Through the 6.5 innings of their matchup on Saturday against the Red Sox, the Atlanta Braves were firmly in control. The Braves were up 6-2 after an excellent start from Grant Holmes and homers from Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna, and Drake Baldwin. However what unfortunately unfolded next was not only a bullpen implosion for the ages, but also a series of decisions by manager Brian Snitker that raised some pretty serious concerns about this group of Braves relievers.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Atlanta brought Aaron Bummer with a couple of tough lefties coming up which made sense. However, Bummer gave up a pair of hits and Snitker opted to go with Enyel De Los Santos which was curious with better options in the bullpen. De Los Santos immediately gave up a RBI double to make the margin three. Then, the eighth inning went to...Rafael Montero? Montero would leave the game with runners on second and third with two outs and thankfully the Braves' best reliever in 2025, Pierce Johnson, mercifully entered the game...only for him to give up the game-tying hit and then a walk-off homer to Rafael Devers in the ninth.
You see the problem here? Where were Scott Blewett, Daysbel Hernandez, Dylan Lee, or Raisel Iglesias? Well, as it turns out, the Braves were playing with one arm tied behind their back against Boston as Snitker revealed after the game that Iglesias, Lee, and Hernandez were all unavailable and that should have fans concerned.
The Braves were staying away from Iggy, Daysbel and Lee tonight. They'd planned to use Pierce Johnson for the ninth.
— Gabe Burns (@GabeBurnsAJC) May 18, 2025
Braves' bullpen being shorthanded implies something isn't right with their relief corps
Now, there is a rational explanation for holding those three guys back. Iglesias had pitched on back-to-back nights and Hernandez had thrown 23 pitches the night before. If Atlanta decided before the game that they were going to stay away from those guys because they were gassed after this long stretch without an off day, so be it.
However, that explanation doesn't quite pass muster. Sure, you can make a case for days off for Iglesias and Hernandez, but Lee last pitched on May 15 and Blewett has inexplicably not pitched since May 10. Moreover, the Braves finally have an off day coming up Monday, so why the urgency for a day off on Saturday? It didn't help that it felt like Snitker was a bit vague after the game explaining the decision when he said, ""We're staying away from a bunch of guys, and just hoping to, you know, get through it somehow."
It feels like there is more going on with the Braves bullpen than just a scheduled day off. It wouldn't be all that shocking if hear that one or two of these guys are sick and/or banged up here soon. If that is the case, Braves fans may just have to hope that Craig Kimbrel and/or Jhancarlos Lara are ready for the big lights here soon.