It is painful losses like these that leads me to believe the Atlanta Braves are not playoff-caliber.

As New York Mets fans do more cartwheels in the streets like Steve Spurrier used to say about the Tennessee Volunteers going 7-5 and winning a bowl game, what a terrible ninth inning it was for the Atlanta Braves on Sunday Night Baseball. Atlanta was tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into the final frame before the floodgates open for The Boys in Blue. The Bravos were engulfed by them.

Atlanta took the first two games of their four-game series at home over the Dodgers on Friday and Saturday night. With a chance at a series victory and sole possession of the last NL Wild Card spot in, the Braves threw up all over themselves. It all came down to a questionable managerial decision made by skipper Brian Snitker. He walked Shohei Ohtani to pitch to Mookie Betts. It was a disaster.

The Dodgers proceeded to score seven runs in the top of the ninth inning as a result of this strategic decision backfiring on him. It did not help that Jarred Kelenic forgot how to field his position in left field. Atlanta enters Monday night’s series finale vs. the Dodgers all tied up with the Mets for the last spot into the postseason field. These are the type of defeats that will crush Braves Country’s spirit.

Los Angeles’ bats were quite throughout this series, but the Dodgers took advantage in a big way.

This is clearly not Atlanta’s year, but how many winnable games has this team giving away now?

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to, our weekly MLB newsletter, The Moonshot and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Brian Snitker’s latest managerial special cost the Atlanta Braves dearly

While it would be great to see if this team has it in them to just make the postseason anyway, nothing I have seen out of the 2024 Braves leads me to believe they will be able to catch lightning in a bottle and push for the NL pennant. Although this race for sixth place has been quite entertaining, the Braves have historically played tight when the pressure is on them. They must finish the year strong.

Besides keeping the postseason streak alive, there are only two reasons I want to see the Braves play in October, besides keeping the Mets out, of course. Beyond personal rooting interests, I think NL Cy Young favorite Chris Sale should be rewarded with a postseason start for his greatest season to date. I also think the guys on the team who have fought so hard to stay in it should be given their respect.

Unfortunately, the Braves have been made it a point to be excellent during the regular season throughout most of Snitker’s near-decade-long tenure as manager. He may be the ultimate players’ coach, but you would think a baseball lifer such as him would have a better feel for the game in crucial spots such as this. Losing to the Dodgers is not my biggest issue; it is how they lost a winnable game.

Just when you think you can trust the Braves to start playing Braves baseball again, this happens…