A Luke Jackson sighting in a tie game, plus a couple of mis-plays by Whit Merrifield saw the Braves drop the series finale Sunday.
Reynaldo Lopez was brilliant over six innings, allowing just one run. Matt Olson hit a bomb to CF to tie the game and get Lopez off the hook.
The Twitter-verse was going crazy, criticizing Brian Snitker for turning to Luke Jackson in a tie game. Jackson was on the short-end of some tough luck – as he often is – and it started right away. Keibert Ruiz reached on a Merrifield error. One out later, Drew Mills singled. He then advanced on a passed ball. With men on second and third with one out, Luke spiked a breaking ball into the ground, allowing Ruiz to score. Jacob Young then doubled home Millas and Snit turned to Aaron Bummer. CJ Abrams singled home Young to make it 4-1, and the GNats added one more in the ninth for a 5-1 win.
Who is to blame here?
Let’s face it. Snit has to be able to turn to everyone in the bullpen. If Luke is out there, he has to be able to pitch. And today, he was needed. My argument is this is on AA. Daysbel Hernandez is wasting away in Margaritaville, searching for a lost shaker of salt or something in Gwinnett. Eat Luke’s deal, DFA him today, and get Daysbel on the Delta flight to Minnesota.
Oh, and let’s not forget the offense only mustered one run against a 23-year-old rook. The fact that this lineup is being held together by duct tape and baling wire leaves the margin for error finer than a frog’s hair.
Sure, the Braves drop the series finale, but they won the series and are still in playoff position. Fried, Schwelly, and Sale give you a good shot at three Ws in Minnesota before next weekend party in Philly.
Despite the injuries, if this team misses the playoffs, I think a 4-7 record (so far) against the Nationals will loom large.
Dylan Lee should have been available. We purposefully stayed away from Jimenez and Iglesias on Saturday but didn’t seriously give ourselves the best chance to use them on Sunday.
Agree 100% on bringing up Daysbel for Luke. A bad offense combined with good starting pitching means that almost every game will be close. And we can’t use our best relievers EVERY game. Which makes it all the more important to not have guys that you can’t trust in close games. And right now we have 2 (Jackson and Chavez).
Agreed. Luke is a sunk cost now so it’s even worse having him blow up games as well as cost us salary. Just DFA the guy and bring up Daysbel.
It’s not like Luke won’t pass through waivers. Let him go down and get right.
Jason Heyward was released by the Dodgers but you can have his Atlanta home for a cool $2.6 million.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1685-Mount-Paran-Rd-NW-Atlanta-GA-30327/35917901_zpid/