<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-atlanta-hitting-coach-downplays-michael-harris-ii-slump');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves hitting coach downplays dreadful Michael Harris II slump');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Braves-outfielder-Michael-Harris-II-breaks-his-bat.jpg"><figcaption>Robert Edwards-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves hitting coach downplays dreadful Michael Harris II slump</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T14:08:24-07:00">June 30th, 2:08pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T14:08:24-07:00">June 30th, 2:08pm</time><address><a>Russell Steinberg</a>Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A baseball and basketball lifer, he has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and more. He graduated from NYU in 2012 and still returns to serve as PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Michael Harris II is just three years removed from <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-michael-harris-first-reaction-to-winning-nl-rookie-of-the-year">winning the National League Rookie of the Year</a> award with the Atlanta Braves, and just last year, he hit a respectable .264 with an OPS right around the league average. That’s why his woeful offensive numbers this year are so shocking — and why Braves hitting coach Tim Hyers is <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/michael-harris-ii-seeks-plate-discipline-to-fix-offensive-slump" rel="noopener">optimistic he can turn it around</a>.</p><p>“I think if he can hold his posture, clean up a few things mechanically and then get back to getting balls in the strike zone, I think this thing can turn around in a heartbeat,” Hyers said, via Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. “He has it in him. He’s super talented.”</p><p>Harris has shown that talent before, particularly as a rookie when he hit for an .853 OPS. Through 82 games in 2025, however, he is hitting .212 with a should-be-impossible .238 on-base percentage, largely due to a 3.1 percent walk rate. His OPS+ is only 55 and he has a 50 wRC+.</p><p>His troubles have only compounded in June. Since the start of the month, he is hitting .148 with 25 strikeouts, no walks and four extra-base hits. To make matters worse, the Braves are 9-14 in that time and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-rumors-insider-dumps-cold-water-selling-trade-deadline">fading out of contention</a> fast.</p><p>“I’ve had times in the past where I was struggling, but came out of a little quicker than right now,” Harris said. “So yeah, us losing and being in this situation isn’t the best. But, still got three months left.”</p><p>Harris also admitted that plate discipline has been a problem. Aside from his inability to draw walks, which has never been his strength, his hard-hit rate is down 7 percent from last year, his ground ball rate is up 3 percent and his barrel rate is down almost 4 percent.</p><p>“I mean, mechanics are going to be there,” he said. “They’re not going to change that much. You just have to lock it in on what location you want and look for something you can hit.”</p><p>As Harris makes things harder for himself, his opponents aren’t doing him any favors. He is also seeing fewer pitches in the strike zone (49 percent vs. 51.5 percent last year) and his chase rate has jumped almost three points with it.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves hitting coach downplays dreadful Michael Harris II slump

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-rumors-insider-dumps-cold-water-selling-trade-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves rumors: Insider dumps cold water on selling at trade deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Braves-outfielder-Ronald-Acuna-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves rumors: Insider dumps cold water on selling at trade deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T12:15:12-07:00">June 30th, 12:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T12:15:12-07:00">June 30th, 12:15pm</time><address><a>Russell Steinberg</a>Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A baseball and basketball lifer, he has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and more. He graduated from NYU in 2012 and still returns to serve as PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-brian-snitker-bryce-elder-real-chris-sale-injury">scuffling Atlanta Braves</a> are 38-45 and eight games out of a National League Wild Card spot. While there’s still plenty of time left in the season, you have to squint really hard to see a world where Atlanta makes a deep October run.</p><p>That doesn’t mean the Braves are <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/why-the-braves-won-t-be-trade-deadline-sellers" rel="noopener">guaranteed to sell</a> at the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/2-braves-trade-block-ahead-2025-deadline">trade deadline</a>, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.</p><p>Feinsand said he does not expect the Braves to be major sellers a month from now, and he outlined why in a column posted on Monday. First and foremost, the franchise has played from behind before. Three years ago, they trailed the New York Mets by seven games with 50 to play and overtook them by going 35-15 down the stretch. The year before that, they didn’t get above .500 until August. That team won the World Series.</p><p>Even this year, Feinsand points out, the Braves have been unlucky. Their expected win-loss record is 42-38, which would put them right in the playoff hunt. While expected win-loss ultimately means nothing, it does indicate that if Atlanta gets a few bounces its way, the second half could be a much different story.</p><h2><b>The Braves don’t have many trade deadline chips</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The-Braves-Matt-Olson-homers.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Feinsand also points out that the Braves don’t have a ton of pieces that would be easy to move <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-gm-addresses-chris-sale-trade-speculation">at the trade deadline</a>. The core of the lineup, including Matt Olson, Michael Harris II, Sean Murphy and Austin Riley are all either signed through 2028 or have options to stay that long. The same could be said of Spencer Strider.</p><p>Meanwhile, Spencer Schwellenbach, Drake Baldwin and AJ Smith-Shawver haven’t even reached arbitration.</p><p>That all bodes well for a Braves team that has had some rough luck this year but wants to contend in the future.</p><p>Feinsand concedes that Marcell Ozuna could garner some trade interest. The impending free agent isn’t having his best year, slashing .247/.373/.397, but he has a proven track record that includes three All-Star appearances and two Silver Sluggers. Would the return for Ozuna, however, even make it worth it to punt on 2025?</p><p>The next few weeks will provide some clarity there. But for now, don’t expect the Braves to blow it all up and start over.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves rumors: Insider dumps cold water on selling at trade deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news-ranger-suarez-historic-run-jt-realmuto-praise');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ranger Suarez’s historic run for Phillies draws high JT Realmuto praise');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ranger-Suarez-cover.jpg"></figure><h1>Ranger Suarez’s historic run for Phillies draws high JT Realmuto praise</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T22:00:17-07:00">June 29th, 10:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T22:00:17-07:00">June 29th, 10:00pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In a season filled with standout performances from the Phillies’ rotation, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/phillies-news-ranger-suarez-shutout-blue-jays">Ranger Suárez continues to separate himself as one of the most dominant arms</a> in baseball.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/phillies-news-ranger-suarez-ties-cole-hamels-quality-start-record">left-hander added another gem to his resume Sunday afternoon</a>, delivering seven innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts in a 2-1 win over the Braves at Truist Park. With the win, Suárez improved to 7-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to a pristine 2.00.</p><p>It was his tenth consecutive quality start, a stretch during which he’s posted an absurd 1.19 ERA — <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/ranger-suarez-strikes-out-8-phillies-win-series-vs-braves" rel="noopener">the lowest</a> by a Phillies pitcher over a 10-start span since Cliff Lee in 2011. Only Roy Oswalt (2010) and Steve Carlton (1972) have achieved similar numbers in franchise history since the mound was lowered in 1969.</p><p>“I think this is as close to, if not the best, I’ve felt pitching,” Suárez said postgame via interpreter Diego D’Aniello.</p><p>Manager Rob Thomson echoed that sentiment without hesitation: “I think he’s pitching better than I’ve ever seen him pitch,” he said.</p><h2><b>Ranger Suarez continues dominant stretch as Phillies outduel Braves</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ranger-Suarez_f7dd3a.jpg"><figcaption>Erik Williams-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>J.T. Realmuto, who caught Suárez’s masterpiece, gave a detailed breakdown of his starter’s dominance. “The way he’s been able to manipulate the baseball, mix pitches, and attack hitters — he’s doing everything you want a pitcher to do to be successful,” Realmuto said. “It feels very similar to what he was doing last year.”</p><p>That might be underselling it. Even at Suárez’s peak in 2024, his best 10-game stretch came with a 1.29 ERA — slightly higher than what he’s doing now. His lone mistake Sunday was a second-inning sinker that Sean Murphy turned into a 451-foot solo homer. Other than that, Atlanta barely sniffed a scoring chance.</p><p>Suárez got the run support he needed in the fifth inning. Bryson Stott led off with a single, and Otto Kemp ripped an RBI double to the corner in left. Kemp then scored what turned out to be the game-winner on a Trea Turner sac fly.</p><p>The Braves threatened in the ninth, putting runners on the corners with two outs. But Matt Strahm closed the door, getting Stuart Fairchild to fly out to center to secure his fifth save of the year.</p><p>Philadelphia’s offense hasn’t exactly been clicking lately. In fact, outside of Friday’s 13-run outburst, the Phils managed just four runs in the other five games on their recent 2-4 road trip. But the starting pitching — especially Suárez — continues to hold the line.</p><p>Since Suárez’s dominant stretch began on May 10, he owns the best ERA in baseball. Teammate Zack Wheeler is second at 1.50, and Cristopher Sánchez (2.72 ERA) isn’t far behind. The Phillies are the only team in the league with three starters who have sub-2.80 ERAs and at least 10 starts apiece.</p><p>“They’ve done a good job of keeping us in games,” Realmuto said. “Hopefully the offense starts heating up and we can give them a little more breathing room.” For now, Suárez’s brilliance is more than enough.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ranger Suarez’s historic run for Phillies draws high JT Realmuto praise

