3 immediate changes Braves must make after loss to Padres

Tuesday night was rough. There is no other way around it. The Atlanta Braves lost the game as soon as Brian Snitker let it be known that AJ Smith-Shawver was going to start Game 1 of the NLWCS vs. the San Diego Padres. Shockingly, he was not ready for the big moment and got eaten alive. He lasted 1.1 innings before giving way to the guy who should have started for Atlanta in one Aaron Bummer.

The Braves were always going to be behind the eight ball heading into Game 1 of their NLWCS vs. San Diego. They had to play a doubleheader on Monday vs. the rival New York Mets to help figure out playoff positioning. Game theory of both teams forfeiting a match would have resulted in the same outcome. Atlanta would be going to San Diego and New York to Milwaukee. But what about the fans?

As a fan of this team, the 2024 Braves have been the least fun halfway decent team to follow and cover throughout my adult life. I applaud this team having more grit than the sad bag of crap I watched unravel in 2014. However, this team is flawed and has the lowest ceiling of any team in the postseason this year. This team has been ravaged by injuries, but I respect the players' resiliency.

So with that in mind, here are three things I think the Braves need to do to have a chance in Game 2.

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3. Orlando Arcia needs to be more than a walking out hitting ninth

One of the most frustrating parts of this season has been the expected regression to the mean of one Orlando Arcia. He played so well a year ago, making his first NL All-Star roster. Now that the bat has subsided, his play at shortstop has been inconsistent at times. Again, defense is his strength, but he needs to be more than a walking out hitting ninth. My thought is getting him more protection.

With how well Michael Harris II has swung the lumber hitting leadoff, Arcia should be able to get more good pitches to hit batting ninth. Again, I don't know exactly who could be the spark plug to hit in front of him in the No. 8 spot, but the Braves cannot afford to come up dead offensively at the bottom of the order. Having a bit of bite in the bottom third of the order takes pressure off Arcia at the plate.

When every out is precious, I get continually frustrated when I see a batter come to the plate knowing he isn't going to do much of anything offensively. Yes, there will be the occasional big hit out of him, but we don't need Mario Mendoza playing short for us right now. We have to make due with what we've got, but Arcia has been a liability at the plate for the most of the season and it is what it is.

I don't know what Snitker can do to give him even more protection, but San Diego will exploit this.

2. Consider removing Jorge Soler from the lineup sooner than later

The trade deadline addition of 2021 World Series MVP Jorge Soler has been very much up-and-down for the Braves. I appreciate his efforts to man right field for the Braves after having only been the designated hitter for the San Francisco Giants prior to being traded over. Defensively, he is a liability, but it is his bat that gives Braves Country hope. He has just been inconsistent at the plate.

Roughly a third of the way through the game, the Braves will usually remove Soler from the game in favor of someone like Eli White to man right field. This is to get better defensively. Again, the Jarred Kelenic addition has come belly up when it counted the most for the Braves. Soler has helped offset some concerns from the plate, but you cannot advance in the postseason with so-so outfield play.

So what I am suggesting is that if Soler does not have it at the plate early in the game, I might pivot off him in favor of someone like White defensively should the game still be in reach. I trust San Diego's bats more than the Braves' to get a clutch hit in this series. Being able to keep one less baserunner from reaching could be the difference in winning this elimination game vs. going home on Oct. 3...

This is all about feel, something that I think Snitker is quickly losing touch of with his decisions of late.

1. Pitch Max Fried until his arm falls off in an effort to save the bullpen

Now that Max Fried has gotten his full five day's rest, especially after the fact where the Braves, really, really, really needed him, he needs to go out there and f*****g shove! This might, and probably will be, his last game in a Braves uniform. Fried is about to make bank as a free agent. Knowing all too well what general manager Alex Anthopoulos is about, I cannot wait to see Fried pitch for Los Angeles!

The best thing the Braves can do is take the game out of Snitker's hands. He has no feel when it comes to making pitching changes out of the bullpen. While Bummer was great, going with Smith-Shawver to start Game 1 was probably the stupidest thing I have even seen Snitker do, and I have seen plenty of dumb things out of him. Let's set Fried up for success to go at least eight innings.

The good news for the Braves is the Padres seem to really struggle hitting left-handed pitching for some reason. Conversely, the Braves could not hit Michael King's sweeper last night if you put it on a batting tee for them. Regardless, the only chance the Braves have of staving off elimination is if Fried gives Atlanta everything he has got, just like he did during his regular season finale for the Braves.

San Diego is the team that drafted Fried out of high school. Petco is a pitcher's park. Let's go, Braves!