Atlanta Braves' general manager Alex Anthopoulos has acknowledged the team's recent struggles following their fifth consecutive loss, dropping 4-2 to the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball (MLB) on Wednesday.
\"I don't normally do scrums during the season, because we've done well,\" Anthopoulos told reporters before the game. \"If I'm doing them, that means we're not playing well.\"
Despite securing over 100 wins in each of the previous two seasons, the Braves currently hold a 35-30 record, placing them second in the National League (NL) East Division, trailing the Philadelphia Phillies by 10.5 games.
\"The Phillies are obviously playing exceptionally well – best team arguably in the game right now – but it's about making sure you get to the playoffs one way or the other,\" Anthopoulos said. \"Right now, the NL, I bet you if you took a lot of these teams and these front offices, they'd tell you the same thing. No one's playing the way they thought they would – barring Brewers, Dodgers, Phillies.\"
The Braves entered the season aiming to extend their streak of six straight NL East titles, which includes their World Series victory in 2021.
The 2024 regular season is not yet at its midpoint, leaving time for the team to correct course. However, challenges loom large, including the loss of top pitcher Spencer Strider due to elbow surgery and the suspension of reigning NL Most Valuable Player Ronald Acuna Jr. for the rest of the campaign following a knee injury.
\"The offensive issues seem like they're spread across the league,\" Anthopoulos noted. \"A lot of GMs are saying the same thing. People feel like they're not hitting the way they can.\"
Reference(s):
GM Alex Anthopoulos admits Atlanta Braves 'not playing well'
cgtn.com
