Atlanta Braves' Season-Opening Troubles Extend to High-A Affiliate, the Rome Emperors

Times are tough in the Atlanta Braves organization.

The parent club – a playoff team the past seven years – is off to an 0-7 start after it squandered a 5-0 lead Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won 6-5 on a Shohei Ohtani walk-off home run.

And now, the Rome Emperors, the High-A affiliate of the Braves, have been forced out of their home field for their scheduled season-opening three-game series in Rome, Ga., this weekend. Instead, they will play at the home of their opponent, the Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox).

When it rains, it pours.

In this case, that’s almost true. The Emperors explained the reason for the shift in a letter to fans posted on social media.

“Due to a pipe bursting in the Rome clubhouse causing significant damage earlier this week, our stadium is currently not in a condition that meets the standards we hold ourselves to for your game-day experience – or for the game-day experiences of our players, staff and visiting teams.

“As a result, we will be relocating our 2025 home opening series to Winston-Salem. While this was a difficult decision, it was made with the full support of our partners and league officials to ensure the highest level of professionalism and care for everyone involved.”