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-sean-murphy-breaks-atlanta-drought');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ Sean Murphy breaks Atlanta drought with massive bomb');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sean-Murphy-Braves-All-Star.jpg"><figcaption>© Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ Sean Murphy breaks Atlanta drought with massive bomb</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-28T20:59:07-07:00">June 28th, 8:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-28T21:00:24-07:00">June 28th, 9:00pm</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-austin-riley-offense-nl-wild-card">Atlanta Braves ended a three-game losing streak</a> with a resounding 6-1 win over the first-place Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night at Truist Park, thanks to dominant pitching from Spencer Schwellenbach and <a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1939130539300081726" rel="noopener">a grand slam</a> by Sean Murphy that blew the game wide open.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sean Murphy takes off 😤</p><p>It's the <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Braves</a> first GRAND SLAM of the season! <a href="https://t.co/M3FnC58zb0">pic.twitter.com/M3FnC58zb0</a></p><p>— MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1939130539300081726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-spencer-schwellenbach-strengthens-all-star-case-dominant-complete-game">Spencer Schwellenbach delivered a career performance on the mound</a>. The 25-year-old right-hander threw seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out a career-high 12 batters. This was his fourth double-digit strikeout performance of the season.</p><p>Schwellenbach previously struck out 11 in back-to-back outings on May 25 (vs. San Diego) and May 31 (vs. Boston), and fanned 10 batters on April 4 against Miami. With this latest outing, Schwellenbach improved to 7-4 on the season, lowering his ERA to 3.09 and notching his fourth straight start of seven-plus innings.</p><p>The Braves’ offense gave him early support. Ronald Acuña Jr. opened the bottom of the first with a single and scored on a pair of hits from Matt Olson and Austin Riley. In the second, Eli White walked and advanced to third on Stuart Fairchild’s double. Nick Allen drove in White with a single to left, though Fairchild was thrown out at home by Max Kepler, keeping Atlanta’s lead at 2-0.</p><p>Even with multiple missed scoring opportunities, including leaving runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings, the Braves maintained control, aided by Schwellenbach’s dominant outing. The Phillies only managed to score once in the sixth, when Brandon Marsh singled, Kyle Schwarber walked, and Alec Bohm delivered an RBI single.</p><p>Then came the decisive moment in the seventh inning. With the Braves holding a narrow 2-1 lead, Marcell Ozuna, Austin Riley, and Ozzie Albies loaded the bases with one out. Sean Murphy, who had not homered in a month, stepped up and crushed a first-pitch slider from Jordan Romano 455 feet to left field. The ball left his bat at 114.4 mph and was Murphy’s 10th home run of the season, as well as Atlanta’s first grand slam of the year.</p><p>Murphy’s blast gave the Braves a commanding 6-1 lead, providing the breathing room they had lacked in recent games. Raisel Iglesias struck out two in a clean eighth, and Rafael Montero closed it out in the ninth.</p><p>With the win, the Braves improved to 38-44, while the Phillies fell to 48-35, having lost four of their last five games. The two teams will conclude the series Sunday afternoon.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ Sean Murphy breaks Atlanta drought with massive bomb

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-austin-riley-offense-nl-wild-card');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ Austin Riley gets painfully honest on Atlanta’s offensive struggles');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Austin-Riley.jpg"><figcaption>Brett Davis-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ Austin Riley gets painfully honest on Atlanta’s offensive struggles</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-28T09:03:15-07:00">June 28th, 9:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-28T10:23:36-07:00">June 28th, 10:23am</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Braves are nearing the halfway point of the 2025 MLB season, and their offensive struggles have become impossible to ignore. Coming off a crushing 13-0 defeat to the Philadelphia Phillies, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-rumors-is-brian-snitker-on-hot-seat-amid-disappointing-season">Atlanta’s lineup woes are not only stalling momentum</a> — they may be putting postseason hopes in jeopardy.</p><p>In the midst of the downturn, third baseman Austin Riley stepped up to address the pressure and importance of staying focused. Speaking with The Athletic’s Mark Bowman, Riley provided <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6457851/2025/06/27/atlanta-braves-lineup-is-a-mess/?source=emp_shared_article" rel="noopener">some perspective</a> on the team’s mindset.</p><p>“We got pressure in this game always, so it’s just a matter of going out there and playing our game,” Riley said.</p><p>“We obviously know that facing a division rival is very important. I think the main thing is just going out there and playing our game. We’ve been playing some good baseball here recently so just try to build off of that.”</p><p>Riley’s message comes as the Braves’ offense continues to sputter. In June, the team is hitting just .229 with a .664 OPS — both among the worst marks in Major League Baseball. The club has been shut out multiple times, including back-to-back games against the Mets and Phillies and has managed only three runs in its last three contests.</p><p>Individual struggles are compounding the issue. Riley, who averaged 36 home runs per season from 2021 to 2023, has seen his OPS dip to .745 this year. Though his 12 homers and .267 average are respectable, he’s striking out at a career-worst pace and has struggled to produce in key moments.</p><p>Other key contributors like Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II have also regressed. Albies holds a .221 average with just six home runs, while Harris — once a Rookie of the Year — has a .212 average and a league-worst .241 OBP. The lack of production has placed extra pressure on Matt Olson, who extended his on-base streak to 28 games Friday night but can’t carry the load alone.</p><p>Meanwhile, the NL Wild Card race is tightening. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-brian-snitker-bryce-elder-real-chris-sale-injury">Atlanta’s record dropped to 37-44 after Friday’s blowout</a>. They now sit eighth in the Wild Card standings and are 10.5 games behind the Phillies, who improved to 4-3 in the season series with the win. With Philadelphia clicking and the Mets closing ground, Atlanta’s postseason streak is at risk.</p><p>The Phillies vs. Braves rivalry has only intensified with another matchup on deck Saturday. The Braves are set to start Spencer Schwellenbach, hoping for a turnaround on the mound — and at the plate.</p><p>Unless the Braves can find an offensive spark, their playoff hopes could continue to fade. Riley’s leadership offers a glimpse of belief, but Atlanta needs production to back it up.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ Austin Riley gets painfully honest on Atlanta’s offensive struggles

