The Atlanta Braves find themselves in a tight spot after dropping Game 1 of the NL Wild Card series to the San Diego Padres. With elimination just one loss away, Braves manager Brian Snitker is staying calm and collected, heading into the crucial Game 2. Despite the tough situation, Snitker is keeping the team focused on a single goal: win tomorrow.
Now, everyone’s talking about the decision to start AJ Smith-Shawver in Game 1. With only 1.1 innings under his belt before giving up three runs, some fans and analysts are second-guessing the call. Snitker, however, had his reasons. After the bullpen imploded during the first game of Monday’s doubleheader, Snitker had to toss Plan A out the window. The original plan was to start Grant Holmes in Game 1, but with the bullpen in tatters, they needed Holmes in that doubleheader instead. The domino effect led to Smith-Shawver getting the nod for the Wild Card opener.
Snitker openly admitted that starting pitchers like Smith-Shawver and others are wild cards in their own right. “We don’t know any of those guys what we’re going to get when we start them,” he told reporters, which is understandable given the unpredictable nature of some Braves pitchers this season, like Bryce Elder, who’s been a rollercoaster when called upon in spot starts. Snitker also stood by his decision not to go with Ian Anderson, pointing out Anderson’s long layoff from major league action as a key factor.
But Snitker was clear on one thing: Smith-Shawver wasn’t the primary reason for the Game 1 loss. Padres starter Michael King was simply dominant, turning in one of his best performances of the season, and the Braves bats went cold at the worst possible time. “You’ve still got to punch back and score. It wasn’t who we started,” Snitker emphasized when questioned about the pitching decision. And he’s not wrong — Atlanta’s offense, which struck out 15 times, just couldn’t break through.
Despite the rough start to the series, Snitker remains optimistic. He’s taking it one day at a time, with full confidence that his team will bounce back in Game 2. “I feel good,” Snitker said when asked about the team’s chances. His confidence stems from the fact that ace Max Fried is set to take the mound in the next game, and the bullpen, which had a day to regroup, will be ready for action.
The road ahead won’t be easy as San Diego’s Joe Musgrove has been firing on all cylinders, making Atlanta’s offensive challenge even steeper. But as Snitker pointed out, the Braves don’t have to worry about winning two games just yet — their focus is on tomorrow. If they can get the win, they’ll live to fight another day, but it’s clear that Max Fried and the rest of the squad will need to be at their absolute best.
With their season on the line, the Braves are going to pull out all the stops in Game 2. It’s do-or-die time for Atlanta, and if they want to push this series to the limit.
