The Atlanta Braves face a pitching crisis on July 1, 2025, with Sale & López injured. Can rookie Darius Fuentes stop the bleeding vs. the Angels? Read more.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
While Ronald Acuña Jr. is playing like he wants to personally carry the team to the postseason, the Atlanta Braves are facing a five-alarm fire on the pitcher's mound. With a starting rotation held together by duct tape and prayers, the team is in a desperate scramble for answers as the trade deadline looms, turning every game into a high-stakes test of survival.
We dug a big hole for ourselves.
The infirmary is overflowing with Atlanta's best arms. Chris Sale (fractured ribs), Reynaldo López (shoulder surgery), and AJ Smith-Shawver (season-ending elbow surgery) represent a massive hole in a rotation that was supposed to be a strength. The results have been brutal. Bryce Elder's recent implosion, where he surrendered nine earned runs in just over two innings, was a painful reminder of the current instability. Tonight, the ball goes to Darius Fuentes, who brings a staggering 10.80 ERA to the mound against the Angels. As manager Brian Snitker bluntly put it, the team is 'fighting like heck' just to stay afloat.
For years, the Braves could look to their farm system for reinforcements. That well appears to be running dry, at least for now. Years of trading prospects for big-league talent have thinned the upper levels, and the system is struggling to produce MLB-ready arms. While there's promise in players like pitcher JR Ritchie and outfielders Owen Carey and Isaiah Drake, they aren't the immediate solution. The most exciting name, 16-year-old Raudy Reyes, can hit 102 mph but is years away from contributing. The lack of internal options puts even more pressure on the front office to find help externally.
Amid all the pitching turmoil, there's one undeniable, electrifying bright spot: Ronald Acuña Jr. is back and better than ever. Playing at an MVP level since his return from injury, Ronnie is the engine of the offense and a constant threat on the basepaths. He's not just carrying the team; he's making a strong case to be a starting outfielder in the All-Star Game, which will be held right here in Atlanta. His performance, along with his confirmed spot in the Home Run Derby, gives Braves Country something powerful to cheer for in a challenging season.
Tonight, the challenge continues as the Braves host the Los Angeles Angels at Truist Park. The pitching matchup pits the struggling Fuentes against the Angels' Tyler Anderson (2-5, 4.41 ERA). It's another crucial test for a rotation desperately in need of a solid outing. Every game from here on out serves as an audition and an evaluation, not just for the players on the field, but for the front office as they weigh their options ahead of the trade deadline. A win tonight would be a huge morale boost, but the larger questions about this team's pitching will remain.
The path forward is clear, if not easy. With the offense firing on all cylinders thanks to an MVP-caliber Acuña, the season rests squarely on the shoulders of the front office. Can Alex Anthopoulos work his magic one more time and acquire the starting pitching needed to make a serious postseason run? The next few weeks leading up to the trade deadline will be the most critical of the Braves' 2025 season.
