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New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Braves takeaways: Why their approach to situational hitting must improve in 2026
ATLANTA — Assuming the Atlanta Braves bring back hitting coach Tim Hyers next season, since firing the hitting coach in consecutive years wouldn't reflect well on organizational stability, there will be plenty of work to do in terms of changing many players' approach to situational hitting. That was apparent yet again during the series loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, which ended Wednesday. The Braves stranded 14 of their 16 runners who reached base in Tuesday's 7-2 loss, when they went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Advertisement They lost 5-4 on Wednesday to complete the sweep, the Braves' 13th loss in 17 games since the All-Star break. Their woeful RISP work in the series continued a trend that began early in 2024 under previous hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. It's remained a major flaw for Hyers' hitters in 2025 — a season that's been disappointing on so many levels for Atlanta, a popular preseason pennant pick that now has the majors' fourth-worst record (47-66). #Braves' Chris Sale will throw live batting practice Thursday. No set plan after that, re: whether he'd throw another live BP, but Snitker said he would probably make at least one rehab start before returning. — David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 6, 2025 An injury-depleted rotation. A worn and fading bullpen. And hitters who fail to capitalize on scoring chances again and again. Add it up, and the result is a debacle of a season, hardly the way Brian Snitker hoped to go out in what is expected to be the 69-year-old manager's final season at the helm. The Braves are not good at advancing runners into scoring position, or at getting them in from third with less than two outs, or at most anything else involving situational hitting. They swing for the fences. They don't shorten swings with two strikes or put the ball in play when a strikeout is the one thing they need to avoid. They have the third-fewest sacrifice flies in the majors. And on and on. But arguably their most glaring offensive deficiency is hitting with runners in scoring position. Only a few Braves have been good at it, and too many of them cost the team repeatedly in close games when merely decent RISP hitting would make a difference. Just look at the Braves' record in games decided by one or two runs: 19-38. That's not just a product of shaky relief pitching. Because the bullpen was good for much of the season before faltering under an increased workload, injuries, and reliance on journeymen signed on the cheap to plug holes. Advertisement But the RISP hitting has been bad since the team's 0-7 start to the season. The fact that the Braves used to do it so well not long ago has only made it more exasperating for fans to see them flounder repeatedly in those key situations for the past couple of seasons. During a span of nearly 900 games from the beginning of the 2018 season through April 30, 2024, the Braves hit a robust .271 with a .355 OBP and .462 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position, the average and OPS (.817) both third-best in MLB in that span behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros. But beginning May 1 last season, the Braves hit .236 with a .310 OBP and .383 slugging (.693 OPS) with runners in scoring position in 246 games before Wednesday. Their average in those situations was third-lowest in the majors, ahead of only the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox. In their 65 losses this season before Wednesday, the Braves hit an anemic .171 with a .505 OPS in RISP situations. Their .699 OPS with runners in scoring position this season is eighth-lowest in the majors, one spot behind the Minnesota Twins, who just blew up their team at the trade deadline by dealing away 11 players. And that's with four Braves — Austin Riley, Sean Murphy, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies — hitting a combined .290 with a .374 OBP and .453 slugging in RISP situations before Wednesday, which is solid if not consistent work from that group. All other Braves had a dreadful .204 combined average and .612 OPS in 549 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Eleven days after Grant Holmes exited a start with elbow pain diagnosed as a partial tear of the UCL, the Braves pitcher on Wednesday discussed his decision to opt out of surgery and enter a program of rest, treatment and rehab in hopes of returning a year or more sooner than he might from a Tommy John or internal-brace procedure. Advertisement 'If everything goes well, I'll be throwing simulated games at the beginning of November,' said Holmes, who would be out 12-16 months if he had surgery, but could be ready well before spring training if this program works. Holmes, 29, met with two orthopedic surgeons, including renowned Los Angeles surgeon Neal ElAttrache and the Braves' team doctor, to get opinions. He said two of the three were more optimistic than the other about his chances of recovering from the partial tear without surgery. There have been plenty of pitchers who've continued to compete at a high level after partial UCL tears and no surgery. Among the more notable ones were late Hall of Famer Roy Halladay, who won his second Cy Young Award four years after a partial UCL tear, Masahiro Tanaka and Ervin Santana. Holmes said the doctors didn't cite specific pitchers who've thrived without surgery, but he said he found their stories. 'They didn't really point them out, but I obviously did my own research and saw some of those guys that had success with it,' he said. 'That was good, reading those articles. Obviously there are articles (about pitchers who) didn't have success. But I like to think I recover pretty well. And I've always had a rubber arm. 