The Atlanta Braves came into Sunday’s game mired in an offensive slump, having scored four runs or fewer in nine of their last ten games. Fans were hoping manager Brian Snitker would shake things up—perhaps by adjusting the lineup—to spark a stagnant offense. While benching underperforming players might not be realistic due to roster limitations, a new batting order seemed like a reasonable move.
Instead, Snitker opted to stick with the same approach, hoping for different results. The strategy backfired early, as the Braves couldn’t score a single run against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski, who entered the game with a 6.16 ERA and wasn’t even projected to make Pittsburgh’s Opening Day rotation. Although Atlanta mounted a late rally to erase a three-run deficit, they ultimately fell on a walk-off fielder’s choice, dropping the series to a Pirates team that sits at 14-27.
Braves fans are understandably frustrated. While they recognize that Snitker isn’t the one swinging the bat or throwing the pitches—and that his job likely isn’t in immediate danger—they continue to question his unwillingness to make in-game or lineup changes amid the team’s recent struggles.
Brian Snitker deserves some of the blame for the Braves’ lackluster offense
The Atlanta Braves, now ranked 21st in the majors in runs scored, are far too talented to be languishing near the bottom of the league in this category. Many fans point to manager Brian Snitker’s reluctance to experiment with the lineup as a key reason behind the team’s ongoing offensive struggles.
Take Ozzie Albies, for example. Once an All-Star, Albies had a disappointing 2024 campaign and has only gotten worse to start this season. Entering Sunday’s game, he was slashing .218/.276/.340 with five home runs and 15 RBI. His May has been even more abysmal, going 5-for-34, with three of those hits coming in a single game. Despite his prolonged struggles, Snitker continues to bat him in the fifth or sixth spot, and even had him lead off in Friday’s series opener in Pittsburgh. As expected, Albies went 0-for-4 on Sunday, stranding two runners in scoring position. Bench him? Probably not. But why not move him lower in the order until he finds his rhythm? That’s a question only Snitker can answer.
Then there’s Alex Verdugo, who was one of the few bright spots for the Braves after his mid-April call-up. However, entering Sunday’s game, he was hitting a dreadful .143 with a .411 OPS in May and mired in a 1-for-20 slump. Despite this, he has led off every game he’s started this month, continuing a trend of sticking with players who aren’t producing. As expected, Verdugo went 0-for-4 on Sunday, too.
Meanwhile, Eli White, who has been one of the team’s more consistent hitters, entered Sunday’s game with a solid .299 average and .882 OPS, yet he was hitting seventh, behind both Verdugo and Albies. Why? This lineup construction is puzzling when you consider the actual performance of those involved.
At some point, Snitker has to acknowledge that past All-Star status and early season production don’t guarantee continued success. Albies and Verdugo have both shown glimpses of being capable hitters, but right now, they aren’t getting the job done. The Braves’ offense as a whole hasn’t hit consistently all year, and it’s well past time for Snitker to experiment with the order. The worst-case scenario is that they continue to struggle, which is essentially where they are now.
A series loss to a team as underwhelming as the Pirates might be the wake-up call Snitker needs to make a change—whether it’s adjusting the lineup or finding a spark somewhere. The Braves have the talent to turn things around, but they won’t get there by sticking with the same formula that hasn’t been working.