Today's Three Things: Atlanta's offense can't come through in loss to Rangers

The Braves had multiple runners on base in several innings but couldn't seem to cash them in early

The Atlanta Braves started their nine-game road trip with a loss, losing 8-3 to the Texas Rangers in Arlington’s Globe Life Field on Friday night.

Here’s Today’s Three Things from the contest.

The Turning Point

It happened multiple times, but I’m going to go with the top of the fifth inning.

Down 3-0 and in danger of letting this one slip away, the Braves got multiple baserunners on early for the third time in the game - Michael Harris II led off with a single and Jurickson Profar drew a one-out walk, setting the stage for the heart of the order.

It was not to be. Matt Olson struck out on three pitches in the zone, including swinging under an elevated cutter and whiffing on a hanging curveball, on the inner third and thigh-high. Ronald Acuña Jr. followed that up with his own disappointing at-bat, getting four different pitches in the zone and doing nothing but fouling them off before finally striking out on a foul tip of a splitter off the plate down and away.

For those keeping score at home. Ronald also struck out in a four-pitch at-bat to open the 8th that featured three whiffs on fastballs in the zone before ending the game with two fouled off center-cut fastballs before whiffing on a changeup off the plate.

The most physically talented player in Atlanta franchise history, as some have called him, is now running a strikeout rate of 34.07% this season, the highest of his career by a full five percent.

Today’s Player of the Game

Michael Harris II.

Money Mike continues his offensive tear that’s come about since changing his mechanics - he picked up two hits, including a solo homer, and drew a walk tonight.

Since the All-Star Break, Harris is batting .308/.357/.538 with two homers. Interestingly, in both games he homered, he also drew a walk. That’s just the seventh time in his career that he’s done both in the same game, and three of them have come this season, with two happening in the last week.

That’s baseball for you.

What You’ll Be Talking About

The offense, once again, being pedestrian at best.

Atlanta finished this game going just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and that lone hit didn’t come until Jurickson Profar singled with one out in the 9th to bring home a run - the Braves were already down 8-1 at that time.

It’s a continuation of a theme - this team just cannot seem to buy a hit with runners in scoring position. On the season, Atlanta’s now hitting just .243 in those situations, good for 19th in the league. While several of the “aircraft carriers” have been okay in that regard, with Austin Riley leading the team with a .323 average and Matt Olson holding down a .299 mark, it’s an overall disappointing performance as a group and the team failed to repeatedly cash in their opportunities with two runners on in the early innings.

Looking for more discussion about this game?

Here’s tonight’s Postcast, with me and Locked On Braves host Jake Mastroianni, as we went live to break down the loss.

What’s Next for the Braves?

Atlanta’s back in action tomorrow night, hoping to get themselves back in the series with a win. Grant Holmes (4-9, 3.81 ERA) takes on Kumar Rocker (4-4, 5.66) at 7:05 PM ET.