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-brian-snitker-bryce-elder-real-chris-sale-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ Brian Snitker, Bryce Elder get real on Chris Sale’s absence after blowout loss');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Chris-Sale-1.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ Brian Snitker, Bryce Elder get real on Chris Sale’s absence after blowout loss</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-28T08:18:47-07:00">June 28th, 8:18am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-28T08:18:47-07:00">June 28th, 8:18am</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-chris-sale-injured-list-worrisome-rib-cage-injury">Atlanta Braves suffered a brutal blow</a> on multiple fronts Friday night, as a disastrous outing from Bryce Elder compounded the team’s ongoing rotation concerns in the wake of the Chris Sale injury. In a 13-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, Elder allowed nine earned runs in just two innings in a performance that underscored Atlanta’s lack of pitching depth following Sale’s absence.</p><p>A lengthy two-hour rain delay pushed the start time back at Truist Park in Atlanta, but that wasn’t the only storm the Braves would endure. The 26-year-old Elder, who was already on thin ice after back-to-back rocky outings, delivered one of the worst starts of his MLB career. He became just the third Braves pitcher ever to allow nine earned runs in two innings or fewer.</p><p>The timing couldn’t be worse. The Sale injury — a fractured rib cage suffered on June 18th while diving for a ball — has left a glaring hole in the Braves rotation. Sale had posted a stellar 2.52 ERA with 114 strikeouts across 15 starts and appeared to be in peak form before being sidelined. Though Atlanta expects him to return later in the 2025 season, there is currently no firm timetable.</p><p>As Elder melted down, so too did Atlanta’s once-formidable rotation. With Sale out, the team is relying on a mix of Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes, and 20-year-old Didier Fuentes — a group long on potential but short on consistency. Elder’s Friday night outing sent shockwaves through the organization and exposed the limits of Atlanta’s rotation depth.</p><p>Manager Brian Snitker addressed the rotation <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/braves-rotation-an-area-of-concern-before-2025-trade-deadline?adobe_mc=TS%3D1751114420%7CMCMID%3D74986453771728524094740182462683911742%7CMCORGID%3DA65F776A5245B01B0A490D44@AdobeOrg&amp;affiliateId=mlbapp-ios_webview_news-index&amp;rsid=mlbios.at.bat.new.implementation" rel="noopener">shake-up post game</a> in comments published by MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.</p><p>“[Strider] is getting his thing together and the other guys, and then you lose a guy like that,” Snitker said. “It’s hard. You can’t replace Chris Sale.”</p><p>Elder himself echoed those sentiments.</p><p>“I don’t think [Sale] is one of those guys who is replaceable,” Elder said. “We’ve got to pick up what we can. It’s tough to replace him, but you’ve got to do better than that.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-chris-sale-update-rib-injury">Sale’s absence</a> not only disrupts the staff but also potentially affects the NL East standings. The Braves are still within striking distance of the division lead, but a spiraling rotation threatens to derail their postseason hopes unless reinforcements arrive or current arms step up fast.</p><p>Atlanta’s gamble on the 36-year-old’s health has become a primary storyline for the club this season. Now, without him and with Elder faltering, the Braves may need to consider external help or risk falling out of contention.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ Brian Snitker, Bryce Elder get real on Chris Sale’s absence after blowout loss

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news-kyle-schwarber-leads-11-0-start-vs-braves');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kyle Schwarber leads Phillies to 11-0 start vs. Braves');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kyle-Schwarber.jpg"></figure><h1>Kyle Schwarber leads Phillies to 11-0 start vs. Braves</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-28T01:15:27-07:00">June 28th, 1:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-28T01:27:42-07:00">June 28th, 1:27am</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Philadelphia Phillies have struggled after a mid-month surge allowed the team to reclaim control of the NL East. As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news-bryce-harper-injury-otto-kemp">Bryce Harper remains sidelined</a> with a wrist injury, the Phillies’ offense has been inconsistent. But Philadelphia bottomed out during its three-game losing streak, scoring just one run in the last three games.</p><p>Then, suddenly, the Phillies’ bats <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1938788524997943708" rel="noopener">woke up</a> as the offense erupted against the Atlanta Braves in their series opener Friday. Philadelphia jumped out to an early lead, scoring five runs in two innings. Then, in the third, the Phillies broke the game open as Kyle Schwarber capped a six-run inning with a massive home run, putting the team up 11-0.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kyle Schwarber with ANOTHER HR for the Phillies 🔥</p><p>As they lead the Atlanta Braves 11-0 in the 3rd inning! <br> <a href="https://t.co/5NWPqixlCl">pic.twitter.com/5NWPqixlCl</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1938788524997943708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Facing reliever Michael Peterson, Schwarber worked the count full before demolishing a 90 mph cutter to deep right center. The 439-foot blast was Schwarber’s 25th homer of the season and the Phillies’ fourth in three innings.</p><h2><b>The Phillies celebrated an offensive eruption against Atlanta</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kyle-Schwarber2.jpg"><figcaption>Brett Davis-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Schwarber was the first batter that Peterson faced after taking over for Bryce Elder. The Braves starter got absolutely shelled, allowing 10 runs (9 earned) on 8 hits and 4 walks in two innings.</p><p>The Phillies would add two more runs in the ninth inning, running the final score up to 13-0. The team had scored 12 total runs over the last five games.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/mlb-rumors-braves-named-as-likely-suitor-for-rival-phillies-slugger">Braves emerged as a possible suitor for Schwarber</a> in free agency after the season and Atlanta got a good look at what the two-time All-Star brings to an offense. Schwarber is now tied for the fourth-most home runs in the majors and he’s behind only Shohei Ohtani in the National League. His 57 RBI are the 11th-most in baseball.</p><p>Earlier this year, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news-kyle-schwarber-300-home-runs-rockies">Schwarber hit his 300th career home run</a>, reaching a major milestone. And the 11th-year veteran has been the Phillies’ best offensive player this season by far. However, he wasn’t the only contributor to the team’s beatdown of the Braves.</p><p>The Phillies went off on Atlanta, racking up 17 hits and five home runs Friday. Trea Turner went deep twice in the game and scored four runs, while Nick Castellanos and Otto Kemp also homered for Philadelphia.</p><p>The win, combined with the New York Mets’ ugly 9-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowed the Phillies to take back first place in the NL East. However, the team is clinging to a half-game lead over New York.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kyle Schwarber leads Phillies to 11-0 start vs. Braves

