Braves lose 5-4 to the Giants on June 8 despite a late Ozuna homer, extending their losing streak. The loss is overshadowed by a season-ending injury to AJ Smith-Shawver.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when it felt like things couldn't get worse, they did. A day that saw the Atlanta Braves on the verge of snapping their losing streak ended in familiar, gut-wrenching fashion—a 5-4 extra-inning loss to the Giants. But the pain of a seventh consecutive defeat was horrifically amplified by news that rookie sensation AJ Smith-Shawver is done for the season with a torn UCL. It was a brutal one-two punch for a team desperately searching for a lifeline.
We’re in every game, but we have to find a way to finish.
The series finale at Oracle Park was a rollercoaster that ended at rock bottom. The Braves showed fight, with Michael Harris II racking up three hits and Ozzie Albies adding two of his own. Spencer Strider was solid, striking out nine over 6.1 innings. The script seemed to flip in the top of the ninth when Marcell Ozuna crushed a two-run homer, giving Atlanta a 4-3 lead and a surge of hope. But the bullpen couldn't lock it down, with the Giants tying it in the bottom half before Wilmer Flores delivered the walk-off single against Dylan Lee in the 10th. It was another case of a win slipping right through their fingers.
The loss on the field stings, but the loss off it is a season-altering blow. The Braves confirmed that rookie right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver will undergo surgery for a torn UCL in his throwing elbow and miss the rest of the 2025 season. The injury, sustained after being hit by a line drive in a recent start, sidelines a pitcher who had been a major bright spot, posting a stellar 3.21 ERA across 11 starts. For a team already struggling for consistency, losing a key piece of the rotation is a devastating development.
Even the return of superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. a week ago hasn't been enough to jolt the bats back to life. The team is now 12-14 in May and mired in a seven-game slide, largely because the offense can't provide consistent support. This is made all the more frustrating by the fact that the pitching staff has been excellent, posting the third-best ERA in the National League this month. As Manager Brian Snitker noted postgame, the issue isn't a lack of talent but a failure in 'situational hitting and execution.' The Braves are getting chances; they just aren't cashing them in.
With Smith-Shawver's injury creating a massive hole, all eyes will inevitably turn to the farm system for help. While Triple-A Gwinnett continues to struggle, there's a flamethrower making noise in Double-A. Hurston Waldrep was dominant again for Mississippi, firing six shutout innings with eight strikeouts. With a season ERA now at a sparkling 2.45, Waldrep is no longer just a top prospect; he's a potential near-term solution. The pressure to accelerate his development just went from a whisper to a roar.
The Braves leave San Francisco with a 27-32 record, a seven-game losing streak, and a massive hole in their rotation. The resilience Brian Snitker talks about will be tested like never before. The offense must wake up, and the front office faces a critical decision on how to replace Smith-Shawver. Can a star like Hurston Waldrep rise to the occasion sooner than expected? The next week isn't just about snapping a losing streak; it's about saving a season that is quickly slipping away.
