The Atlanta Braves are floundering at 11 games below .500 with the All-Star break just a week away.
The Braves will take another shot at turning things around on Tuesday night when they open a three-game road series against the Athletics at West Sacramento, Calif.
Atlanta has dropped nine of its past 11 games, including the last four.
The offense has often been missing in action, getting shut out three times and scoring just once on three other occasions during the 11-game run that has seen them fall nine games off the pace for the National League’s final wild-card spot.
Right-hander Spencer Strider doesn’t see the team’s troubles as being limited to the offensive side.
“You never know whether the offense is clicking or not, what it’s going to take to win games,” Strider told reporters. “What I know will give us the best chance is pitching deep and limiting runs.”
The Braves held the Baltimore Orioles to three runs on Friday and two on Sunday while being swept in a three-game set.
Atlanta has been part of the postseason in each of the past seven seasons, including a World Series title in 2021.
But Sunday, Braves manager Brian Snitker was left to point out the team has three All-Star selections as first baseman Matt Olson and left-hander Chris Sale joined starter Ronald Acuna Jr. on the National League team for the contest in Atlanta on July 15. Sale will not play due to a fractured left rib cage.
“It speaks volumes to those three guys, because we haven’t had the best first half,” Snitker told reporters. “A lot of times teams doing what we’re doing have one representative because they have to have one. We had three that deserved it.”
Olson (17 homers) is part of the NL team for the second time in four seasons with the Braves. He also made the American League team in 2021 during his final season with the then-Oakland Athletics.
Olson is batting .250 (10-for-40) with three homers in 10 games against the Athletics.
The A’s have lost three of their past four games and sit 18 games below .500.
Sunday night’s 6-2 home loss against the San Francisco Giants included a fluke play in which Tyler Fitzgerald of the Giants hit a drive short of the wall but it bounced off the glove of A’s left fielder Tyler Soderstrom and over the fence for a homer.
“You have to create your own luck sometimes,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “I think that’s where we need to have the mindset to get through these times with these games when you feel like it’s bad luck, turn it around and think about how we can create our luck.”
The A’s have two All-Stars as designated hitter Brent Rooker (18 homers) was named as a reserve on Sunday to join starting rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson (.335 average) on the American League roster.
“Any time you get the opportunity, it’s humbling and exciting,” Rooker said of his second All-Star nod. “I’m looking forward to getting back. When I was there in ‘23, the reality of who I was at the time, I didn’t think there was a chance I was ever going to get to go back. I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. To be able to go back a second time is pretty cool.”
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs (6-6, 4.07 ERA) will start Tuesday for the Athletics.
Springs, 32, received a no-decision against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 1 when he gave up two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings. He is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in five career relief appearances against the Braves.
Atlanta rookie right-hander Didier Fuentes (0-2, 9.00) will make his fourth big league start. The 20-year-old gave up two runs and four hits over 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels last Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