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-atlanta-elite-prospect-suffers-oblique-injury-future-uncertain');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ elite prospect suffers oblique injury, future uncertain');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nacho-Alvarez-Atlanta-Braves.jpg"><figcaption>© Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ elite prospect suffers oblique injury, future uncertain</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T17:34:50-07:00">June 26th, 5:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-26T17:34:50-07:00">June 26th, 5:34pm</time><address><a>Guillermo Guajardo</a>Guillermo Guajardo is a dynamic sports presenter with experience on various television channels and digital platforms, most recently with A Tiempo.TV. He is also a multidisciplinary artist with 10 years of experience in acting, directing, writing, and hosting. His work in film has been recognized at international festivals, earning awards for both his performances and directorial projects.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Atlanta Braves’ Nacho Álvarez exited a Triple-A game with an oblique strain exactly 10 days after returning from a wrist injury that had limited him to being out for more than two months. The injury happened in the seventh inning, cutting short what had been a promising run at the plate for the 24-year-old infielder, who was starting <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-atlanta-prospect-gets-draft-steal-take-from-mlb-insiders">to reclaim his status as one of the Braves’ top prospects.</a></p><p><a href="https://x.com/mlbbowman/status/1938321473623535651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="noopener">Before the oblique injury</a>, Álvarez was hitting an impressive .379 with a 1.113 OPS over nine games at Triple-A Gwinnett, as reported by Mark Bowman of MLB.com. His strong performance had sparked talk about a potential promotion to the majors, especially given Ozzie Albies’ struggles at the plate this season.</p><p>Ranked as the Braves’ No. 3 overall prospect, Álvarez is viewed as the organization’s best infield player in the minors. His offensive output this season has been a significant improvement from his brief and tough MLB debut last year, where he managed just a .100 batting average over eight games. After being sent back to the minors in July 2024, he hasn’t made it back to the major league roster since.</p><p>Now, it’s unclear when he’ll be able to return. Oblique injuries are notoriously tricky and can keep a player out for several weeks or even the rest of the season. The exact severity of Álvarez’s strain hasn’t been revealed yet, but he’s expected to be placed on the 7-day injured list. With the minor league season winding down, this setback could have a significant impact on his 2025 season.</p><p>Before this latest injury, Álvarez had a solid .305 batting average with a .891 OPS in 73 career Triple-A games. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-atlanta-hits-a-low-not-seen-since-2017-with-ugly-loss-to-giants">With the Braves still eyeing a postseason spot</a>, any further injuries to their major league infield could have opened a door for the young prospect—if only he could have stayed healthy.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ elite prospect suffers oblique injury, future uncertain

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-matt-olson-joins-cal-ripken-jr-miguel-tejada-with-historic-feat');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ Matt Olson joins Cal Ripken Jr, Miguel Tejada with historic feat');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Matt-Olson-joins-Cal-Ripken-Jr-Miguel-Tejada-with-historic-feat.jpg"><figcaption>Credit: Brad Penner</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ Matt Olson joins Cal Ripken Jr, Miguel Tejada with historic feat</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T17:00:03-07:00">June 26th, 5:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-26T17:00:03-07:00">June 26th, 5:00pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chris.spiering.3" rel="facebook">Chris Spiering</a>Chris Spiering graduated from the University of San Diego with a Communication Studies Degree. He spent his final year as the Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris manages the betting team at ClutchPoints and contributes about the NFL, MLB, and NBA, but he follows most sports, including NCAA Basketball. Chris also covers San Diego State men's basketball for East Village Times.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-closer-stat-save-drought-2025">Atlanta Braves</a> and New York Mets are playing the final game of their series right now at Citi Field. When the first pitch happened, Braves’ star first baseman Matt Olson made history.</p><p>The <a href="https://x.com/SlangsOnSports/status/1938373559073538541">first baseman played his 700th game in a row</a> that ranges from May 2, 2021, to now. 700 straight games is something to be proud of, as you hardly see it in today’s league.</p><p>Since 1969, Olson has joined this elite group of players, thanks to the brilliant Sarah Langs.</p><p>1982-98 Cal Ripken Jr: 2,632<br>1975-83 Steve Garvey: 1,207<br>2000-07 Miguel Tejada: 1,152<br>1978-83 Pete Rose: 745<br>1981-86 Dale Murphy: 740</p><p>Olson will have a chance to surpass both Pete Rose and Sale Murphy this season, and is 46 games away from being fourth all-time on this list. Nobody will likely ever catch Cal Ripken Jr, but if there were someone, Olson has the best chances for now. However, Olson would be about 10 seasons away from being even close to doing that.</p><p>Olson is having a great season with the Braves. Before the game right now against the Mets, Olson was hitting .257 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. His 52 RBIs are tied for 19th in the league. He adds a .845 OPS (28th) and has walked 50 times, resulting in a dominant .479 on-base percentage.</p><p>His WAR is already 3.3, and is on pace to be the second-highest of his career. In 2023, Olson had a 7.4 WAR for the Braves in a stunning season where he smashed 54 homers and 139 RBIs. Many thought the Braves would win it all that season, but came just short.</p><p>It’s been a rough start to this season, but the Braves are talented enough to get back on track. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-ronald-acuna-jr-home-run-derby-message-fire-fans-up">Superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. is back in the lineup</a> and doing MVP-caliber things already. It’s expected that the Braves will find a way to be close to making the postseason, after starting the year 0-7. First, they need to take care of business and defeat the New York Mets on Thursday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ Matt Olson joins Cal Ripken Jr, Miguel Tejada with historic feat

