WEST SACRAMENTO – The silence that crammed Braves clubhouse after a 5-4, 11-inning setback in opposition to the Athletics on Thursday evening created the identical somber temper you’d see after a season-ending postseason loss.
This wasn’t the loss that doomed the 2025 season. However it appeared to be the one which reminded the Braves that it is likely to be finest to start wanting towards 2026.
“It’s been a tricky first half and that’s most likely understating the whole lot,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned. “We simply received to search for positives.”
It’s laborious to search out positives when you will have misplaced 11 of the 14 video games which were performed since finishing a three-game sweep of the Mets on June 19. Hopes of constructing the postseason grew to become much more unbelievable because the rotation misplaced each All-Star Chris Sale and All-Star candidate Spencer Schwellenbach to vital accidents throughout this painful stretch.
“I feel you’ve received to be sincere with your self,” Braves beginning pitcher Spencer Strider mentioned. “I feel that is step one to enchancment. If you wish to achieve success as a person or as a gaggle, it is acknowledgement of the place you’re and what’s stopping success. Generally, or typically is the case, the reply isn’t snug.”
The Braves have reached the postseason yearly going again to 2018. They entered this 12 months as postseason favorites and it has lengthy been assumed Snitker will retire on the finish of this 12 months. It’s actually not snug to concede with 70 video games remaining.
However sitting 12 video games underneath .500, it seems to be just like the Braves could be finest to no less than attempt to get some organizational depth for designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, nearer Raisel Iglesias and veteran reliever Pierce Johnson earlier than the July 31 Commerce Deadline.
It could be clever to spend these remaining months having the 2026 season in thoughts with each transfer or choice that’s made. Right here had been three developments from Thursday’s loss that would affect choices in regards to the future.
Strider is way too laborious on himself as he continues to try for perfection, regardless of the very fact he’s a bit of greater than 14 months faraway from elbow surgical procedure. He’s made vital strides whereas posting a 2.95 ERA over his six begins. He has accomplished no less than six innings in 5 of these outings.
This contains Tuesday’s outing, throughout which he surrendered a three-run homer to Tyler Soderstrom within the first inning and didn’t enable one other run earlier than exiting with two outs within the seventh. Many would contemplate this to be a profitable outing. However lengthy after he exited, Strider was lamenting the misplaced slider to Soderstrom.
“I feel in plenty of circumstances, it simply feels prefer it’s a few pitches, however that is simply having the ability to execute persistently,” Strider mentioned.
The Braves have reached the postseason yearly going again to 2018. They entered this 12 months as postseason favorites and it has lengthy been assumed Snitker will retire on the finish of this 12 months. It’s actually not snug to concede with 70 video games remaining.
However sitting 12 video games underneath .500, it seems to be just like the Braves could be finest to no less than attempt to get some organizational depth for designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, nearer Raisel Iglesias and veteran reliever Pierce Johnson earlier than the July 31 Commerce Deadline.
It could be clever to spend these remaining months having the 2026 season in thoughts with each transfer or choice that’s made. Right here had been three developments from Thursday’s loss that would affect choices in regards to the future.
Strider is way too laborious on himself as he continues to try for perfection, regardless of the very fact he’s a bit of greater than 14 months faraway from elbow surgical procedure. He’s made vital strides whereas posting a 2.95 ERA over his six begins. He has accomplished no less than six innings in 5 of these outings.
This contains Tuesday’s outing, throughout which he surrendered a three-run homer to Tyler Soderstrom within the first inning and didn’t enable one other run earlier than exiting with two outs within the seventh. Many would contemplate this to be a profitable outing. However lengthy after he exited, Strider was lamenting the misplaced slider to Soderstrom.
“I feel in plenty of circumstances, it simply feels prefer it’s a few pitches, however that is simply having the ability to execute persistently,” Strider mentioned.
Strider notched 11 strikeouts in opposition to the Athletics, giving him a pair of double-digit strikeout totals inside his first six begins. These had been way more frequent when he recorded probably the most strikeouts in baseball from the beginning of his 2022 season by way of the top of 2023. However the type is taking form. He received 21 whiffs on Thursday, marking the third time he tallied 20-plus inside these previous six begins.
Pairing the wholesome variations of Strider, Sale and Schwellenbach would give the Braves a robust rotation base subsequent 12 months. Grant Holmes has proven he could possibly be a key starter once more subsequent 12 months and Reynaldo Lopez might additionally issue into the combo if he doesn’t return to the bullpen.
Will Albies return in 2026?
This could have appeared to be a ridiculous query a pair years in the past. However that was earlier than the 28-year-old’s manufacturing swiftly declined over these previous two seasons. His go-ahead, seventh-inning homer off A’s right-handed reliever J.T. Ginn was his first residence run and sixth extra-base hit inside a span of 136 at-bats going again to Could 29.
Albies has a $7 million choice ($4 million buyout) for subsequent season. The .604 OPS he carried into Thursday ranked 148th out of 155 certified gamers. The .514 OPS he had since June 1 ranked 177 out of 181 certified gamers inside this span.
Will Jurickson Profar stay as much as his deal?
However Profar is beginning to present he could possibly be an asset transferring ahead. His two-run homer in Thursday’s fourth inning gave him three residence runs by way of his first 32 at-bats since coming back from his suspension. Braves left fielders mixed to hit two homers in 324 at-bats earlier than he returned.
Having a productive Profar and Ronald Acuña Jr. on the nook outfield spots ought to bolster subsequent 12 months’s lineup as nicely.
“I need to be the perfect I can to assist the crew,” Profar mentioned. “We’d like wins.”
