To build onto Tom and Lindsay, the GENERAL issue is "what happens to players when they begin spending time on the IR EACH year. It SEEMS that it begins a downward spiral for each until they are, sooner rather than later, out of the league. Nobody wants to talk about Riley's defense, which, this season is "below average" or "poor" on SAVANT (sp). Not to mention striking out almost 30% of the time and barely hitting above the "Mendoza Line". Acuna under .250, being picked off, caught stealing, defense slacking. Strider. Murphy reaching out for a ball to throw to second BEFORE the hitter swings. Little leagers don't do that. It just seems injury brings on other injuries AND some loss of "edge", or "it". My opinion is that the Braves have many holes to fill as I see the "Dream Buster" monster heavily involved with my beloved Braves.
I agree with most of your thoughts, Michael. In spite of Savant, I think Riley is a good third baseman but at he plate he looks like the proverbial 'deer in the headlights' and almost seems relived to get each AB overwith. My paramount reason for wanting AA to go big for an SP (e.g. Degrom, Skulbal) is that having such a productive first two months may not happen again for a long time - AND Chris Sale may start to decline next year. So I'm for going all-in to attempt to have two stud SP's for the duration and, hopefully, playoffs. No without risks, obviously.
AA needs to go. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles could see these injuries coming . AA constantly brings back the same cast of injury prone, strikeout swinging, and can’t hit with RISP players and expects a different result. What’s worse, we all know nothing significant is gonna be done at the deadline. This team is cooked. They’ll be looking up at the Phillies by the all star break. Very frustrating
Lindsay, the problem for Strider is, if we're all right and this is as bad as we think it might be, that he will be going into largely uncharted territory. There just aren't that many pitchers who have and a TJ, an Internal Brace, get re-injured and require a third surgery. From my research, it appears that surgery, obviously depending on the pathology involved, is a combo of TJ and Internal Brace and there simply isn't enough of a sample size to even speculate on what Strider's future might be if he does, indeed, require a 3rd surgery.
Very sad for Spencer. Very sad for the Braves. I hate to be the doom and gloom guy, but I am very much afraid that years from now we'll be talking about "what might have been" when discussion Strider.
Very sad turn of events for Strider. From a personal perspective, it’s hard to imagine what he must be going through. Potentially devastating news for the team as well. Unfortunately, SP injuries are a chronic issue around the MLB. And that trend seems to be getting worse. The number of innings covered by SP has continued to decline and is down again in 2026 to 5.1 innings. A trade would be great, but I think the likelihood of Braves landing a top of the rotation starter as low. Other teams have fans too and they don’t want to see their team throw in the towel. I hope it happens, but just don’t see it. The other option for the Braves is to stretch Fuentes out. A Holmes / Furentes combo to cover 6-7 IP every 5th day makes sense.
Agree with you 100%, Tom. With the addition of the 3rd Wild Card, almost no one is out of the race and pretty much everybody is looking for the same things - SP, RP, big bats. There simply isn't the supply, at least at this point, to meet the demand. Maybe more teams will fall out of the race as we near the Trade Deadline. AA has $18M to spend with Profar's salary and the luxury tax savings. Our farm system is the best shape it's been in in years. There is no reason we shouldn't be in the mix for the best available come the trade deadline.
To build onto Tom and Lindsay, the GENERAL issue is "what happens to players when they begin spending time on the IR EACH year. It SEEMS that it begins a downward spiral for each until they are, sooner rather than later, out of the league. Nobody wants to talk about Riley's defense, which, this season is "below average" or "poor" on SAVANT (sp). Not to mention striking out almost 30% of the time and barely hitting above the "Mendoza Line". Acuna under .250, being picked off, caught stealing, defense slacking. Strider. Murphy reaching out for a ball to throw to second BEFORE the hitter swings. Little leagers don't do that. It just seems injury brings on other injuries AND some loss of "edge", or "it". My opinion is that the Braves have many holes to fill as I see the "Dream Buster" monster heavily involved with my beloved Braves.
I agree with most of your thoughts, Michael. In spite of Savant, I think Riley is a good third baseman but at he plate he looks like the proverbial 'deer in the headlights' and almost seems relived to get each AB overwith. My paramount reason for wanting AA to go big for an SP (e.g. Degrom, Skulbal) is that having such a productive first two months may not happen again for a long time - AND Chris Sale may start to decline next year. So I'm for going all-in to attempt to have two stud SP's for the duration and, hopefully, playoffs. No without risks, obviously.
AA needs to go. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles could see these injuries coming . AA constantly brings back the same cast of injury prone, strikeout swinging, and can’t hit with RISP players and expects a different result. What’s worse, we all know nothing significant is gonna be done at the deadline. This team is cooked. They’ll be looking up at the Phillies by the all star break. Very frustrating
Lindsay, the problem for Strider is, if we're all right and this is as bad as we think it might be, that he will be going into largely uncharted territory. There just aren't that many pitchers who have and a TJ, an Internal Brace, get re-injured and require a third surgery. From my research, it appears that surgery, obviously depending on the pathology involved, is a combo of TJ and Internal Brace and there simply isn't enough of a sample size to even speculate on what Strider's future might be if he does, indeed, require a 3rd surgery.
Very sad for Spencer. Very sad for the Braves. I hate to be the doom and gloom guy, but I am very much afraid that years from now we'll be talking about "what might have been" when discussion Strider.
Very sad turn of events for Strider. From a personal perspective, it’s hard to imagine what he must be going through. Potentially devastating news for the team as well. Unfortunately, SP injuries are a chronic issue around the MLB. And that trend seems to be getting worse. The number of innings covered by SP has continued to decline and is down again in 2026 to 5.1 innings. A trade would be great, but I think the likelihood of Braves landing a top of the rotation starter as low. Other teams have fans too and they don’t want to see their team throw in the towel. I hope it happens, but just don’t see it. The other option for the Braves is to stretch Fuentes out. A Holmes / Furentes combo to cover 6-7 IP every 5th day makes sense.
Agree with you 100%, Tom. With the addition of the 3rd Wild Card, almost no one is out of the race and pretty much everybody is looking for the same things - SP, RP, big bats. There simply isn't the supply, at least at this point, to meet the demand. Maybe more teams will fall out of the race as we near the Trade Deadline. AA has $18M to spend with Profar's salary and the luxury tax savings. Our farm system is the best shape it's been in in years. There is no reason we shouldn't be in the mix for the best available come the trade deadline.