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-ronald-acuna-jr-home-run-derby-message-fire-fans-up');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ronald Acuna Jr.’s Home Run Derby message will fire Braves fans up');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ronald-Acuna-Jr-3.jpg"></figure><h1>Ronald Acuna Jr.’s Home Run Derby message will fire Braves fans up</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-26T00:13:28-07:00">June 26th, 12:13am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-26T00:53:20-07:00">June 26th, 12:53am</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Ronald Acuña Jr. has been making up for lost time after returning to the Atlanta Braves’ lineup following a lengthy injury layoff. The All-Star right fielder has been crushing the ball, posting a .692 slugging percentage since rejoining the team in May. And that prodigious power will be on display when <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-ronald-acuna-jr-makes-massive-home-run-derby-decision">Acuña participates in the 2025 Home Run Derby</a>.</p><p>After announcing that he’ll take part in the event, Acuña acknowledged <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/ronald-acuna-jr-2025-home-run-derby-participant" rel="noopener">the significance</a> of the Derby being held in his home stadium.</p><p>“I’m super happy to be competing in my third Derby and even more so to be doing it in front of the best fans in baseball, in Braves Country… I’m super excited,” Acuña said through a translator, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com.</p><p>“It just gives you a tremendous level of confidence from all the fans who are there supporting you,” he added.</p><h2><b>Ronald Acuña Jr. hopes Braves fans give him an edge in the Derby</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ronald-Acuna-Jr.-2.jpg"><figcaption>Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The 2025 Home Run Derby will take place at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14. It’s the second time the Braves’ home stadium has played host to the event. The 2000 Derby took place at Turner Field in Atlanta.</p><p>Acuña is familiar with the exhibition, participating in the Derby in 2019 and 2022. He fared well in his first attempt, making it to the second round before being edged out 20-19 by eventual winner Pete Alonso. Then, in 2022, Acuña was eliminated by Alonso in the first round, again losing 20-19. The four-time All-Star is hoping for better results this time around with the home field advantage.</p><p>Acuña beat out Juan Soto for NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2018. He would go on to unanimously win the 2023 NL MVP Award with a spectacular season for the Braves. He hit 41 home runs that year and led the majors with 73 stolen bases, demonstrating a rare power/speed combo.</p><p>However, in May 2024 <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-ronald-acuna-jr-ruled-out-for-season-following-mri">Acuña tore his left ACL</a> and missed the remainder of the season. He began the 2025 campaign on the injured list as he continued to rehab his surgically repaired knee.</p><p>After making his long-awaited return, almost exactly one year after suffering the injury, Acuña picked up where he left off, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-ronald-acuna-jr-crushes-467-foot-home-run-on-1st-pitch-of-2025">blasting a 467-foot home run on the first pitch he saw</a>. And he’s been on fire ever since, slashing .385/.496./692 with a 227 OPS+ and 2.0 bWAR in 29 games. Now he’ll try to keep his hot streak going in the Home Run Derby at his home ballpark.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ronald Acuna Jr.’s Home Run Derby message will fire Braves fans up

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-ronald-acuna-jr-makes-massive-home-run-derby-decision');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ronald Acuña Jr. makes massive Home Run Derby decision');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ronald-Acuna-Jr-2.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Ronald Acuña Jr. makes massive Home Run Derby decision</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-25T15:59:37-07:00">June 25th, 3:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-25T15:59:37-07:00">June 25th, 3:59pm</time><address><a>Scotty White</a>Scotty White is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has been in the sports journalism industry since 2020. He has covered athletics at the University of Michigan and is now serving as an Associate Editor, Chicago Bulls beat writer, and Michigan football reporter at ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It feels like the MLB season just started, but we are somehow just a few weeks away from the All-Star break. The Atlanta Braves will be hosting this year’s All-Star game as it will go down on July 15th from Truist Park. The home run derby will be one day before the game on July 14th, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-ronald-acuna-jr-home-run-mets-brother-demotion">one of the best players on the Braves</a> will be a participant. That’s right, Ronald Acuña Jr. will make the hometown fans happy as <a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1937999824005083541" rel="noopener">he will participate</a> in the 2025 home run derby.</p><p>“JUST IN: Ronald Acuña Jr. announces he is the first @TMobile #HRDerby participant!” MLB said in a post.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-ronald-acuna-jr-200th-stolen-base-milestone">Ronald Acuña Jr. is one of the most exciting players</a> in baseball, and it’s going to be great for fans to see him compete in the home run derby. A lot of the league’s best players decline the invite because of swing concerns, but Acuña is going to take the risk this season.</p><p>Acuña missed a good chunk of this season as he didn’t make his first appearance with the Braves until May 23rd. He has played in just 29 games, but some of his statistics make it look like he has been in for the entire season.</p><p>So far on the season, Acuña is hitting .385 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs, and he has a 1.188 OPS. Those numbers are ridiculous, and it’s going to be exciting to see if he can keep this up throughout the rest of the season.</p><p>Acuña is always a fun player to watch, but this setting is one of the best to see him in. Acuña has competed in the home run derby twice before, and his absurd power is something to marvel at.</p><p>So far, Ronald Acuña Jr. is the only player that has agreed to compete in the 2025 home run derby. It won’t be long before we find out who he will be going up against.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ronald Acuña Jr. makes massive Home Run Derby decision

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-rumors-insider-gives-brutally-honest-prediction-on-padres-trading-for-braves-star');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Insider gives brutally honest prediction on Padres trading for Braves star');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/MLB-Insider-gives-brutally-honest-prediction-on-Padres-trading-for-Braves-star.jpg"><figcaption>Credit: Bill Streicher</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Insider gives brutally honest prediction on Padres trading for Braves star</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-25T10:26:55-07:00">June 25th, 10:26am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-25T10:27:14-07:00">June 25th, 10:27am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chris.spiering.3" rel="facebook">Chris Spiering</a>Chris Spiering graduated from the University of San Diego with a Communication Studies Degree. He spent his final year as the Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris manages the betting team at ClutchPoints and contributes about the NFL, MLB, and NBA, but he follows most sports, including NCAA Basketball. Chris also covers San Diego State men's basketball for East Village Times.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/2-padres-who-must-be-on-trade-block-ahead-of-2025-deadline">San Diego Padres</a> are a threat in the National League. If they want to remain competitive and have a chance to return to the MLB playoffs, they must become buyers and acquire elite major league talent to improve their lineup. One player who could be an option is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/2-braves-trade-block-ahead-2025-deadline">Atlanta Braves</a> catcher Sean Murphy.</p><p>The biggest need for the Friars is left field. They cannot rely on <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/padres-news-gavin-sheets-gets-injury-update-scary-wall-collision-pirates">Gavin Sheets manning left field</a> for the rest of the season. SD would prefer Sheets at DH. Furthermore, an offensive-minded catcher is another big need. It’s unclear what Padres general manager A.J. Preller will do, but he is usually very aggressive. If Atlanta is willing to trade Murphy now, rather than later, then San Diego is a great fit.</p><p>The Braves have one of the best catching duos in the league. Drake Baldwin is the Braves’ future at the position, and he currently has a .826. Atlanta may not want to break that up. However, the Braves started the season losing seven straight games, and while they have slowly climbed back, they are not going to win the NL East and are six games out of a Wild Card spot, behind seven teams. There is plenty of time for the Braves to fight back and make the playoffs. But do they need Sean Murphy to do so?</p><p>Preller could acquire a right-handed catcher to bolster the lineup and give the Padres a better chance at reaching the playoffs and having an opportunity to win a World Series. MLB insider Mark Feinsand believes that Murphy <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/nl-west-2025-mlb-trade-deadline-questions" rel="noopener">will be the only controllable player</a> on the Braves that they are willing to deal. He also believes that the Braves will end up holding onto him for now.</p><p>“Murphy might be the only controllable player the Braves consider moving, as Drake Baldwin could step in as the everyday catcher right away. Atlanta needs starting pitching, though this week against the Mets and Phillies could help determine just how much of a buyer (or seller) the Braves could be next month.”</p><p>“I would say it’s more likely that Murphy stays with Atlanta through the season, after which the Braves could potentially shop him during the winter. It’s also possible that Murphy and Baldwin share catching and DH duties next season, with Marcell Ozuna set to become a free agent at the end of the year — assuming he’s not traded, of course.”</p><p>Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonaldo have put the Padres 13th in the NL in OPS at the position at just .607.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Insider gives brutally honest prediction on Padres trading for Braves star

