Something doesn’t seem right in the reeling Braves clubhouse.
The Atlanta players, riding a three-game losing streak, held a team meeting before Tuesday’s contest against the Reds as they look to get back on track.
Manager Brian Snitker, who’s been the top guy in the dugout since 2016, was left out of the meeting, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien.
“Highly unusual for them to have a team-wide meeting at this time before a game,” O’Brien wrote on X.
The Braves have been underwhelming two-thirds through the 2024 season.
They’ve gone 35-36 since jumping out to a 19-9 record through April.
After winning each of the past six National League East titles, Atlanta is sitting 8 1/2 games back of the Phillies in the division heading into Tuesday’s play.
At 54-45, the Braves are still hanging on to the top NL wild card spot, but they’re well off the 100-plus win pace they played at in each of the past two seasons.
The injury bug hasn’t been kind to them.
The Braves lost ace starter Spencer Strider and 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. in consecutive months in April and May.
On Sunday, Atlanta placed star pitcher Max Fried and second baseman Ozzie Albies on the injured list, adding to the team’s health problems.
Several players in the Braves’ stacked lineup are also underperforming.
Matt Olson and Austin Riley, who hit 54 and 37 home runs, respectively, last season, have both hit just 13 long balls thus far.
Marcell Ozuna, who is enjoying a career year with 28 homers and a .980 OPS, is the only Braves regular with an OPS+ above 120.
On Thursday, the Braves will visit Queens for a four-game series against the Mets, who trail Atlanta by just three games in the wild-card race.
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