, and be willing to sacrifice to play a winning brand of baseball.