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-ronald-acuna-jr-200th-stolen-base-milestone');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. hits impressive milestone with 200th stolen base');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ronald-Acuna-Jr-10.jpg"><figcaption>Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. hits impressive milestone with 200th stolen base</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-24T17:50:48-07:00">June 24th, 5:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-24T18:29:35-07:00">June 24th, 6:29pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Braves just watched one of their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-ronald-acuna-jr-home-run-mets-brother-demotion">brightest stars, Ronald Acuna Jr.</a>, cement his name into franchise history yet again. During Atlanta’s latest outing against the New York Mets, Acuna stole his 200th career base, becoming the first player in the team’s Atlanta era to ever reach the mark. It’s a remarkable moment for both the 27-year-old and a franchise steeped in baseball tradition.</p><p>The feat places Acuna ninth on the Braves’ franchise records list for career stolen bases, a historic group dominated by legends from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Among those ahead of him, Herman Long (433), Hugh Duffy (331), and Hank Aaron (240). The milestone also further separates Acuna from his modern peers in the MLB stolen base leaders category.</p><p>Grant McAuley of 929 The Game highlighted just how rare passing 200 is since moving to Atlanta, <a href="https://x.com/grantmcauley/status/1937661137056858380" rel="noopener">quoting the league’s own celebration</a> of the milestone with the following list attached.</p><p>“#Braves All-time SB leaders:</p><p>1. Herman Long – 433</p><p>2.Hugh Duffy – 331</p><p>3.Billy Hamilton – 274</p><p>4.Bobby Lowe – 260</p><p>Fred Tenney – 260</p><p>6. Hank Aaron – 240</p><p>7. King Kelly – 238</p><p>8. Billy Nash – 232</p><p>9. Ronald Acuña Jr. – 200</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. hits impressive milestone with 200th stolen base

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-ronald-acuna-jr-home-run-mets-brother-demotion');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. punishes Mets with HR after brother’s demotion');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ronald-Acuna-Jr-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. punishes Mets with HR after brother’s demotion</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T18:03:29-07:00">June 23rd, 6:03pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T18:07:49-07:00">June 23rd, 6:07pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The 35-41 Atlanta Braves were in need of a spark heading into their four-game set with the New York Mets, and Ronald Acuna Jr. delivered one in the most emotional way possible. Just hours after his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-luisangel-acuna-triple-a-after-miserable-stretch">younger brother Luisangel Acuna was demoted</a> to Triple-A by the Mets, the Braves superstar stepped up against Atlanta’s divisional rivals and crushed a home run that felt fueled by more than just competition.</p><p>The Braves and Mets rivalry added <a href="https://x.com/jorgecastillo/status/1937296461714116674" rel="noopener">another chapter</a> Monday night at Citi Field where Acuna Jr. went deep just before ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reported on X, formerly known as Twitter, that his younger brother had been optioned to Triple-A earlier in the day.</p><p>“In related news, the Mets optioned his brother to Triple-A today.”</p><p>The 27-year-old 2023 NL MVP may have kept a straight face as he rounded the bases, but the message behind the swing couldn’t have been louder. He’s not just healthy—he’s dominating. ESPN’s Jeff Passan <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1937300174109294718" rel="noopener">captured the magnitude</a> of Acuna Jr.’s resurgence perfectly on the platform.</p><p>“In 119 plate appearances since returning from the injured list, Ronald Acuña Jr. is hitting .408/.513/.735 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs in 28 games. Anyone wondering how he’d come back from his second ACL tear, the answer is: majestically.”</p><p>The right fielder’s offensive resurgence has become one of the biggest stories of the Braves’ season. Though the team has struggled to find consistency, his production at the top of the lineup has remained elite. The home run on Monday marked his ninth in just 98 at-bats since coming back, an MVP-caliber pace by any standard.</p><p>MLB.com’s Mark Bowman <a href="https://x.com/mlbbowman/status/1937296546707439854" rel="noopener">posted a video</a> of Acuna’s home run trot, capturing both his flair and the crowd’s reaction.</p><p>“Mets fans loved Ronald’s dance move before he got to third base. This was his ninth homer in the 98 at-bats he’s totaled since returning.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mets fans loved Ronald's dance move before he got to third base. This was his ninth homer in the 98 at-bats he's totaled since returning. <a href="https://t.co/O0qFY5pIeF">pic.twitter.com/O0qFY5pIeF</a></p><p>— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) <a href="https://twitter.com/mlbbowman/status/1937296546707439854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>As for the younger Acuna, the 23-year-old infielder showed flashes during his time with the Mets but struggled to produce consistently. In 145 at-bats this season, he posted a .241 average with six RBIs and eleven stolen bases. Though he’s yet to hit a home run at the major league level, the return to Triple-A could give him the space to reset and develop further.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. punishes Mets with HR after brother’s demotion

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-closer-stat-save-drought-2025');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves alarming closer stat raises concern amid historic drought');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Raisel-Iglesias.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves alarming closer stat raises concern amid historic drought</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T16:54:23-07:00">June 23rd, 4:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T16:54:23-07:00">June 23rd, 4:54pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Braves have entered unfamiliar territory in 2025, setting a troubling franchise record that’s drawing national attention. Atlanta has now gone 31 straight games without recording a save—a historic stretch that has placed the Braves bullpen under a glaring spotlight. At 35-41 and sitting 11-games back in the NL East, the team’s lack of late-game execution is becoming a major storyline.</p><p>The primary <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-brian-snitker-explains-why-hes-sticking-with-raisel-iglesias-amid-struggles">issue stems from veteran reliever Raisel Iglesias</a>, whose sharp decline has led to instability for the Atlanta closer situation. Iglesias has posted a 5.93 ERA and allowed seven home runs across just 27.1 innings. He’s blown 4 of 10 save chances, a drastic drop-off from his 34-save, 1.95 ERA season in 2024. The Braves bullpen has failed to protect narrow leads, leaving fans frustrated as winnable games slip away.</p><p>The Athletic’s David O’Brien took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and posted the following jaw-dropping stat.</p><p>“The #Braves have gone a franchise-record 31 consecutive games without a save. Since saves became an official stat in 1969, their previous longest save-less stretch was 25 games spanning the 1970-1971 seasons.”</p><p>With Iglesias struggling, Atlanta’s save opportunities have not only diminished but <a href="https://x.com/DOBrienATL/status/1937273978625597870" rel="noopener">disappeared entirely</a>. Craig Kimbrel was briefly recalled, only to be designated for assignment a day later. Meanwhile, left-hander Dylan Lee has quietly emerged as one of the team’s most effective relievers.</p><p>Over 34.1 innings, Lee has posted a 1.84 ERA with dominant efficiency, but notably, he hasn’t been in a single save situation during the Braves’ month-long drought. Despite his strong case, matchup limitations and the lack of opportunities have prevented him from getting a legitimate shot at the closer role.</p><p>Right-hander Pierce Johnson offers another option but has been inconsistent recently. His WHIP has ballooned to 1.68 over the past two weeks, and he’s been tagged for a 5.40 ERA during that span. The MLB save drought is more than a bullpen issue. It highlights a team-wide inability to finish games.</p><p>The Braves’ front office may be forced to act as the team drifts further out of contention. Whether through trade or internal reshuffling, the current plan isn’t sustainable. Until someone seizes the closer role, the Atlanta closer situation remains one of MLB’s most uncertain.</p><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-spencer-strider-reveals-challenge-atlanta-get-back-track">Braves enter a pivotal stretch</a> in the summer schedule, snapping this historic MLB save drought is critical, not just for morale, but for survival in a competitive NL East.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves alarming closer stat raises concern amid historic drought

