Gift idea. You can purchase personalized, signed copies of The Franchise: A Curated History of the Braves at markbowman.net

Some thoughts about the Braves’ offseason needs mlb.com/news/braves-key-deci…

It’s $15M

Five questions facing the Braves this offseason mlb.com/news/questions-facin…

Some of the thoughts Anthopoulos shared during today’s media session mlb.com/news/alex-anthopoulo…

Highlights from this morning's media session with Alex Anthopoulos: 1) Strider and Schwellenbach may return next year, but neither can be counted on to be a regular rotation member over 162 games 2) Like this year, Fuentes will come to camp as a starter. His role will be influenced by the team's needs. Threw approx 80 IP (w/ playoffs) this year. May not want to push him beyond 130 IP if he starts next year. 3) Still hasn't talked to Walt Weiss about the coaching staff 4) Will have internal discussions regarding the Jurickson Profar should be brought back for year three of a three-year deal that has included two PED suspensions. 5) Tried to sign Raisel Iglesias before he hit the free agent market last year. May try to do the same with Mahle and a couple other FAs this year.

One more look at how the Braves offense faded after May and then extended its October woes, which stretch back to 2022. These numbers are ugly regardless of whether you look only at this year or over the team’s past four trips to the postseason mlb.com/news/what-we-learned…

Twenty-three different MLB players have logged at least 20 plate appearances this postseason. Five of the seven lowest OPS marks have been produced by Braves: Austin Riley (.513), Mauricio Dubón (.507), Matt Olson (.459), Ronald Acuña Jr. (.425) and Drake Baldwin (.348).

Using three openers in seven games isn’t enough pitching. Opener worked every time. But it leads to situations like last night where Fuentes was used three days after throwing 47 pitches. Dylan Lee’s decline also played a part, but having to cover 5.2 inn in WC Series G3 led to Sale making the relief appearance that compromised him Tuesday. The offense was horrible. But using openers wasn’t sustainable.

Last night’s walkout video

If they had enough pitching, they wouldn’t have needed to use three openers within a span of seven games. The openers were great. But when they leave, you play bullpen door roulette the rest of the game. Sale was used at the end of one of those games. Did that impact him in NLDS G3, a little bit. Fuentes pitched 3.2 IP at the end of another “opener” start and wasn’t the same last night. It wasn’t sustainable. But even if it was, the offense would have doomed the team

The Braves didn’t have enough pitching. But even if they did, they’d have been doomed by an offense that yet again underperformed in the postseason mlb.com/news/braves-lose-202…

Acuña sat at his locker with his head down and digested the frustration felt at the end of another disappointing postseason mlb.com/news/latest-news-ron…

Sean Murphy's errant throw on a stolen base attemt allowed Ohtani to reach third base. This brought the infield in, leading to Dubon dropping what should have been the second out.

Great anticipation and read by Michael Harris II to tally tonight's first run

Tyler Mahle threw 11 pitches in a perfect first inning.

Braves postseason OPS since 2022 (min. 50 PA) Ozzie Albies .795 (51 PA) Michael Harris II .690 (61 PA) Matt Olson .682 (68 PA) Austin Riley .616 (57 PA) Ronald Acuña Jr. .573 (60 PA)

You don't think we asked about him last night? The MRI info was provided this afternoon.