
If you’ve followed the 2025 Atlanta Braves for even five minutes, you already know the script: wasted scoring chances, late-inning bullpen collapse, another notch in the loss column. Friday’s 6–1 loss to the Texas Rangers didn’t break that mold — but it did add a rare subplot.
As Rafael Montero walked in a run in the sixth — the kind of scene that’s become all too familiar — Braves manager Brian Snitker walked to the mound. That’s when Spencer Strider lost it.
And he didn’t aim his frustration at the usual suspects.
Strider Unleashes, and It Wasn’t at the Pitching Coach
Caught by the broadcast camera, Strider stormed into the dugout and made a beeline — not to pitching coach Rick Kranitz — but to the hitting coaches. Animated. Furious. Direct.
Braves fans online immediately stood and applauded (figuratively, and maybe literally). It’s not the first time Strider’s shown visible frustration this week. After Atlanta’s ugly series loss to San Francisco, he didn’t sugarcoat it, calling the team’s performance embarrassing. Friday’s dugout tirade, though? That was different. That was personal.
A Broken Braves Lineup and a Boiling Point

Why the hitting coaches? Simply put, the Braves’ offense was once again M.I.A. Despite nine baserunners and seven at-bats with runners in scoring position, the team scratched across just one run. And for a pitcher like Strider, who lives on precision, watching wasted opportunities over and over again clearly reached a boiling point.
The coaching staff under first-year hitting coach Tim Hyers has been under fire all season. While Ronald Acuña Jr. has bounced back in a big way, much of the lineup has regressed, and the once-feared Braves offense ranks just 15th in fWAR.
Strider didn’t have to say it out loud. His dugout detour said plenty.
At Least One Star Still Cares
It’s easy for a team to sleepwalk through the final two months of a lost season. It’s even easier when the front office is already rumored to be looking toward 2026. But Spencer Strider? He’s not built for cruise control — and Friday night proved it.
He’s frustrated. And more importantly, he’s not alone. Braves fans are right there with him. If Atlanta’s brass is watching — and they should be — this is more than a dugout spat. It’s a flashing red light that says change is overdue.