The Game
For the third day in a row, the Braves faced a Japanese pitcher. The New Yorker writer Calvin Trillin, on being confronted with his desire to eat Chinese food for the third night in a row, countered: “1/6th of the world’s population sees nothing odd about eating Chinese food every night.” So there are plenty of teams who face a Japanese pitcher just about every night, it’s just that there aren’t that many in MLB. Tonight’s opponent was Tomoyuki Sugano, whose name doesn’t remind me of WWII, unlike Isoroku Yoshinobu Yamamoto. There have been a lot of good Japanese pitchers, but I’m still a little mad that Hideo Nomo edged Chipper Jones for rookie of the year. Only a little, though. I’m mellowing.
When i was a kid, I could name every starting NL player. There are more teams now, and my willingness to study agate-type box scores has waned, but I looked at the 26 man roster and I only heard of a handful of these players, and one of those was Jimmy Herget, who no one has heard of me but me and his mother. (He’s the one I thought looked like a grownup version of the kid from Deliverance when he was on the Braves.)
Walt Weiss continues to take my advice, leaving Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop and tonight having Dubón spell Riley. I have lots more advice if he’s interested. Just express an interest in the post-game interview, Walt, and I’ll be in touch.
After series against Milwaukee and LA, the task was to suppress any overconfidence facing the bottom-dwelling Rockies. The good news was that the risk was so obvious that it was pretty easy to address directly.
On my broadcast, the booth mikes went silent starting in the bottom of the second. Thus, I was left to my own devices to watch Ronald Acuña Jr. score from first on a Michael Harris II double and figure out what happened. (That’s what happened.) The sound came back with Yaz up and Harris on third. He struck out, so it must be the commentary that’s been holding the offense back. OK… maybe not. Sean Murphy doubled in Harris. Kim was HBP, and a Baldwin single brought home Murphy for the third run.
In the third inning, the Braves did some small-ball practice. Acuña singled with one out, was sacrificed to second by Harris, and Dubón singled to bring him in. Seemed more like “proof of concept” than strategy.
On the other side, Sherlocks went unblemished through the first four, but a sac fly brought home Zac Veen, just as diagrammed. A single brought the Rockies good power hitter, Hunter Goodman, to the plate representing the tying run. A seeing-eye single brought home another run, bringing up TJ Rumfield (of the Bailey). A groundout brought home a third run. It was refreshing to give up three runs in an inning and not feel impending doom.
The bottom of that inning saw whatever glimmers of doom felt by the Holmes-haters subside. An Acuña double and Harris homer got two of the three back. (See? That’s why you don’t bunt.) A Dubón single chased Sugano. No more scored, but the lead was back to 3.
Dodd took the 6th. Kerr took the 7th. A sac fly yielded his first run of the season. One-name Mederos took the 8th. (Although if I call him One-name Mederos, that gives him two names.) He barely escaped giving up a run on a confirmed appeal. Iggy took the 9th. Hunter Goodman led off with a cue-ball single, but a double play ended the threat.
The good news: RAJ looked good, Murphy looked good. The Braves gave up 12 hits, but 11 were singles.
That’s five straight wins, and four straight against the Rockies this season. Pedal to the floor, boys.
4:10 start tomorrow.
And six straight games scoring first, most of the time in the first inning.
Amazing what a lead and six runs will do for you. Yep, six runs will get it done.
Especially tough for Schwellenbach. One has to wonder if they screwed the whole thing up at the beginning…
Medical & Training DetailsSchwellenbach Surgical Blow: Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that Spencer Schwellenbach’s persistent bullpen discomfort stemmed from a 2025 elbow fracture that failed to heal properly. While he originally avoided an operation last year and had bone spurs cleaned out in early 2026, a fresh surgical procedure is now required to address the fracture directly. He has not pitched in 14 months, clouding his status for 2027.Hurston Waldrep Needs Tommy John: Though not originally on your list, his medical path directly mirrors Schwellenbach’s. Waldrep is officially slated for Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. After experiencing a severe throwing setback at Triple-A Gwinnett, this major operation will shelve him entirely through the 2027 campaign.
So, basically, Strider, Schwellenbach, and Waldrep can’t be in the plans for this organization’s future. Alex has to operate under the assumption that you won’t get anything more out of those assets. You’ve got to add pitching and anything from those guys is gravy.
Schwellenbach, to me, is feeling like an epic flameout. He ramped his velo up to 100, broke his elbow, and now might go two years or more without throwing a pitch. Even if he gets healthy enough to pitch, how is he going to overcome the psychological obstacles, not even considering the physical?
Have they ever said what Strider’s injury is? Besides “inflammation”
There’s been no official update or diagnosis shared.
I believe Atlanta’s number 1 priority going forward should be a pitching coach or simply a training program throughout the entire organization that minimizes arm injuries I know injuries will happen but we have to do better. I think the Reds are doing a pretty good job with addressing injuries. Why spend so much money on getting elite arms if we can’t keep them healthy?
Just brutal for Schwellenbach. From Bowman:
Schwellenbach was throwing off the mound earlier this week when he felt some of the same elbow discomfort he felt just before Spring Training. After he fractured his elbow last year, the hope was to avoid surgery. The prolonged issue has left him no choice but to have a screw placed in his elbow. When and if he might pitch again is unknown. But he said he is determined to return at some point.
It’s pretty amazing what a find Martin Perez has been. With his five scoreless innings (so far) today, his season ERA has dipped below 3.00.
Death, taxes and the Braves offense doing bupkis when presented with a bullpen game.
I jinxed Martin. His ERA climbed to just over 3.00 with that run in the 6th. Thanks to Suter, one run is all he’s charged with.
Dogcrap AB from Yaz. Didn’t challenge the first pitch and looked lost thereafter.
If you have four umpires, Troy Johnston strikes out. But with no umpire down the third-base line, no one can make the call that he didn’t check his swing. Didi doesn’t look great in this role, but that’s terrible and why MLB ought to have a fifth umpire on standby. This isn’t the minor leagues.
Had em all the way!!
Recapped