Potential Braves Offseason Target Hands ATL Fourth Straight Series Loss

MLB pundits speculated this past winter that Crochet could be a starting pitcher target for the Braves. But Atlanta didn't add any starters while watching Max Fried and Charlie Morton depart in free agency.

Seeing Crochet perform well Sunday after Atlanta made no attempt to acquire him last winter was painful, but the Braves pitching staff has been strong this season. The offense, though, has been a different story.

With the loss, the Braves dropped two of three this weekend to the Red Sox. In the two losses, Atlanta scored two combined runs.

The Braves haven't won a series since facing the Red Sox at Fenway Park. They also sit four games below .500 with a 27-31 mark this season.

As The Athletic's David O'Brien mentioned, the Braves moved a game above .500 after the series at Fenway Park concluded on May 18.

However, over the past two weeks, the Braves have let a couple games slip through their fingers. Atlanta could have had a sweep at Fenway Park, but the Braves bullpen gave up five runs in the final three innings in a 7-6 loss on May 17.

The Braves also fell 8-7 in extra innings against the Washington Nationals on May 22 and blew an opportunity to tie a game in the ninth inning versus the San Diego Padres on May 23. In that ninth inning, pinch runner Eli White made a terrible base running blunder.

But overall, the Braves just aren't playing very good baseball recently, particularly at the plate. On Sunday, they were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The Braves entered Sunday ranked 19th in batting average with runners in scoring position.

That stat, though, only begins to tell the frustrations the Braves should have with men on base. During the fourth inning Sunday, they had first and third with nobody out, meaning they didn't need a hit to score a run.

But catcher Sean Murphy struck out, White popped out after second baseman Ozzie Albies stole second and center fielder Michael Harris II struck out.

The Braves will look to get back on track this upcoming week in a home series versus the Arizona Diamondbacks before a weekend west coast trip to San Francisco.