'So, I feel like I've got a pretty good chance. I mean, some people have pitched with a blown-up UCL. And mine's not blown up.' Holmes was shown the MRI and partial tear. By then, it had been a few days since he left his July 26 start at Texas with discomfort, but not the numbness or tingling that pitchers typically describe after fully tearing the UCL. Holmes said at that point, he was already feeling much better. He also never felt a pop in the elbow that pitchers describe from a complete tear. After getting the MRI, Holmes began asking whether avoiding surgery was an option. After hearing it was, he decided that's the route he'd take. Advertisement Whether he had Tommy John surgery now or in a few months, he was going to miss the entire 2026 season anyway. If in a few months the elbow is not progressing, Holmes said he could have surgery then. But for now, he likes the idea of not missing any of next season, of being fully recovered well before spring training. 'If I can avoid the knife as long as possible, that's the route I want to take,' he said. 'I haven't had any surgeries yet, thankfully, and I'm trying to keep it that way.' Besides doctors, Holmes also talked to three fellow Braves starting pitchers, all of whom have had Tommy John surgery years ago: Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider, who had TJ surgery in 2019 and internal-brace surgery in April 2024, the latter sidelining Strider for 12 months. 'They said there's no harm in just waiting it out, seeing what happens,' Holmes said. 'So it was nice hearing that from other guys as well.' Holmes said for now, he's mostly resting and getting treatment in the training room. The next step will be slowly working to strengthen the flexor and forearm muscles, and if all goes as planned, he'll resume throwing in six weeks. Sale will throw live batting practice Thursday at Truist Park, the next step in his return to the rotation after being sidelined seven weeks with rib fractures. The news wasn't nearly as positive for set-up reliever Joe Jiménez, who has spent the season on the IL recovering from October knee surgery. He had soreness in the knee during a recent bullpen session at the Braves' spring training headquarters in Florida and has been shut down for an undetermined period until the knee improves. That decreases the chances of Jiménez returning to pitch at some point in late August or September, as he had hoped. Advertisement With Sale, provided there are no setbacks, he could be back by late August. He might throw another live BP after Thursday, or move directly to a minor-league rehab start. Snitker said Sale likely would make at least one minor-league rehab start before returning to the Braves' rotation. The 36-year-old lefty, who won the NL Cy Young Award last season in his first year with the Braves, was placed on the 60-day IL retroactive to June 19, so the earliest he's eligible to return is a couple of weeks. (Top photo of Marcell Ozuna: Dale Zanine / Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Braves takeaways: Olson, Sale make All-Star team, Holmes gets no support from anemic offense
ATLANTA – A few hours after Kevin Seitzer was fired as Atlanta Braves hitting coach on Oct. 10, he told The Athletic, 'It was the hardest season of my life, because guys were trying so hard and couldn't get going, and I couldn't get them to (not press). If they can find somebody to get these guys to not try so hard, that needs to be the guy they hire. Advertisement 'You can talk about mechanics until the cows come home, but this was all between the ears.' Two weeks later, the Braves named Tim Hyers as Seitzer's replacement. So far, the move has been a complete misfire. Hyers, 53, was hitting coach of World Series championship teams with Boston in 2018 and Texas in 2023, but the Braves are mired in their worst offensive season since 2016, two years before they began their streaks of six consecutive NL East titles and seven postseason appearances. The division-title run ended last season, and the postseason streak is now in peril for the Braves, who lost 2-1 Sunday to complete a sweep by the Baltimore Orioles at Truist Park, It was the ninth loss in 11 games for the Braves and sixth time they scored one or no runs in that stretch, and it dropped them to 11 games under .500, their most below break-even since the 2017 team finished 72-90. They also slipped to 11-22 in one-run games, the most such losses in the majors. The Braves have 27 runs in their past 11 games. Seven of those were in one inning Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels on a grand slam from Matt Olson and three-run homer from Sean Murphy, who homered again in the ninth inning Sunday to avoid a fourth shutout in 10 games. This team doesn't score much outside of home runs. It's an even worse situational hitting team than in 2024, when poor results in those areas, along with extended slumps by multiple players, were reasons the Braves decided to dump Seitzer after 10 mostly successful seasons and a World Series title in 2021. That included a 2023 season when the Braves tied an MLB record with 307 homers and became the first team to slug .500 or better (.501). But after last season, they decided to go in a new direction and to stress situational hitting, patience and hitting for more contact rather than focusing so much on power. Advertisement The hitting coach changed, but the direction didn't. The Braves' lineup has performed far below its perceived talent level, and stats in various clutch-hitting categories would suggest it's still, as Seitzer said, between their ears. At least the Braves hope so, since a couple of their worst-performing hitters are Michael Harris II, who is signed through 2030 with two team options beyond that, and Ozzie Albies, who has two $7 million team options left on his contract including a $4 million buyout for next year's. Olson and injured ace Chris Sale were selected to the NL All-Star team Sunday, when position-player reserves and pitchers were named. They'll join teammate Ronald Acuña Jr., named a starter Wednesday for the July 15 All-Star Game in Atlanta at the Braves' home ballpark. It's Acuña's fifth All-Star berth, all by fan voting, and the ninth for Sale, who made seven consecutive AL All-Star teams in 2012-2018 and was an All-Star and Cy Young Award winner last year in his first season with the Braves. It's Olson's third All-Star berth and second with Atlanta, after he made it along with seven other Braves in 2023. This one is especially sweet for the three Braves with the game is in Atlanta, and particularly for Atlanta-area native Olson, who played at Parkview High School. 