Latest news with #Braves
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Braves General Manager Sends Definitive Final Word on Chris Sale Trade Rumors
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. "Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps." Those were the words of Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos on the radio ahead of the team's win against the Mets on Wednesday when the rumors were brought up about the organization trading Chris Sale. Sale would certainly be a hot commodity, but Anthopoulos made it very clear the southpaw wouldn't be dealt away despite the team being several games under .500 this season. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 18: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves reacts during the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on June 18, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 18: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves reacts during the ninth inning against the New York Mets at Truist Park on June 18, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia."Zero (chance)," Anthopoulos said on 680 "The Fan". "I've seen the speculation and that's why -- it's completely ridiculous to me. We're not selling, especially someone that has club control beyond the current year. Will not happen." Sale has recorded a 2.52 ERA this season for the Braves through his first 15 starts. Even at 36 years old, he's one of the best pitchers in the game and gives his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound. Anthopoulos doubled down and even gave Braves fans some insight into what may happen in the near future. "I never make definitive statements unless I'm going to stick to them," said Anthopoulos. "Because once you make definitive statements and then you go back on them, you're a liar and you're done. ... Will. Not. Happen. Bold, italicize it, caps. So much so, that I'm trying to make a trade now in June just to signal to everybody, 'Hey, we will not sell.'" It's not very often you see a general manager go as far as telling the fanbase they'll add someone to silence rumors about the team's ace being traded away. However, it's safe to say at this point any teams that got excited about Sale potentially being on the market need to go back to the drawing board and find a new deadline target. More MLB: Aaron Boone Gives Two-Word Answer on Closer Situation as Luke Weaver Returns
New York Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
4 Braves takeaways: Vibing after sweep of Mets, 20-year-old pitches Friday, Acuña feats, more
ATLANTA — Eleven days ago, the Braves had stumbled through their second seven-game losing streak of the first half of the season and dropped a sixth consecutive series. Now they've won three series in a row and seven of their last nine games. And four days after an embarrassing 10-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies, the Braves finished a series sweep of their NL East rival New York Mets, who came to Atlanta with the National League's best record, with a 7-1 win Thursday, Advertisement Spencer Strider pitched six strong innings, and Matt Olson broke things open with a three-run double to fuel Atlanta's 26th win in 36 games against the Mets since 2022. 'I feel like that's the closest we've been to playing just a complete series,' said Strider, who had eight strikeouts with one walk. '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. 'Now the challenge is to continue to do it, obviously. It doesn't get easier from here.' Atlanta still trails the Mets and now co-leading Philadelphia Phillies by 10 games in the East, but the Braves have regained momentum and have 10 more games against the Mets, including a four-game series that starts Monday at New York. 'The last three series have been really good, and to cap it off with a (sweep) against the Mets is huge,' said third baseman Austin Riley, who had one of the Braves' season-high nine walks Thursday. 'The biggest thing I hope we can take from this is just that we can compete with anybody. I just hope we can take the confidence away from that and keep it rolling. That was an unbelievable series.' The Braves are within five games of the third and final wild-card spot with 89 to go. Ample time, if they can continue playing as they did during a 5-1 homestand — when the Braves' starting rotation looked as deep as any in the majors and the offense averaged more than 5 1/2 runs despite still having some glaring soft spots in the lineup. After Chris Sale's sensational 8 2/3 innings in Wednesday's 5-0 shutout, Strider came through with his second impressive start in a row. After going 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA in his first starts while shaking off rust from a yearlong rehab for elbow surgery, and also a month sidelined by a hamstring strain, Strider is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA, 21 Ks and two walks in his last two starts. Advertisement 'I kind of feel like our old selves again,' Braves manager Brian Snitker said. 'This was a really good series. Did some things we hadn't been doing. So, hopefully, that's the start of something really good that we continue to build on.' The Braves are calling up Colombian prospect Didier Fuentes, who turned 20 on Tuesday, to start Friday's series opener at Miami after just six starts above Single A. It's a spot start to allow other Braves to get extra rest before next week's series at New York, and a good showing could put Fuentes in line for more chances this summer. Reliever José Ruiz was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Fuentes, who will be the first major leaguer born in 2005 and only current one under 21. The 6-foot right-hander will be the third-youngest to pitch for the Braves in the team's Atlanta era since 1966. The move will allow Spencer Schwellenbach, Sale and Strider to start on extra rest against the Mets. Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder will start Saturday and Sunday at Miami. Fuentes, who throws a fastball that reaches 97 mph and a slider, entered this spring ranked as the Braves' No. 11 prospect by The Athletic's Keith Law and No. 7 by Baseball America. But after drawing attention at spring training with seven strikeouts in three scoreless innings against Detroit Tigers prospects in the Spring Breakout game, Fuentes climbed to No. 3 in the Braves system according to FanGraphs, which has him 82nd overall in its top 100 prospects. Not bad for a kid the Braves signed for $75,000 in 2022. Didier Fuentes tossed a beaut in his Triple-A debut 👏 4.2 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 1 ER | 0 BB | 6 SO — Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) June 14, 2025 What has Snitker heard about Fuentes from Braves player development officials and minor-league staffers? 'It's just all really good stuff,' Snitker said. 'The guy throws strikes, and he's got a good fastball that plays. It sounds like he's a kid that's kind of above his years, as far as maturity and (throwing) strikes and (his) stuff.' Advertisement Fuentes will be the youngest major-league starter since 2016, when the Los Angeles Dodgers' Julio Urías pitched against the Phillies four days shy of his 20th birthday. Fuentes has pitched in 37 games (33 starts) above rookie ball, including nine starts above Low A, all this season. He's 0-7 with a 4.81 ERA in those nine, but that line doesn't reflect how the Braves view his recent progress. He began the season at High-A Rome and was promoted after three starts to Double-A Columbus, then promoted again after five starts there, which included a 2.57 ERA and .188 opponents' average in his last three. He continued to impress in his Triple-A debut Saturday, allowing three hits and one run with no walks and six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Fuentes has 48 strikeouts with 12 walks and two homers in 39 1/3 innings this season. The Braves had five sacrifice flies in the first five games of the homestand, the most in the majors during that time. This from a team that had just 12 sacrifice flies through June 12, the fewest in the majors. They also had a majors-worst .267 average with a runner on third and less than two outs before this homestand. They went 3-for-10 with a walk and those five sac flies on the homestand before Thursday, when the big blow in the game was Olson's bases-loaded double with one out in the sixth. 'I feel really good about what we've been doing lately,' Snitker said of situational improvement. 'It's starting to come around with more than just one guy. It's what we've been striving to do. So, hopefully, we're gonna get in a groove where we're passing the baton and keeping the thing moving and being more like what we're capable of.' Riley said of Atlanta's offensive improvement, 'You go through periods where you put pressure on yourself and you want it so bad and then it just kind of spirals. At some point, you just got to let it go, let the game come to you and relax. And I think you're seeing that with some guys, and other guys are feeding off of it. And you're able to move up and down the lineup, flip the lineup. And our pitching has been great.' Advertisement Ronald Acuña Jr. homered on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday off the Mets' Paul Blackburn, his 36th leadoff homer to extend his Braves record. It was Acuña's 15th leadoff homer on the first pitch, the second-most in MLB history behind Hall of Famer Craig Biggio's 19. Since Acuña's 2018 debut, only two others have double-digit leadoff homers: Jose Altuve (12) and Kyle Schwarber (11). First pitch. Ronald Acuña Jr. was ready 😤 — MLB (@MLB) June 18, 2025 The Braves have long been willing to bring up young players sooner than many anticipated, ranging from 19-year-old center fielder Andruw Jones in 1996 to 20-year-old pitchers Michael Soroka (2018) and AJ Smith-Shawver (2023). 'And it doesn't matter if they're young or they've been around a while, when they step on that major-league mound for the first time, you don't know what (will happen),' Snitker said. 'When I managed in Triple A, (former Braves GM John Schuerholz) would call down about bringing a guy up, and I'd say, well, he's done everything he can do here. I have no idea when you put him in that atmosphere in the major leagues what's going to happen. You don't ever know.' Fuentes will be the youngest to pitch in any capacity for the Braves since Mike McQueen made his MLB debut for Atlanta in October 1969, barely a month past his 19th birthday. The youngest Atlanta-era Braves pitcher was Charlie Vaughan, 18 years and 332 days old when he debuted with a start in September 1966. Vaughan was the only major leaguer in 1966 who was younger than Mets rookie Nolan Ryan, who was 19 when he debuted that same month. Vaughan pitched in just two MLB games, that start in 1966 and a relief appearance in June 1969. (Photo of Spencer Strider: Edward M. Pio Roda / Getty Images)
Winnipeg Free Press
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Braves bring 3-game win streak into matchup with the Marlins
