Atlanta’s World Series Hopes Derailed by Shaky Starting Pitching

The Atlanta Braves’ postseason hopes were derailed by injuries to key players, most notably their starting pitchers, for the third consecutive year. This year felt a little different though. The Braves’ rotation was the one dependable part of a roster, until it wasn’t. Riddled with injuries, the team’s chances at a run through October were slim.

What if Chris Sale, the Braves Cy Young hopeful, hadn’t joined the growing list of injured stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, and Austin Riley? That question will haunt Braves fans throughout an offseason that came far too soon, as the team’s playoff run ended abruptly after a 5-4 loss to the Padres in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series.

Manager Brian Snitker remained proud of his players despite the early exit. “I’m so proud of those guys,” Snitker said. “It’s amazing what they did to put ourselves in contention. We had a chance here. We got in the tournament.”

Max Fried, who was once a postseason hero for Atlanta, struggled again in what might have been his last start for the team. After getting hit by a line drive off the bat of Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first inning, Fried managed to escape the bases-loaded situation but couldn’t avoid further damage.

The Padres quickly racked up infield hits in the second inning, and consecutive extra-base hits from Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill broke the game open. Fried’s performance was enough to put the Braves in a five-run hole they couldn’t climb out of.

Fried’s postseason troubles have become a troubling trend, as he’s posted a 6.08 ERA in his last eight playoff starts. While his six scoreless innings in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series will always be remembered fondly, his more recent outings have left fans disappointed. After the game, Fried acknowledged the frustration. “It’s deflating and frustrating knowing that we played a good enough game to win, but I put us in too big of a hole,” Fried said. “It’s definitely a tough one to swallow.”

The Braves made a solid effort to come back despite Fried’s struggle on the mound. Michael Harris II, who had a standout three-hit night, hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to bring the Braves within one run. But they couldn’t complete the comeback, and for the third straight season, the Braves were eliminated in their first postseason series. Even the Padres acknowledged the injuries, extending their respect and good sportsmanship to the Braves. They know the Braves would have been a different at full strength.

Making the playoffs at all was an achievement considering the challenges this season. Six of the ten players in the Braves’ Opening Day lineup, including key pitchers, missed at least two months due to injury. Michael Harris reflected on the season, saying, “I feel like this was a pretty positive season, considering how rough it was, having the guys we had go down and never having the same lineup since day one. Still, winning 89 games is pretty huge for this team.”

One of the cruel ironies of the season was that Chris Sale, who had battled injuries for four years and been limited to just 151 innings over that span, had managed to stay healthy until September. His back injury, suffered during a start in Cincinnati, marked the beginning of the Braves’ unraveling. While there was initial hope that he might return, that optimism faded as the postseason drew near.

The Braves’ rotation woes only deepened when inclement weather caused by Hurricane Helene forced them to reshuffle their schedule. After failing to sweep the Royals, Atlanta had to turn to Spencer Schwellenbach for a key start during a doubleheader against the Mets. By the time the Wild Card Series rolled around, the Braves were forced to start 21-year-old AJ Smith-Shawver, who had only one major league appearance, in Game 1.

As the Braves head into another offseason of uncertainty, fans will once again be left wondering what might have been if their team had just managed to stay healthy.