'Yeah, pretty cool,' Olson said. 'Being from Atlanta and playing for the Braves, obviously it's a special one.' Atlanta's own Matt Olson will play in the All-Star Game at @TruistPark! 🤩 — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 6, 2025 Olson was 6 when he attended the 2000 All-Star Game Home Run Derby in Atlanta at Turner Field. 'It's one of those full-circle things for sure,' he said. 'It's always special, but like Sale was saying, in the city where you grow up, being a kid, kind of hoping one day that you'd be able to do that. Being able to be there is special.' Advertisement Sale is on the injured list with a fractured rib cage and won't pitch again until at least late August, but was nonetheless thrilled by the honor for a second year in a row. 'I enjoy the festivities, and being able to be a part of an All-Star Game at your home stadium makes it a little bit more special,' Sale said. 'I was obviously especially excited for Matt, growing up here, having a lot family here, being able, you know, take his son on the field and get some pictures and stuff like that.' Sale and Olson started slowly this season, then went on tears to earn their spots on the All-Star team. After posting a 6.17 ERA in his first five starts, Sale was 5-2 with a 1.23 ERA in his past 10 starts. Olson hit .237 with 12 homers and a .788 OPS in his first 61 games, then .347 with 15 extra-base hits, 26 RBIs and a 1.045 OPS in his past 27 games before Sunday. He's also the top-rated defensive first baseman in MLB this season. 'We haven't had the best first half, obviously, and a lot of times teams that do what we're doing have one representative because they have to,' Snitker said. 'We have three that deserved it, so I think that's pretty good.' Grant Holmes keeps turning in strong starts for the Braves, and they keep providing terrible run support for him. The right-hander pitched six innings of two-run ball with four hits allowed Sunday, and the Braves failed to score while he was in the game and left him with another hard-luck loss. Holmes has a 2.36 ERA in his past six starts, and the Braves are 1-5 in those. 'It's tough,' Holmes said. 'You go out there and you expect to win, and sometimes it doesn't go your way. That's baseball, and we're going to go to Sacramento and hopefully get some W's there. You literally never know what's going to happen in baseball, and unfortunately we've come on the wrong side of it.' Advertisement The Braves scored one or no runs in six of his past seven starts – not one or none while he was in the games, one or none period. He's 4-8 with a 3.44 ERA this season, including 2-7 with a 3.04 ERA in his past 13 starts. 'There's always one of them guys,' Snitker said of hard-luck starters. 'He's done a great job. Pitching around traffic. It's almost like he does better with guys on base. He did everything he could to keep the game manageable for us.' The Braves have four starting pitchers on the 60-day IL, with co-aces Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow fracture) both transferred from the 15-day IL last week. Schwellenbach is out until at least early September and possibly for the rest of the season. After Holmes and Spencer Strider, it's a precipitous dropoff in the rotation to Bryce Elder and 20-year-old prospect Didier Fuentes, both of whom would be back in the minors if the Braves weren't besieged by injuries. They don't currently have a fifth starter and instead went with a bullpen game Saturday. For the series against the Athletics that begins Tuesday, the Braves will start Fuentes (0-2, 9.00 ERA), Elder (2-6, 5.92) and Strider (3-7, 3.93). If they don't make a trade soon, they'll dip down into the minors to fill the fifth-starter vacancy rather than do bullpen games each time that turn comes around. Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and Acuña were out of the lineup Sunday, Ozuna for just the fourth time this season – he missed the April 14-16 series at Toronto to have his injured hip checked out — and Acuña for the second time since being activated from the IL on May 23. Orioles starter Trevor Rogers was not disappointed: Acuña is a team-best 6-for-14 with three doubles, a homer and three walks against the former Miami Marlins lefty. Advertisement Ozuna is the only other current Brave with a homer off Rogers, who was 0-7 with a 5.57 ERA in nine career starts against the Braves before Sunday, when he limited them to four hits and two walks in 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Ozuna says his hip is OK now, but he's slumping like he hadn't slumped in more than two years. In his past 30 games, the veteran has hit.159 (18-for-113) with one homer, 32 strikeouts and a .475 OPS, diminishing his trade value if the Braves had any intention of moving him before the July 31 deadline. In his past 30 games, Ozuna has hit just .159 (18-for-113) with one homer, 32 strikeouts and a .475 OPS. Don't know if the #Braves could trade him for anything even if they wanted to. — David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 6, 2025 Snitker said he wanted to give Ozuna, Acuña and slumping center fielder Harris a mental break. Jurickson Profar led off and the Braves had both catchers, Drake Baldwin and Murphy, in the lineup for just the third time, Murphy behind the plate and Baldwin at DH. Harris and Acuña entered as pinch-hitters – Harris in the seventh, Acuña the eighth — and each grounded out, then stayed in. Harris batted again in the ninth and grounded out with a runner on to end the game, dropping his OBP to .235 and OPS to .552, lowest in both categories among all MLB qualifiers. Harris is 7-for-67 (.107) in his past 20 games and hasn't drawn a walk in 153 plate appearances.