Atlanta Braves (34-39, third in the NL East) vs. Miami Marlins (29-44, fifth in the NL East) Miami; Friday, 7:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Didier Fuentes (0-0); Marlins: Janson Junk (1-0, 2.78 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 20 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Braves -143, Marlins +120; over/under is 9 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Braves will attempt to continue a three-game win streak with a victory against the Miami Marlins. Miami has a 29-44 record overall and a 15-23 record at home. The Marlins have a 16-37 record in games when they have allowed a home run. Atlanta has gone 12-24 on the road and 34-39 overall. Braves hitters have a collective .319 on-base percentage, the eighth-ranked percentage in the NL. The teams meet Friday for the third time this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Otto Lopez has seven doubles and six home runs while hitting .230 for the Marlins. Jesus Sanchez is 7 for 36 with two doubles and three home runs over the last 10 games. Austin Riley has 13 doubles and 11 home runs for the Braves. Ronald Acuna is 15 for 32 with a double and four home runs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 5-5, .264 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored by five runs Braves: 7-3, .255 batting average, 2.83 ERA, outscored opponents by 20 runs INJURIES: Marlins: Ryan Weathers: 60-Day IL (lat), Jesus Tinoco: 15-Day IL (forearm), Max Meyer: 15-Day IL (hip), Derek Hill: 10-Day IL (wrist), Rob Brantly: 60-Day IL (lat), Griffin Conine: 60-Day IL (arm), Andrew Nardi: 60-Day IL (back), Braxton Garrett: 60-Day IL (elbow) Braves: Daysbel Hernandez: 15-Day IL (arm), AJ Smith-Shawver: 60-Day IL (calf/elbow), Reynaldo Lopez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Joe Jimenez: 60-Day IL (knee) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Braves bring 3-game win streak into matchup with the Marlins
Atlanta Braves (34-39, third in the NL East) vs. Miami Marlins (29-44, fifth in the NL East) Miami; Friday, 7:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Didier Fuentes (0-0); Marlins: Janson Junk (1-0, 2.78 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 20 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Braves -143, Marlins +120; over/under is 9 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Braves will attempt to continue a three-game win streak with a victory against the Miami Marlins. Miami has a 29-44 record overall and a 15-23 record at home. The Marlins have a 16-37 record in games when they have allowed a home run. Atlanta has gone 12-24 on the road and 34-39 overall. Braves hitters have a collective .319 on-base percentage, the eighth-ranked percentage in the NL. The teams meet Friday for the third time this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Otto Lopez has seven doubles and six home runs while hitting .230 for the Marlins. Jesus Sanchez is 7 for 36 with two doubles and three home runs over the last 10 games. Austin Riley has 13 doubles and 11 home runs for the Braves. Ronald Acuna is 15 for 32 with a double and four home runs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 5-5, .264 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored by five runs Braves: 7-3, .255 batting average, 2.83 ERA, outscored opponents by 20 runs INJURIES: Marlins: Ryan Weathers: 60-Day IL (lat), Jesus Tinoco: 15-Day IL (forearm), Max Meyer: 15-Day IL (hip), Derek Hill: 10-Day IL (wrist), Rob Brantly: 60-Day IL (lat), Griffin Conine: 60-Day IL (arm), Andrew Nardi: 60-Day IL (back), Braxton Garrett: 60-Day IL (elbow) Braves: Daysbel Hernandez: 15-Day IL (arm), AJ Smith-Shawver: 60-Day IL (calf/elbow), Reynaldo Lopez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Joe Jimenez: 60-Day IL (knee) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Braves bring 3-game win streak into matchup with the Marlins
Atlanta Braves (34-39, third in the NL East) vs. Miami Marlins (29-44, fifth in the NL East) Miami; Friday, 7:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Didier Fuentes (0-0); Marlins: Janson Junk (1-0, 2.78 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 20 strikeouts) Advertisement BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Braves -143, Marlins +120; over/under is 9 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Braves will attempt to continue a three-game win streak with a victory against the Miami Marlins. Miami has a 29-44 record overall and a 15-23 record at home. The Marlins have a 16-37 record in games when they have allowed a home run. Atlanta has gone 12-24 on the road and 34-39 overall. Braves hitters have a collective .319 on-base percentage, the eighth-ranked percentage in the NL. The teams meet Friday for the third time this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Otto Lopez has seven doubles and six home runs while hitting .230 for the Marlins. Jesus Sanchez is 7 for 36 with two doubles and three home runs over the last 10 games. Advertisement Austin Riley has 13 doubles and 11 home runs for the Braves. Ronald Acuna is 15 for 32 with a double and four home runs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 5-5, .264 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored by five runs Braves: 7-3, .255 batting average, 2.83 ERA, outscored opponents by 20 runs INJURIES: Marlins: Ryan Weathers: 60-Day IL (lat), Jesus Tinoco: 15-Day IL (forearm), Max Meyer: 15-Day IL (hip), Derek Hill: 10-Day IL (wrist), Rob Brantly: 60-Day IL (lat), Griffin Conine: 60-Day IL (arm), Andrew Nardi: 60-Day IL (back), Braxton Garrett: 60-Day IL (elbow) Braves: Daysbel Hernandez: 15-Day IL (arm), AJ Smith-Shawver: 60-Day IL (calf/elbow), Reynaldo Lopez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Joe Jimenez: 60-Day IL (knee) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
