Today's Three Things: Braves pitching pummeled by Mets in series-opening loss
This game saw a combined 37 hard-hit balls - no cheap contact on Friday night in Atlanta
The Atlanta Braves dropped their series opener against the New York Mets 12-7 in Truist Park on Friday night.
Here’s Today’s Three Things from the contest.
The Turning Point
The 4th inning.
Leading 4-1, the Mets immediately got to work to start the frame. Francisco Lindor singled and stole second, advancing to third on Juan Soto’s single. After a sacrifice fly brought in New York’s 5th run and Erick Fedde replaced Joey Wentz, the Mets kept piling on. Pete Alonso flew out for the 2nd out, but the bottom of the order stepped into the breach and kept the scoring going. A single, sandwiched by two doubles, brought in two more runs for New York and turned this one into a potential blowout.
While Ronald Acuña Jr. got a homer in the bottom half of the inning, Atlanta then had three consecutive groundouts to short to end the threat and leave this one with a wide margin.
Today’s Player of the Game
The left fielder went 3-4 with four RBI from the leadoff spot tonight, getting a two-RBI double in the 9th after twice singling in Nacho Alvarez after the young third baseman doubled himself on. Profar himself added a run scored in the 8th, coming around to score on an Acuña single.
Lost somewhat in the hype around Michael Harris II and his post-ASB turnaround has been the fact that Profar’s continuing to get hotter and hotter. Here’s his respective 30-game, 15-game, and 7-game slash lines:
30G: .274/.414/.521 w/ 7HR, 24 RBI
15G: .316/.458/.632 w/ 5 HR, 19 RBI
7G: .357/.471/.821 w/ 4 HR, 13 RBI
Despite the slight drop in his average exit velocity from last season, he’s actually hitting for a higher isolated slugging percentage than in his 2024 season that got him paid by Atlanta. If the Braves have this version of Profar (and Harris, for that matter) in the lineup next year, it’s over for the rest of the division as long as Ronald, Olson, et al are doing their part.
What You’ll Be Talking About
Joey Wentz is losing the magic.
It was very clear early in Wentz’s Atlanta tenure that he was pitching a bit over his head - he allowed just three earned runs in his first 18 innings, including 6.2 scoreless with only one hit against Kansas City in late July.
But Wentz was absolutely shelled today: six runs on nine hits in just 3.1 innings, taking 79 pitches to not even get through the fourth inning.
Both Wentz and Erick Fedde, now moved to the bullpen, were victimized by hard Mets contact: The duo gave up 23 hard-hit balls (10 by Wentz, 13 by Fedde). Both pitchers had average exit velocities allowed of over 90 mph, with Wentz averaging a hard-hit ball on contact at 96.2 mph on his 16 batted ball events. The duo also combined to allow 20 hits (9 by Wentz, 11 by Fedde).
If he’s going to insist on staying in the rotation, he needs more than 4S/cutter/curveball to be successful. He drew just six whiffs in 41 swings tonight, picking up only 12 additional called strikes for an anemic 23% CSW.
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 sending out newly acquired Cal Quantrill (4-10, 5.50 with Miami) opposite converted reliever Clay Holmes (10-6, 3.64). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 PM ET.
Have a happy happy B day with your son. Congratulations.
Could the magic Wentz is losing just be the “dead arm” phase? He’s pitching more innings than he has in years. I still think Wentz is a blessing, and I believe he’ll find a role in the pen next year.
Poor Fedde—he was thrown to the wolves. He was on short rest and left in to take that beating for 93 pitches; it almost felt personal. Now I wonder, when can Fedde pitch again from the pen? How do they not cut him? It feels like the pitching could collapse like last night every night.
The Braves have been very lucky with their pitching scrap heap additions—guys performing far beyond expectations. Wentz and Fedde have provided highly needed innings and stability (Cookie too, though on a smaller scale). This starting staff is basically held together with duct tape and chicken wire. With 30+ games left, it’s fascinating to see how long the tape will hold.
Looking ahead: Sale coming in, Strider—how many games will he actually start? Walrep/Fernando mania, Elder—good Elder or bad Elder? Wentz holding his breath. Cal—I’m not sure who or what you are at all. And whoever or whatever comes next… when a starter is DFA’d now, it basically means “designated for Atlanta.”