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-chris-sale-update-rib-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves ace Chris Sale updates fans on rib injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Injured-Braves-pitcher-Chris-Sale.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves ace Chris Sale updates fans on rib injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T16:16:42-07:00">June 23rd, 4:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T16:16:42-07:00">June 23rd, 4:16pm</time><address><a>Russell Steinberg</a>Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A baseball and basketball lifer, he has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and more. He graduated from NYU in 2012 and still returns to serve as PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Braves placed ace <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-chris-sale-injured-list-worrisome-rib-cage-injury">Chris Sale on the injured list</a> Saturday with a fractured rib cage, but he doesn’t want fans to worry. He told MLB Network’s AJ Pierzynski that he’ll be just fine.</p><p>Pierzynski <a href="https://x.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1937276596651766063" rel="noopener">updated fans</a> during a Monday appearance on MLB Network after having a conversation with the 2024 NL Cy Young winner.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chris Sale told <a href="https://twitter.com/ajpierzynski12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AJPierzynski12</a> that he has two small rib fractures and that he'll be okay. <a href="https://t.co/50RoJVOAnd">pic.twitter.com/50RoJVOAnd</a></p><p>— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/1937274466859679767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“He said he’ll be OK. I talked to him,” Pierzynski said. “Don’t worry, Braves country. Two small rib fractures. So I don’t know what that entails.”</p><p>Coupled with Braves manager Brian Snitker’s comments when the team made the move and it should prove reassuring that Sale will be able to <a href="https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/chris-sale-fractured-rib-cage" rel="noopener">bounce back eventually</a>.</p><p>“He was doing his exercises yesterday and felt like something wasn’t right, so they had him looked at it, and it showed what it showed,” Snitker said, per George Richards of MLB.com. “It’s just a freak thing. An unfortunate thing. I saw him after the game that night and he was doing his postgame workout. And then I saw him the next day and I think he maybe felt a little uncomfortable the next day. But then yesterday is when he wanted to get it checked out.”</p><p>Snitker added that he didn’t have a timetable for Sale’s return but that the injury needed to heal before he could start ramping up again.</p><p>After a rocky start to the season, Sale has regained his elite form over the past two months. In March and April, he went 1-3 with a 4.84 ERA, but a 3.33 FIP and 46 strikeouts to nine walks in 35.1 innings indicated he was getting unlucky. Since then, he is 4-1 with a 1.00 ERA over eight starts.</p><p>With Sale out for the immediate future, the Braves will have to continue their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-spencer-strider-reveals-challenge-atlanta-get-back-track">claw back to contention without him.</a> Atlanta enters Monday at 35-41, seven games out of a playoff spot. It’s far from an ideal position, but with just over a month left <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-gm-addresses-chris-sale-trade-speculation">before the trade deadline</a>, there’s enough time for them to make a push and become reasonable contenders.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves ace Chris Sale updates fans on rib injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-cubs-5-teams-red-sox-rafael-devers-trade-giants-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Cubs among 5 other teams Red Sox talked Rafael Devers trade with before Giants deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Giants-designated-hitter-Rafael-Devers.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Cubs among 5 other teams Red Sox talked Rafael Devers trade with before Giants deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-22T06:49:05-07:00">June 22nd, 6:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-22T08:46:39-07:00">June 22nd, 8:46am</time><address><a>Owen Crisafulli</a>Owen Crisafulli is a Senior Editor and NFL Lead at ClutchPoints, who also covers the NBA and MLB. He received his Masters in Business Administration Bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Nichols College. Previously, ran his own website, and had bylines at FanSided, Basketball Network, Athlon Sports, and The Sporting News. In addition to his work at ClutchPoints, Owen is also a Breaking News Writer at Heavy and a Content Producer for More Views Media.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Red Sox shocked the MLB world last week when they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/giants-rafael-devers-blockbuster-red-sox-trade">sent Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster trade</a> that materialized from seemingly out of nowhere. While the front office did a good job of keeping their trade negotiations under wraps, it sounds like the Giants weren’t the only team they were negotiating with, as the Chicago Cubs were among several other teams in the running for Devers.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/giants-news-rafael-devers-red-sox-savage-happiness-admission">Tensions between Devers and the Red Sox</a> had been boiling all season long, due in large part to his unhappiness with the team continually looking to change his position. Boston finally decided to cut bait with their superstar slugger, but not after <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2025/06/22/manny-machado-stats-san-diego-padres-hall-of-fame/84303745007/" rel="noopener">discussing a deal with a couple other teams</a>. San Francisco landed him, but the Cubs, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, and Atlanta Braves were also involved in discussions for Devers.</p><p>“The Red Sox say that they had conversations with the Mariners, Cubs, Padres, Blue Jays and Atlanta about Devers before dealing him to San Francisco,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported.</p><h2><b>How Giants landed Rafael Devers from Red Sox over Cubs, other teams</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/San-Francisco-Giants-designated-hitter-Rafael-Devers.jpg"><figcaption>D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Red Sox could have prioritized bringing in top-tier prospects in exchange for Devers, but they had a different goal when it came to this deal. They wanted to get out of the remainder of Devers’ 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension he signed back in 2023, and according to Giants owner Greg Johnson, his team’s willingness to take on that deal is the main reason why the trade went down.</p><p>“If the Giants had not agreed to assume the $254.5 million remaining in Devers’ contract, Giants owner Greg Johnson says there would have been no trade,” Nightengale reported.</p><p>Even then, Boston still got a decent return for Devers, as Kyle Harrison and James Tibbs III both have a lot of upside in the eyes of several talent evaluators. In the end, though, money talks, and that was how the Giants managed to outbid the rest of their competition and bring Devers to town as they look to make a World Series push in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Cubs among 5 other teams Red Sox talked Rafael Devers trade with before Giants deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-chris-sale-injured-list-worrisome-rib-cage-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves star Chris Sale hits injured list with worrisome rib cage injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Braves-Chris-Sale-in-action.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves star Chris Sale hits injured list with worrisome rib cage injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-21T11:39:30-07:00">June 21st, 11:39am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-21T11:39:30-07:00">June 21st, 11:39am</time><address><a>Quinn Allen</a>Quinn Allen is a Senior Associate Editor with ClutchPoints. He's one of the lead MLB editors but Quinn is a Swiss Army knife, writing about basketball, baseball, soccer, football, hockey, tennis, and more. Quinn is also a betting analyst for Covers, one of the biggest sports betting prediction websites in the world.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Braves have lost their ace for the time being.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/braves-news-chris-sale-wins-nl-cy-young-award-resurgent-season">Reigning NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale</a> appeared to suffer a rib cage injury during Wednesday’s stellar outing against the New York Mets, and as a result, the Braves <a href="https://x.com/Braves/status/1936476717402542501" rel="noopener">have placed him</a> on the 15-day IL backdated to June 19, the team announced Saturday. The team recalled Austin Cox from Triple-A as well.</p><p>This is a tough blow for Brian Snitker’s squad, which has been struggling this season. They’re six games below .500 and 11 games out of first place in the always competitive National League East. Sale has a fractured left rib cage, which he sustained making a diving stop in Wednesday’s start. The veteran tossed 8.2 innings of scoreless baseball.</p><p>Here’s the play:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">CHRIS SALE GOES ALL OUT! 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/NGEAjZLPEO">pic.twitter.com/NGEAjZLPEO</a></p><p>— MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1935513176629457220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The 36-year-old is having another dominant campaign. He’s 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA in 15 starts. Sale struck out 114 in 89.2 innings of work while walking just 26 batters. He’s been one of the few bright spots for the underwhelming Braves.</p><p>This is a tricky injury, as it involves such a complex part of his body when throwing pitches. There’s a good chance the injury could keep Sale out for at least a month. But Atlanta will be praying that’s not the case. He’d be able to return in early July if he remains on the 15-day IL.</p><p>The Braves’ pitching has been respectable this year. Offense is the major issue, despite having a plethora of talent throughout their lineup. But the rotation already took a dramatic hit earlier in the season, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/braves-news-aj-smith-shawver-officially-undergoes-tommy-john-surgery">losing AJ Smith-Shawver to Tommy John surgery.</a></p><p>Sale is undoubtedly the main man at the top of Snitker’s rotation, and it’ll be impossible to replace him. This is the first time Sale has hit the injured list since the Boston Red Sox traded him to Atlanta in December of 2023.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves star Chris Sale hits injured list with worrisome rib cage injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-news-john-smoltz-dishes-on-the-most-dominant-pitching-games-hes-ever-witnessed');   ga('set', 'title', 'John Smoltz dishes on the most dominant pitching games he’s ever witnessed');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jon-Smoltz-dishes-on-the-most-dominant-pitching-games-hes-ever-witnessed.jpg"><figcaption>Credit: Matthew Dae Smith</figcaption></figure><h1>John Smoltz dishes on the most dominant pitching games he’s ever witnessed</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-20T13:05:49-07:00">June 20th, 1:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-20T13:05:49-07:00">June 20th, 1:05pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chris.spiering.3" rel="facebook">Chris Spiering</a>Chris Spiering graduated from the University of San Diego with a Communication Studies Degree. He spent his final year as the Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris manages the betting team at ClutchPoints and contributes about the NFL, MLB, and NBA, but he follows most sports, including NCAA Basketball. Chris also covers San Diego State men's basketball for East Village Times.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>John Smoltz is one of the best pitchers of all time. His longevity saw him play for three different teams in 21 years, but primarily for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/2-braves-trade-block-ahead-2025-deadline">Atlanta Braves</a> from 1998-2008. Smoltz recently joined the Flippin’ Bats Podcast and talked about some of the <a href="https://x.com/FlippinBatsPod/status/1936102752171835793" rel="noopener">best pitching performances</a> that he has ever witnessed.</p><p>The first game he mentioned was Randy Johnson’s perfect game against the Braves in 2004.</p><p>“It wasn’t even fair,” Smoltz said. “There wasn’t even a chance we were going to get a hit.”</p><p>Smoltz followed up by witnessing his teammate Greg Maddux throw a complete game on 78 pitches.</p><p>“I have to put that up there as one of the best games ever in that era we pitched.”</p><p>The third game he mentioned was a very recent one. One that probably brought up the conversation. Arkansas starter and future MLB player <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-sports/arkansas-baseball-news-gage-wood-finishes-first-cws-no-hitter-65-years">Gage Wood threw a no-hitter</a> against Murray State in the College World Series.</p><p>“That is impressive,” Smoltz said. “At the college level, 19 strikeouts in the College World Series, I don’t think it gets better than that.”</p><p>The Hall of Fame pitcher was then asked about his best pitcing performance. Funny enough, out of all of his good ones, he chose a game where he lost. He had 16 strikeouts in the 8th inning against the New York Mets, and allowed a 2-run home run to Carlos Beltran while upm 1-0.</p><p>“I still shake my head,” he said. “A lot of my best games come in tough losses, and that is just the way it goes.”</p><p>Smoltz compared that game to another recent one. Atlanta Braves starter Grant Holmes struck out 15 batters in a loss to the Colorado Rockies on June 15.</p><p>The Braves take on the Miami Marlins this weekend for a three-game series. They try and continue to climb up the NL East standings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

