Let’s not sugarcoat it: The Atlanta Braves were on the verge of picking up their 14th loss of the season on Friday night to the 7-12 Minnesota Twins — a team that came into the game with just a 3-7 road record. Bryce Elder was getting shelled again, Alex Verdugo went 0-for-5 from the leadoff spot in his Braves debut and the energy felt like it was sucked out of the ballpark for seven and a half innings.
In short, it looked exactly like the losses that have plagued this team since Opening Day, the type of game that would end with Braves manager Brian Snitker having to answer the same old questions about Atlanta's myriad problems. If Snit can’t figure out how to string multiple series wins together, he’s going to have to explain why Elder keeps getting starts, why he can’t find a consistent leadoff hitter to set the table and how a team this talented continues to struggle mightily.
But then the eighth inning happened – and the ghosts of 2024 re-entered the ballpark in 2025, and they brought their bats with them.
A five-run rally out of nowhere turned another inexcusable loss into a wild 6-4 win. The comeback was headlined by Michael Harris II and Drake Baldwin, who both tallied two-RBI singles in the eighth to seal the deal for Atlanta.
Don’t get me wrong: I’ll take the win any day for my hometown team, and they deserve a lot of credit for their fight and resiliency. But that comeback bailed Snit out from what could have been a lot of tough questions that would have led to some soul-searching for the coaching staff, players and GM Alex Anthopoulos.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Braves rotation, lineup still face tough questions despite Twins win
Let’s start with Elder. The command was inconsistent, and he couldn’t seem to throw any off-speed pitches to left-handed hitters other than a floating changeup. He allowed four earned runs in five innings, bringing him to a total of 12 earned runs over 15 innings on the season and an ERA of 7.20. Yeah, it's not great.
Then there’s the curse of the leadoff spot, which was thought to be resolved by the presence of Verdugo. I like the guy, but going 0-for-5 atop the order is simply not good. I hate to say it, but it seems the leadoff spot will only be effective with No. 13 in it. The only issue is that the Braves need him now, and we don't know how he'll transition back to the lineup as he comes back from another ACL tear.
Friday's win did wonders for the Braves' morale, and it wouldn't be a surprise if it was finally the wake-up call Atlanta needed to get hot. But one inning does not a complete team make.