The Braves’ top pitcher and NL Cy Young Award contender, was sidelined with a back injury back in Atlanta. Max Fried, who started his career with the Padres and clinched the 2021 World Series for the Braves, was in the trainer’s room by the third inning.
Despite their struggles, the Braves nearly pulled off a comeback against the Padres, narrowing the score to 5-4 on Wednesday night. However, the Padres secured a win, completing a two-game sweep in the NL Wild Card Series and ending a challenging season for Atlanta.
The injury-plagued Braves managed to reach the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year, even as their six-year dominance in the NL East came to an end. Manager Brian Snitker expressed pride in his team’s achievement, noting, “We won 89 games. I’m so proud of those guys. It’s amazing what they did to keep us in contention. We had a chance here.” He added, “If we had gotten a hit yesterday or today, who knows, we might be playing tomorrow. It’s just how fragile and difficult this sport is.”
Injuries continued to plague the team; Sale missed a critical doubleheader against the Mets due to back spasms and was not included in the Wild Card roster. Fried’s troubles began just two batters into his outing on Wednesday when he was hit on the hip by a comebacker. After a brief check, he stayed in but later struggled, allowing a home run that tied the game, followed by more hits that put the Padres ahead 5-1.
Snitker acknowledged the Padres’ strong performance while also praising his bullpen for stepping up.
The Braves faced numerous injuries throughout the season but still made it to October. Spencer Strider, who had a standout 20-win season with 281 strikeouts, only made two starts before an elbow injury ended his season. Ronald Acuña Jr., the unanimous NL MVP in 2023, suffered a season-ending knee injury in May. Third baseman Austin Riley broke his hand in August, while key reliever A.J. Minter had hip surgery. Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II returned after significant absences.
Snitker reflected on the challenges teams face over the course of a season, emphasizing that winning a World Series requires many things to go right. “It’s hard to win a division and get to the playoffs,” he said, highlighting the importance of depth within the organization.
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