John Smoltz dishes on the most dominant pitching games he’s ever witnessed

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-spencer-strider-reveals-challenge-atlanta-get-back-track');   ga('set', 'title', 'Spencer Strider reveals ‘challenge’ as Braves look to get back on track');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Atlanta-Braves-starting-pitcher-Spencer-Strider.jpg"><figcaption>Brett Davis-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Spencer Strider reveals ‘challenge’ as Braves look to get back on track</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-20T12:50:11-07:00">June 20th, 12:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-20T12:50:11-07:00">June 20th, 12:50pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In 2023, Spencer Strider was named an All-Star and finished in the top five in Cy Young voting. Unfortunately, elbow injuries robbed him of the majority of his 2024 season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-spencer-strider-set-to-return-from-injury">Strider had a late start to 2025 as well thanks to his elbow and a hamstring strain</a>. However, his last two starts have been good, and Brian Snitker’s starter wants to build on the momentum moving forward.</p><p>When Strider and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-ronald-acuna-jr-crushes-467-foot-home-run-on-1st-pitch-of-2025">Ronald Acuna Jr. made their 2025 debuts, Atlanta was revitalized</a>. However, the Braves have not won more than three games in a row since mid-April. Chris Sale is not the same pitcher he was in 2024 and the offense has struggled mightily.</p><p>However, Snitker’s ace and No. 2 pitchers shut the New York Mets down to secure Atlanta’s first series sweep in two months. Strider put the finishing touches on the series himself, throwing six innings of one-run ball on Thursday.</p><p>The 26-year-old flamethrower talked with The Athletic’s David O’Brein about what the Braves’ <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6439405/2025/06/20/braves-takeaways-mets-acuna/" rel="noopener">main takeaways from the series</a>.</p><p>“I feel like that’s the closest we’ve been to playing just a complete series,” Strider said. “We know what we’re capable of. Speaking for myself, and I’m sure for everybody else, it’s just reassuring to go out and have some justification for the work you’ve been doing and that belief that we’ve had this whole time that we can play better baseball.”</p><p>According to the former All-Star, this is the first step in a long climb back into contention.</p><p>“Now the challenge is to continue to do it, obviously,” Strider said. “It doesn’t get easier from here.”</p><p>Securing a sweep over the Mets is huge for Atlanta has they kick off the most important two week stretch of their season so far. Their series against New York was the first of four National League East division series for the Braves. Over the next week and a half, they host the Miami Marlins and the Mets. Next weekend, they go on the road for a three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies.</p><p>Atlanta will go as far as Strider and Acuna Jr. can carry them. However, Snitker’s team could be on the brink of a comeback after a tough start.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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