On August 9, 2017, the Atlanta Braves misplaced 3-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies at what’s now generally known as Truist Park. Sean Newcomb began and gave up three runs (two within the third and one within the fifth) and two runs from the Braves within the seventh inning weren’t sufficient for the Braves to ultimately overcome the deficit. The 2 RBI got here from pinch-hitter Danny Santana, who then took over in left subject for Matt Adams. Ender Iniciarte led off for the Braves. Freddie Freeman was hitting third and holding down the fort at first base. Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson have been precocious younger abilities persevering with to chop their tooth within the massive leagues. The loss put the Braves at exactly 10 video games underneath .500 at 51-61.
On June 8, 2025, the Atlanta Braves misplaced 4-3 to the San Francisco Giants. The loss put the Braves at exactly 10 video games underneath .500 at 27-37. Considered one of only a few issues that this 2025 Braves workforce has in frequent with that 2017 Braves squad is that they each know what it’s prefer to be 10 video games underneath .500. Apart from that, the circumstances and expectations couldn’t be any extra totally different. Whereas it was understood that that 2017 Braves workforce was nonetheless a bit bit method’s away from competing, this 2025 Braves workforce entered the season as a World Collection contender on paper. Nicely, the video games aren’t performed on paper and actual life is at the moment laying the smackdown on the Braves proper now. Let’s discuss this collection in San Francisco, y’all.
Friday, June 6Giants 5, Braves 4
There have been a few issues that the Braves in all probability didn’t must see occur to them following their calamitous collapse in opposition to the Diamondbacks on Thursday. The very first thing was that Spencer Schwellenbach stumbled out of the gate within the first inning and so the Braves needed to work themselves out of a 3-run gap for many of this recreation.
Thankfully, the Braves didn’t appear fascinated with rolling over throughout this recreation. The Braves put a pair of runs on the board within the fourth inning after which they responded to the Giants pushing the deficit again to 2 runs by ultimately tying the sport up at 4 runs apiece after Matt Olson hit a game-tying homer within the seventh inning.
The ultimate three innings of regulation baseball got here and went with out a lot incident however the tenth inning was filled with incidents. The Braves discovered themselves in a bases loaded scenario nevertheless it was with two outs and Luke Williams on the plate, so the magic was not going to occur this time. As an alternative, it occurred for the Giants as they used two productive outs and a wild pitch from Pierce Johnson to attain the successful walk-off run for San Francisco. Keep in mind after I stated there have been a few issues the Braves didn’t wish to see? Shedding in such devastating trend was the opposite factor. Blah.
Saturday, June 7Giants 3, Braves 2
After this recreation, exasperation is unquestionably beginning to set in. On paper, this pitching matchup definitely didn’t favor the Braves in any respect however the factor about Bryce Elder is that he has a knack for upending expectations — for higher or worse. This time, it was for the higher as Elder delivered among the best begins of his profession on this one. Elder went eight innings, struck out a career-high 12 batters and solely gave up three hits and one run (on his common hanger that he left proper within the coronary heart of the zone to ensure that it to get crushed. Some issues don’t change) with no walks. Bryce Elder was completely implausible on this one and he gave the Braves precisely what they wanted.
Nonetheless, I believe y’all all know the system for the Braves at this level. If one factor goes properly, nothing else is allowed to go properly. Now granted, Atlanta’s lineup gave it an admirable effort on this one in opposition to star pitcher Logan Webb. Webb lived as much as his expectations as he struck out ten however he left the sport trailing after he gave up a pair of runs — one among which was a house run from Michael Harris II. So whereas it wasn’t an enormous day on the plate for the Braves, that they had seemingly achieved sufficient to eke out a win right here.
Then the ninth inning rolled round. With Raisel Iglesias’ bullpen position at the moment in flux, Pierce Johnson was known as upon to shut the ninth inning. He gave up a one-out single to Heliot Ramos after which received Wilmer Flores to come out in foul territory earlier than he hung a curveball to Matt Chapman that Chapman made no mistake with. All of Atlanta’s onerous work to scratch out a victory received worn out in a couple of pitches and the distress stored roiling about inside Braves Nation.
Sunday, June 8Giants 4, Braves 3
Nicely, at the very least the Braves didn’t lose this one within the ninth (or tenth) inning and/or in walk-off trend! As an alternative, this was simply an old style “come-from-ahead” loss for the Braves, because it was all good on this one till it all of the sudden wasn’t. Atlanta received out forward within the first inning of this one because of a productive out from Matt Olson cashing in a leadoff stroll from Ronald Acuña Jr. after which they re-took the lead within the third inning after Olson hit an RBI double to make it a 3-1 recreation.
Spencer Strider began for the Braves and his fourth inning ended up being the fateful one on this one. Strider walked the primary two batters he noticed and practically erased these walks after he retired the following two batters he noticed. Then Mike Yastrzemski received a maintain of a low slider from Strider and despatched it into the precise subject nook, which means that the sport was now tied with Yaz in scoring place. Then Strider received Tyler Fitzgerald to hit a deep grounder in direction of Ozzie Albies. Ozzie booted the ball and so the Braves went from doubtlessly escaping the inning with the result in leaving the fourth inning trailing 4-3.
That’s the way it ended! Atlanta’s offense largely died off following that fourth inning and whereas Strider ultimately settled down and received six innings underneath his belt, it was as soon as once more not sufficient to assist push Atlanta to victory. All three of those video games have been shut however shut solely counts in horseshoes, proper?
When you embrace final season’s NL Wild Card Collection, the Braves have misplaced 12 straight video games within the state of California. They’ve misplaced seven straight video games total and that is now their second seven-game dropping streak this season. They added three extra one-run losses to their tally on this collection in order that they’ve now misplaced 10 straight one-run video games. They’re 3-14 of their final 17. Talking of 17, this brings me again to the aforementioned 2017 season, which was famously the final 12 months the place the Braves missed the Postseason. At the least in that 12 months, lacking the Postseason appeared like that was all the time the best way that 12 months was going to finish. Right here in 2025, it was inconceivable to think about the Braves being this dangerous. But right here they’re: This dangerous!
When you’re coming right here in search of solutions, the one factor I’ve received for y’all is that they’ve simply received to maintain plugging away at it. As I discussed in my earlier rant article regarding Atlanta’s struggles in the mean time, it’s been a 12 months of this now. As I additionally talked about, I don’t understand how this will get mounted, both. The accidents are not an excuse. When you depend Spencer Strider, then eight of the ten gamers who began for the Braves on Sunday have been additionally on the sphere to begin the sport after they clinched the 2023 NL East title in Philadelphia. These are the identical guys however they ain’t the identical dudes, when you catch my drift. We’d higher hope that these outdated dudes lastly make their return to Atlanta’s clubhouse as a result of in any other case, this season is destined to finish in a dumpster fireplace.
