The Braves lost ace Chris Sale to a major injury and then fell 7-3 to the Los Angeles Angels on July 1. Can Atlanta's depleted pitching staff recover?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when it felt like things couldn't get worse for the Atlanta Braves' pitching staff, they did. The team was hit with a double whammy on Tuesday, announcing that ace Chris Sale was heading to the 60-day injured list just hours before the team's pitching once again faltered in a 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The day's events painted a grim picture of a team in freefall, with a depleted rotation, a struggling bullpen, and playoff aspirations fading with each passing game.
The loss drops Atlanta to 38-46, now 8.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot.
The biggest blow of the day came off the field. The Braves confirmed that left-hander Chris Sale has a rib fracture, transferring him to the 60-day IL. This move officially sidelines him until at least late August, a devastating development for a rotation already missing Reynaldo López and AJ Smith-Shawver. In a corresponding move, the front office acquired right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton from the Pirates for cash considerations and a minor league arm. While Stratton adds a fresh body, his major league struggles this year suggest he's more of a stopgap than a solution to the gaping hole in the starting five.
The grim off-field news was mirrored by a poor performance on the mound at Truist Park. Starter Grant Holmes couldn't find his footing, getting tagged for five runs in just 4.2 innings. The decisive blow was a three-run homer by Angels shortstop Zach Neto in the fifth inning that broke the game open. Even a solid night from Ronald Acuña Jr., who went 2-for-4 with a double and a steal, wasn't nearly enough to overcome the pitching deficit. The bullpen couldn't stop the bleeding either, allowing two more runs as superstars like Mike Trout (2 hits, 2 RBIs) feasted on Atlanta's arms.
In a day filled with discouraging news, there was one piece of positive recognition for the organization. Two of the Braves' top prospects, reliever Hayden Harris and starter JR Ritchie, were named to the prestigious All-Star Futures Game. Harris has been electric, posting a minuscule 0.61 ERA with a staggering 13.3 strikeouts-per-nine between Double-A and Triple-A. Ritchie, in his return from Tommy John surgery, has been equally impressive with a 2.51 ERA across two levels. Their success is a welcome sign, but it also highlights the current predicament.
The selection of Harris and Ritchie can't mask a larger, more troubling issue: the farm system's inability to provide immediate help. A recent analysis brought the Braves' lack of upper-level pitching depth into sharp focus. With Sale, López, and Smith-Shawver all on the shelf, the team is forced to rely on patchwork solutions like Holmes and trades for reclamation projects like Stratton. While Acuña is playing like an MVP, it's becoming painfully clear that his heroics alone can't carry a team whose pitching foundation has crumbled with no immediate reinforcements in sight.
Sitting at 38-46 and fading fast in the Wild Card race, the Braves are at a crossroads. The next month leading up to the trade deadline will be critical. Can the offense somehow carry this team? Or will Alex Anthopoulos be forced to make a significant trade to salvage the season? One thing is certain: without a dramatic improvement on the mound, this long summer is only going to get longer.
