As the Atlanta Braves find themselves deep in the playoff hunt, they were given a golden opportunity to gain ground in the National League wild card race with a weekend series against the struggling Washington Nationals. On Friday night, they managed to secure a win, but it wasn’t without its challenges—a recurring theme for the Braves this season as they’ve grappled with a relentless wave of injuries and costly errors.
One such error unfolded on Friday when Jorge Soler, who rejoined Atlanta at the trade deadline, returned from a hamstring injury to play in right field. Soler, who has mostly served as a designated hitter this season, found himself back on the field. The stage was set in the fourth inning when Chris Sale allowed a fly ball to right field that drifted toward the foul line. Soler raced toward the ball but inexplicably pulled up short. The ball landed fair and bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double, leaving Sale with runners on second and third and two outs, with the Braves clinging to a narrow 1-0 lead. The Nationals capitalized on the opportunity with a two-RBI double in the next at-bat, taking the lead.
Soler was visibly frustrated with himself and even apologized to Sale after the play. That’s understandable, but what followed from Braves manager Brian Snitker was less so. When asked about the play on Saturday before the second game of the series, Snitker’s response raised eyebrows.
Brian Snitker Defends Braves When They Need Accountability
When questioned about Soler’s misplay, Snitker could have highlighted the veteran’s accountability—something Soler had already shown. Instead, Snitker made excuses, claiming Soler wasn’t injured but had pulled up because he thought the ball would go foul.
But even if Soler thought the ball was heading foul, wouldn’t a catch in foul territory still have ended the inning? Soler should have been going all out to make the play, regardless of where he thought the ball would land.
Ultimately, the Braves tied the game in the seventh inning and won in extra innings on a walk-off error. But one could argue they should never have been in that position had Soler hustled on that play. Yet, Snitker is out here making excuses for a mistake that, frankly, is inexcusable. While it’s important not to publicly berate a player, there’s also value in taking accountability—something that was lacking in this instance.
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The Braves have legitimate reasons for their struggles. They’re missing key players like Spencer Strider, Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, and AJ Minter. Those absences undeniably make the road tougher for Atlanta. What they don’t need, however, are excuses for preventable mistakes like Soler’s.
Soler was out of the lineup on Saturday for a scheduled rest day following his return from injury, and the Braves managed to secure another win. But if this team wants to solidify its playoff spot, Snitker and the rest of the squad need to stop making excuses and start emphasizing accountability to get the job done.
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