Braves' top prospect gives Alex Anthopoulos even more to think about

At this point, I may not need to learn how to spell Spencer Schwellenbach's name because he is so terrible. The only answer he is for the Atlanta Braves right now is the name of the second Spencer to start games in this rotation this year. For as good as the combination of Max Fried, Reynaldo Lopez, Charlie Morton and Chris Sale have been for Atlanta since Spencer Strider's injury, this was rough...

Atlanta got spanked on getaway day vs. the interleague rival Boston Red Sox, 9-0. Just when you realized the Braves were playing day baseball during the week, they were already out of it. Schwellenbach did not give the team any chance at success. They were down big fast and it sucked the life out of the offense. Atlanta was shut out for the first time in over a year with only one base hit.

For a team with realistic World Series aspirations to start the year, this has been the most frustrating season to watch in Atlanta since they devolved into crap under Fredi Gonzalez roughly a decade ago. The offense is borderline pitiful at times. The injury bug has bit this team so hard in the ass. For as much as I want to say favorable winds will be on the horizon for this club, this just may not be their year...

With an ERA approaching 9.00, I cannot for the life of me see any good reason to let Schwellenbach pitch again.

Spencer Schwellenbach's ERA approaches number of letters in surname

I don't know if general manager Alex Anthopoulos is getting much sleep right now. The team he built is a mess, albeit a hot one. Atlanta is too talented to fall out of the postseason picture entirely, but unless this team gets exceptional starting pitching from one of the four aforementioned guys, this team is not winning jack squat. Anthopoulos needs to figure out the right mix of guys here pronto.

While everybody and their brother knows Atlanta has to fill the void left by Ronald Acuña Jr.'s second season-ending injury in right field, the last spot in the rotation has been a huge problem. It wouldn't be the case if Strider didn't need to have elbow surgery. Thankfully, the additions of Lopez and Sale have kept this otherwise disappointing team afloat. The team must have its come to Jesus meeting.

I venture to guess that Anthopoulos will work some kind of magic to improve this roster in the next several weeks. However, the worst part about Schwellenbach's latest bad start for the Braves is his trade value has taken a massive hit. He is one of Atlanta's three best tradable assets that are either down in the minors or retain rookie status along with Hurston Waldrep and injured AJ Smith-Shawver.

The only thing the Braves can do now is get right vs. the lowly division rival Washington Nationals.