Braves Struggle as Dodgers Await: Can Atlanta Rebound?
The Atlanta Braves have had a rough start to the 2025 season, and things don’t get any easier as they head into a three-game series against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. After being swept by the San Diego Padres in a four-game set, the Braves find themselves at 0-4, a position they haven’t been in since their championship-winning 2021 season.
Manager Brian Snitker didn’t mince words when reflecting on the team’s performance. “We didn’t get it done,” he said bluntly after a 5-0 loss in the series finale against the Padres. The Braves’ offense sputtered throughout the series, managing just one hit in the last game and going scoreless over the final 22 innings.
The pitching rotation showed flashes of promise, but inconsistency remained an issue. Spencer Schwellenbach delivered an impressive six scoreless innings on Saturday, but Chris Sale and Reynaldo López both struggled to find their rhythm. Even AJ Smith-Shawver, who showed improvement from his Wild Card outing last year, allowed two runs over four innings. The team’s rotation kept them competitive, but without run support, there wasn’t much they could do.
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Hitting with runners in scoring position was a major issue. Atlanta went just 1-for-22 in those crucial moments, scoring only seven runs across the four-game series. Even when they hit the ball hard—posting a .412 average on balls hit 100 mph or harder—they couldn’t find the gaps or get the breaks. The frustration was evident when Marcell Ozuna got thrown out after an aggressive turn around second base in the eighth inning of Sunday’s game.
The bullpen didn’t provide much relief either. Héctor Neris, who was expected to be a key reliever, struggled mightily, allowing five of the nine total runs given up by the bullpen. Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer also had costly mistakes, leaving the relief unit as another area of concern for Snitker’s squad.
Now, the Braves must shake off their struggles as they prepare to face a loaded Dodgers team that boasts stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts. The Dodgers are off to a perfect 5-0 start, averaging nearly seven runs per game. Their lineup, featuring power threats from top to bottom, will challenge Atlanta’s pitchers at every turn.
Game one will see Grant Holmes take the mound for Atlanta against Tyler Glasnow. Holmes has limited big-league experience, while Glasnow is looking to reestablish himself after an injury-plagued 2024 season. Chris Sale will take the hill in game two, hoping to rebound against Dustin May, who is making his first start in over a year. The series finale will see Bryce Elder, stepping in for the injured López, face off against two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
The Braves have the talent to compete, but they need to flip the script quickly before early-season struggles snowball into a deeper slump. With their backs against the wall, Atlanta must find a way to spark their offense and clean up their bullpen if they want to leave Los Angeles with some momentum. Otherwise, their slow start could turn into a troubling trend as the season unfolds.
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