After winning the first two games of a series against the New York Mets, the Atlanta Braves dropped the final two, falling back to six games below .500. It again illustrates just how dire things have gotten for the Braves before the halfway mark of the season.
While the team's lack of depth is one of the biggest reasons for the decline, there is no shortage of blame to go around. Michael Harris, Ozzie Albies, and Sean Murphy have all struggled offensively. Add in key injuries to Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Chris Sale, and the suspension of Jurickson Profar, and the struggles make plenty of sense.
Still, this doesn't erase the high expectations for a 2025 season that was expected to be a step in the right direction. Things have grown so frustrating that it is legitimate to wonder if the Braves should begin to sell off veteran pieces.
With this in mind, manager Brian Snitker finally sounded the alarm on the 2025 season. The manager has often caught heat for his decisions, but there is no arguing with the quote that demanded a sense of urgency.
"Nobody’s happy. I mean, it’s not good, You’re not happy with something like this. We couldn’t get anything going offensively. (Acuña) is one of those guys that when he goes, we go, But (him not reaching base) is going to happen, too. My God, he’s doing great. We need to be better in the middle (of the lineup).We needed to go 7-0, quite honestly,” We’re trying to dig out of a hole and we’re trying to catch people, and we’ve got to win every series we play."Brian Snitker
Snitker is pointing out not only how dark things have gotten this season but also the need for anyone else to step up. While Austin Riley, Matt Olson, and Marcell Ozuna have all had great stretches, they aren't consistent. Each of Atlanta's sluggers has grown through incredible highs and lows, never appearing to get rolling at the same time. It is somewhat the nature of the lineup the Braves have built, as well as a bit of unexpected regression from your best players.
The Atlanta manager is attempting to help take the pressure off the team's star player and put it on the shoulders of the team's veterans. Snitker understands that to keep the 2025 season alive, this team cannot afford to continue to play with such a lack of urgency. The Braves need a long winning streak to be able to climb back into the postseason race.
While fans might not always agree with Snitker's decisions, there is no debating that the manager is correct. It is time for the Braves team to either go on a run or face the reality that the 2025 season is over, with weeks of games still ahead.