4 Atlanta Braves most to blame for eye-opening, embarrassing sweep vs. Dodgers

Despite all that had seemingly gone wrong for the Atlanta Braves, they entered this past weekend's series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with the best record in baseball. They were 20-9 despite slow starts from several of their key hitters and the season-ending injury to Spencer Strider. It's safe to say that their early-season momentum has disappeared after what transpired at Dodger Stadium.

Not only did the Dodgers win the series, but they swept the Braves. The Dodgers won the three games by a combined score of 20-6. They looked like the better team from start to finish.

There were a couple of good signs like Ronald Acuña Jr. showing signs of life and Charlie Morton pitching well against that loaded Dodgers lineup, but it was mostly bad for Atlanta at Dodger Stadium. These four players, in particular, deserve to take on a lot of blame for getting swept out of Los Angeles.

4. Michael Harris II has really cooled down after his hot start

At the beginning of the 2024 campaign, Michael Harris II looked like a man on a mission. He had a 1.009 OPS through the first ten games of the season. He hit over .300 to finish April despite starting to slump a bit. His series against the Dodgers was beyond ugly.

The Braves center fielder was hitless in his ten at-bats. He drew one walk. Not one hit from Michael Harris? Really? What makes matters worse is that walk came in his first plate appearance of the series. He did not reach base again. He did hit the ball sharply a couple of times on Sunday, but this is a game of results. Harris did not have any.

Harris being the No. 7 hitter shouldn't shoulder the most blame for Atlanta's offense looking unrecognizable, but part of what makes this Braves lineup such an elite unit is their ability to get production from all nine of their hitters. Harris has been one of, if not the weakest link of late, and was especially in Los Angeles.

3. Bryce Elder didn't give the Braves a chance to win his start

It looked like Bryce Elder had finally rebounded from his brutal second half and rough Spring Training. He was given the chance to start for the Braves in late April when a pair of Spencer Strider replacements didn't work out and pitched beautifully in his first two appearances, allowing just two runs in 12 innings of work in wins over the Marlins and Guardians.

Well, Elder learned that the Dodgers are a whole other beast the hard way. He was not good in the slightest in his outing in Game 2 of the three-game series.

After a scoreless first, the right-hander failed to kick things into gear. He wound up allowing seven runs on seven hits with four walks. He lasted just 3.1 innings. He allowed home runs in three consecutive innings. Nothing went right for him after the scoreless first.

Sure, the Braves shouldn't be relying on Elder against this Dodgers team to win games, but giving up seven runs in 3.1 innings doesn't even give his team a chance to win the game. Not only is he asking the bullpen to be perfect, but he's asking the struggling offense to score a ton of runs when the pitcher on the other side is Tyler Glasnow. Shockingly, it didn't work out in his favor. The Braves will need more his next time out.

2. Ozzie Albies had a brutal series against the Dodgers

Atlanta's offense has gotten off to an incredibly slow start, but Ozzie Albies was one of the few Braves doing what he was supposed to do. He was arguably the best hitter in the lineup before fracturing his toe and had hits in all six games he appeared in since returning from the IL including three multi-hit performances.

Albies was not the same guy against the Dodgers. In fact, outside of a sixth-inning single in Game 1 of the series, Albies was kept off the board entirely.

Overall, Atlanta's second baseman had one hit in 13 at-bats. He did not draw a single walk nor did he find another way on base. Not at all what Atlanta needed, especially with Acuña finally showing signs of life in front of him.

Albies went hitless in six at-bats with men on base including a key at-bat in the 11th inning of the series opener. When the top of the Braves order failed to come through that inning, the Dodgers won it in the bottom half of the frame.

1. Matt Olson continues to look lost at the plate

All of the spotlight was on Acuña last season, and deservingly so, but Matt Olson put up MVP-type numbers for the Braves as well. He led the league with 54 home runs and 139 RBI. He put up one of the best offensive seasons in franchise history. This season has been a different story.

Like Harris, he had gotten off to a fast start, hitting three home runs in his first eight games and putting up an OPS over 1.000 11 games into the campaign. Since then, he has looked completely lost.

He entered this Dodgers series slashing .206/.323/.383 on the year. He had not hit a home run in his last 93 plate appearances. Things only got worse for the slugger in Los Angeles.

Olson had just one hit in ten at-bats. His one hit didn't even see him stay on base as he was thrown out trying to extend it into a double. Yes, he drew a pair of walks in the second game, but Atlanta lost that game by nine runs and they're hitting him fourth in the order to do more than just walk. Since the first week of the season, he has not done much damage at all.