Atlanta Braves: Three takeaways from the third straight loss to Philly
Mercifully, the season-opening series against the Phillies is over and like the previous two games, the Atlanta Braves were manhandled, dropping the series finale 5-1.
Ouch. That’s all that can be said after the Atlanta Braves were swept in Philadelphia Sunday night.
The offense, which had been okay in the first two games, was non-existent in the finale as Atlanta managed just one run on five hits and the run scored on a pass ball.
Top prospect Kyle Wright made his debut as the starting pitcher and he held his own, but more on that later.
The game was manageable when Wright departed with one out in the fourth but then…gulp…the game was turned over to the bullpen.
It was the same old song and dance, as the combination of Max Fried, Shane Carle and Luke Jackson walked four in 3 2/3 innings, while striking out four and allowing two runs.
Bryce Harper hit a mammoth home run off Carle in the seventh and Carle plunked the next batter up, Rhys Hoskins.
Home plate umpire Rob Drake tossed Carle, which Brian McCann took plenty of exception to and for good reason as due to the cold weather, both teams’ pitchers struggled with location.
Anyways, here are three takeaways:
1. Wright was alright
The young right-hander from Vanderbilt had a solid line, but not spectacular. He went 4.1 innings, striking out four, but also walking five.
The only significant blemish was Andrew McCutchen’s home run in the third inning, but what hurt Wright the most was the lack of command.
While hitting the mid 90’s on the radar gun frequently with his fastball, Wright threw only 45 of 85 pitches for strikes and often found himself in deep counts.
This is all part of the growing process for Wright and furthermore all of the young pitchers. The stuff is there, but the command needs to catch up.
Wright has the makeup and stuff to be a top of the rotation starting pitcher and it seems likely that he still will.
2. That Harper guy and a whole lot more
Bryce Harper in a Nationals’ uniform was tough to deal with, but him being in Phillies threads is a whole different level of disgusting.
With that short porch in right field, Harper is going to feast.
Not just because of his pure ability, but there might not be a better top of the order in baseball than McCutchen, Segura, Harper, Hoskins, and Realmuto.
There is not any guy to pitch around.
The homer Harper hit off Carle was a moonshot and that’s with the wind blowing in most of the night in Citizens Bank Ballpark.
The Braves have more than held their own over the Phillies in recent seasons, going 51-46 over the last five, but something tells me that will be changing.
More from Tomahawk Take
- Atlanta Braves Mailbag: New Year’s Edition
- Braves News: Atlanta makes a pair of trades, prospect debuts, more
- Atlanta Braves History: How the Red Stockings became the Braves
- Braves News: Atlanta Braves acquire Eli White from the Texas Rangers
- Atlanta Braves Swing Trade with the New York Yankees for Lucas Luetge
3. One collective deep breath for us all
Yes, that was awful.
Yes, that was disappointing.
And yes, that was embarrassing.
But there are 159 games left, with some of the pitching reinforcements coming soon.
The rotation showed glimpses of being quite good and the offense certainly was good enough during the first two games of the series.
And the bullpen…nevermind.
The sun comes up tomorrow and the Braves take on the Cubs on ESPN at 6 p.m.
Kyle Hendricks for the Cubs and Sean Newcomb for the Braves.
Win number one comes tomorrow.