LOS ANGELES — Chris Sale’s try to distance the Braves from what has felt like a merciless April Fools’ prank was negated by an underperforming offense that was unable to cowl his one expensive mistake.
The season-opening nightmare continued for the Braves as they fell to 0-6 with a 3-1 loss to the 7-0 Dodgers on Tuesday evening at Dodger Stadium. Sale was bidding for the required shutout earlier than his former Pink Sox teammate Mookie Betts took him deep within the sixth. The 2-run shot was an excessive amount of to beat for an Atlanta offense that has totaled two runs over the previous 4 video games.
How unhealthy is it that the Braves have scored simply 9 runs to this point? Effectively, earlier than this 12 months, they’d by no means scored fewer than 10 runs by means of the primary six video games of any season. These two cases have been in the beginning of a 103-loss 1905 season and in the beginning of the 1980 season, when a Bobby Cox-led membership was shut out in three of its first 4 video games.
“We have pitched and performed protection nicely sufficient to win,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “The one factor we have not achieved is rating sufficient runs to win. It’s just about so simple as that.”
“We’ve undoubtedly been tried and it’s been robust,” Sale stated. “We actually haven’t performed nicely as a complete and haven’t clicked. It’s clearly unhealthy. However the excellent news is you look across the room and also you see who’s in right here and you realize, it’s solely a matter of time, proper?”
It’s protected to say the Braves are wanting ahead to getting again to Atlanta after Wednesday evening’s sequence finale in opposition to the Dodgers. They left their Spring Coaching advanced on March 23, performed two video games in Arizona and 4 extra in San Diego earlier than coming to Los Angeles.
“I’ve obtained the sensation that as quickly as we get dwelling, we’re going to be effective,” Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna stated.
Profar has been absent from the leadoff spot the previous two nights, however the offensive struggles began earlier than his suspension started. The Braves went 29 innings with out scoring earlier than Michael Harris II homered within the eighth inning of Monday’s loss. Their lone run on Tuesday was a present. Ozuna scored from second base when the ball slipped out of Betts’ hand and bounced towards proper discipline on a possible double-play flip.
Ozuna’s leadoff single within the second was the one hit surrendered by Dustin Could, who labored 5 sturdy innings in his first look since Could 17, 2023. The best-hander practically misplaced his life final summer time, when he suffered an esophageal tear whereas consuming salad. He was within the technique of rehabbing from a process accomplished the earlier summer time to restore a torn flexor tendon.
“Fortunately at this level of the season, now we have time,” Sale stated. “We don’t wish to lean on that too laborious. We wish to get it going ultimately. However now we have confidence on this clubhouse in who now we have and what we are able to do.”
Sale did all he might do as he pitched at Dodger Stadium for the primary time since recording three strikeouts within the ninth inning of the decisive Recreation 5 of the 2018 World Sequence. He joined Betts and their different Pink Sox teammates in celebration that evening. The Braves want to have a cause to have a good time quickly.
Ozuna has drawn 10 walks and constructed a .542 on-base share. Matt Olson’s .375 OBP has include the help of six walks and two extra-base hits. The opposite Braves have mixed for simply eight walks. This means pitchers aren’t too involved with what follows Ozuna within the cleanup spot. Who can blame them? Ozzie Albies ranks third on the workforce with a .481 OPS.
The Braves are an MLB-worst 1-for-34 with runners in scoring place. In different phrases, this hasn’t been a enjoyable first week for brand spanking new hitting coach Tim Hyers. But it surely’s not like his predecessor is experiencing something totally different. Former Atlanta hitting coach Kevin Seitzer’s Mariners are 3-for-32 with RISP.
“I hope I’m wanting again on this and we’re speaking about how nice it was to win the division after a begin like this,” Snitker stated.
