The story of the 2025 Atlanta Braves thus far has been a frustrating tale to say the least. So many things have gone sideways this season for Atlanta, and the minute they take a step forward they follow it with two steps backwards. It's disheartening especially when you realize the Mets and Phillies are quickly distancing themselves in the chase for the NL East crown in part because one of Atlanta's own coaches is getting in the way.
Atlanta looked poised to have a strong roadtrip after the offense woke up in Boston, but their trip to D.C. ended as you could imagine. The final game against Washington saw the Braves drop a 8-7 heartbreaker in extra innings.
It could have been an amazing ninth inning comeback momentum building victory for Atlanta ahead of the Ronald Acuña Jr. return, but the go-ahead run was cut down at the plate to kill the Braves rally. The reason...another terrible green light from Braves third base coach Matt Tuiasosopo.
Matt Tuiasosopo is costing the Braves games right now
The Braves entered the ninth inning trailing by one run with the top of their lineup due up. Sean Murphy got the party started with a rocket pinch-hit single. After a failed bunt attempt (please stop bunting), Austin Riley reached to put runners on first and second with one out for the red-hot Matt Olson.
Olson came up clutch and tattoed a ball into the right field gap. The double easily tied the game, but sadly Riley was thrown out at the plate as an aggressive send for Matt Tuiasosopo cost Atlanta. Situationally, the send was a terrible decision. Had Tui held Riley up at third, it would have been runners on second and third with one out for Marcell Ozuna. The Big Bear was 3-3 with a walk up to that point.
Of course, with two outs now, Ozuna was challenged to produce a base knock to give the Braves the lead rather than a simple decently deep fly ball. As we know, Ozuna proceeded to make his first out of the night and end the Braves chances at capturing a lead for Raisel Iglesias.
All of this comes on the heels of an abysmal send of Verdugo up in Boston. It's bad enough that these sends by Tuiasosopo have been with sluggers on deck, but additionally the runners have been thrown out with relative ease. The Braves aren't playing good enough baseball to throw away outs, and these over-aggressive baserunning calls from Atlanta's third base coach is costing the team in the win column.