Braves Dealt Major Pitching Staff Loss on Friday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. On Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park, Braves rookie right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver exited the first game of a doubleheader against the Phillies clutching his right elbow after a comebacker struck his ankle and he felt a “pop” while delivering a pitch.

The Philadelphia Phillies won two of three against the Atlanta Braves to strengthen their grip on the NL East. After a turbulent few weeks to open the season, Philly has settled into a nice groove. Their division rivals, meanwhile, continue to stall. The Phillies now lead the Mets by 2.0 games and the Braves by 9.5 games.

Considered an early World Series favorite, the Braves have a roster consisting of players failing to live up to expectations.

The Braves offense had feeble production Friday, only 24 hours after scoring nine runs against the Phillies — and ace Zack Wheeler — on the road.

Trevor Story hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fourth inning and the Boston Red Sox snapped a five-game skid with a 5-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Atlanta Braves caught somewhat of a break with their shortstop after having two other injuries happen on Thursday

In 2023, Bautista was one of the most electric closers in the game, striking out 110 batters in 61 innings, posting a 1.48 ERA, and earning his first All-Star nod. But in his return from Tommy John, his walk rate has spiked, giving him a 3.78 ERA through 17 appearances.