Braves' Brian Snitker Announces Change After Historic Loss to Phillies

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 5:04 PM ET

The Atlanta Braves have had a disappointing season so far, entering Saturday with a 61–74 record and sitting far outside of playoff contention with only one month left in the year.

A major reason for the team’s struggles has been the starting rotation being decimated by injuries, with nearly every member of the Opening Day staff sidelined at some point—including Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo Lopez.

With so many starters unavailable, the Braves turned to free agent arms released by other clubs, notably Cal Quantrill, who was cut by the Miami Marlins after posting a 5.50 ERA across 24 starts.

Brian Snitker Makes Change Ahead of Chris Sale’s Return

During Thursday's brutal 19–4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, Quantrill started and allowed four of the Phillies’ seven home runs— tying the franchise record for most home runs in a single game. His final line: 3.1 innings pitched, nine runs allowed on nine hits, and zero strikeouts.

Following the outing, Braves manager Brian Snitker announced that Quantrill would be moved to the bullpen as a long reliever.

"Snit said Quantrill will be used as a long reliever," wrote MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

Snit said Quantrill will be used as a long reliever
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 30, 2025

The timing coincides with Chris Sale’s expected return to the rotation on Saturday after recovering from a fractured rib. Sale, the reigning 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner, has been dominant over the past two seasons—posting a 2.43 ERA with 339 strikeouts in 267 innings across 44 starts.

Quantrill, meanwhile, may have seen his final opportunity as a major-league starter slip away, making this one of Snitker’s easiest decisions. His brief stint in Atlanta has been historically rough, and with Sale returning, the Braves will look to stabilize a rotation that’s been in flux all season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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