With over 4,000 games managed at various levels, Brian Snitker is no stranger to the pressures of leading a team, yet even his vast experience couldn’t prevent a costly mistake that impacted his Atlanta Braves.
Opting to watch the Braves in their first game of a four-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies instead of the Week 1 college football action, fans were left frustrated as Snitker’s decisions appeared to “flirt with disaster.” Despite Atlanta’s recent success, including a sweep of the Minnesota Twins and strong divisional play, Thursday night’s game exposed some glaring issues.
Known for his old-school approach and aversion to analytics, Snitker has been a tremendous manager for the Braves in the big picture. However, in critical moments like this game, his choices had fans pulling their hair out. Thursday’s game turned into a bullpen mismanagement disaster reminiscent of the Fredi Gonzalez era.
The Braves had been playing excellent baseball, but back-to-back nights of questionable bullpen decisions allowed the Phillies to overcome a 4-0 deficit and secure a 5-4 victory. Snitker’s decision to keep starter Charlie Morton in too long proved to be a crucial mistake. After Morton had thrown 100 pitches, a three-run home run by Brandon Marsh and a two-run shot by Nick Castellanos sealed Atlanta’s fate.
Following the game, Snitker admitted his error in judgment, acknowledging that leaving Morton in was costly. “We were flirting with disaster,” Snitker said, reflecting on the game’s turning point. Morton’s age and recent struggles were evident, yet Snitker hesitated to make a change, leading to the game’s unraveling.
Snitker’s bullpen decisions further compounded the problem. He brought in Aaron Bummer, a left-handed sidearmer, to calm the storm, but pulled him after just two outs in favor of rookie Grant Holmes. While Holmes has shown promise, the moment proved too big, and Castellanos capitalized with a game-winning home run.
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This loss to a division rival was particularly frustrating given its implications. Although Atlanta is unlikely to catch Philadelphia in the division, winning Game 1 would have been a significant momentum boost. Now, the Braves face the challenge of winning two of the next three games just to split the series, a task made more difficult by Snitker’s costly decisions.
With no Chris Sale to contend with in this series, it will be up to Max Fried and Reynaldo Lopez to step up and deliver for the Braves. As they head into the crucial stretch of the season, the pressure is on Snitker and his team to rebound from this setback and regain their winning form.
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