It’s always a good day when the MLB ERA leader takes the stage. Reynaldo Lopez enters today with a 1.88 ERA in 95.2 innings pitched, and he will face Hunter Green, who’s no clown, carrying a 3.34 ERA in 110.1 IP which includes 126 strikeouts. Today, well, is today, a new day but there’s no need to deny that yesterday royally sucked:
Missing 8 weeks means he’ll likely hit a rehab at 8 weeks and could be ready for the last few weeks of the season. Ozzie, even though he drives me nuts when he swings at pitches that are in the dugout, is my favorite player on the team as he just seems so happy all them and I’m going to miss his presence on the field. Ozzie Albies puts a cap on what looks to be a lost season for the team as the Braves have now lost Spencer Strider, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ray Kerr, and Tyler Matzek to the 60-day IL, while Sean Murphy, Austin Riley, and Michael Harris II have all spent significant time on the IL. Unfortunately, it looks like Max Fried might be following suit.
Next man up: Nacho
Nacho Alvarez should provide this team with something they REALLY need and that is a quality at-bat and a great on base percentage. He’s starting at 2B, a position he’s never played professionally, but how hard can it be? Ron Washington: “It’s very hard”. Whit Merrifield gets a job, Eli White gets a job demotion, and Forrest Wall loses a job. Brutal.
Looking to the Trade Deadline
With Fried going to the IL, one has to wonder if AA digs in and grabs another starter, one that is willing to stick around on a Charlie Morton-esque contract. Jamison Taillon comes to mind as a guy that is paid Morton money and would be a good anchor at the back end of a rotation.
Outside of pitching, I think AA is going to read the tea leaves of 2021 and get a hitter that has bit of “assholishness” in his DNA. There are several that come to mind, but one fun one could be Randy Arozarena. He’s not having a great year, but could be a presence that sparks a club.
I’ll Take the #2 With a Side of Nacho=
Nacho, Reynaldo Lopez, you’re up.
Merrifield got hurt in pregame. You can’t make this stuff up.
X-rays negative and he’s day to day.
Alright, Nacho… we need you to be our Eddie Stanky for at least 2 months.
Ready, steady, go…
In the seven seasons that Anthopoulos has been in charge, the playoff chances (and the vibes) at this point of the season have never been this low. Except for 2021.
Then what happened?
2021 was a long time ago. Hard to keep the seasons straight.
The Dodgers DFA’ed James Paxton. He’s not good, but he’s better than Bryce Elder and Winans/Vines/Dodd. Could help bridge the gap until Fried, Anderson, and AJSS are ready to return.
Why is Duvall hitting ahead of Rosario and Murphy against a RHP?
This team is honestly unwatchable unless Sale is pitching.
Lopez doesn’t have it tonight. This lineup isn’t coming back from 3-0 down.
Looks like the regression bug picked a bad time to strike.
Well now our starting pitching is struggling. That, coupled with our anemic offense, should make it even more remarkable if we somehow limp into the playoffs.
Adam Duvall is 0-for-11 since the All-Star break. Matt Olson is 0-for-14.
(Now 0-for-15.)
My goodness, this team reeks.
I know it has been brought up before, but how much longer before Seitzer is the fall guy? While we do have injuries, literally every player aside from Ozuna, TDA and Kelenic have regressed terribly this season. The ball doesn’t carry and we haven’t changed up our approach much. I know previous results were good, but Roger McDowell was good until he wasn’t. Just feels like something needs to shake things up and maybe that’s it?
Olson is 0 for 14? According to Braves broadcaster logic, he should “really be due”. Maybe we can expect a 4 Homer game any day now.
The 2021 Braves had some leaders. This team doesn’t currently have any.
Some negative vibes surrounding the top wild card team. I like a season with drama and I like an underdog story.
Not really sure where this team goes from here, but counting on any of the hitters turning it on this point is a bad bet. Think we more or less just have to ride it out and cross our fingers that we find some players in the off season for the OF and maybe SS.
recrapped, I mean recapped.