The Atlanta Braves dropped their third straight game Friday night in a 9-0 loss that highlighted the dire state of their pitching staff.
Now seven games under .500 and trailing by 7 1/2 games in the Wild Card race, the Braves’ margin for error is shrinking, and Bryce Elder did nothing to help in his start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Bryce Elder’s Historically Bad Start
Elder surrendered nine runs in just two-plus innings, becoming only the third pitcher in franchise history to allow nine or more earned runs in that short of a span. The last starter to suffer such a fate was Aaron Blair on May 17, 2016, the night Brian Snitker made his managerial debut for Atlanta. The other instance came in 1957 by Taylor Phillips in a relief role.
After a 2-hour, 19-minute rain delay derailed his pregame routine, Elder never found his rhythm on the mound. He walked in a run in the first inning, served up home runs to Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos in the second, and surrendered Otto Kemp’s first career homer in a six-run third that saw Elder replaced by Michael Petersen on the hill.
Otto Kemp hits his first Major League home run!
The @Phillies are pouring it on against the Braves. pic.twitter.com/rh3M6WWxTQ
— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2025
Elder’s Unpromising Metrics
Elder’s numbers this season paint a concerning picture. In 13 starts, he has a 5.82 ERA with a 2-5 record. Baseball Savant’s advanced metrics aren’t any more promising. Elder’s expected ERA (xERA), batting average against (xBA), and run values on both his fastball and offspeed pitches all rank in the bottom 10% of major league pitchers. His offspeed metrics are particularly alarming, falling in the bottom 1%. With a fastball averaging 91.6 mph, faster than only 12% of MLB arms, he has struggled to keep hitters off balance.
Atlanta’s Injury-Depleted Rotation
Despite his continued ineffectiveness, the Braves may have no choice but to keep Elder in the rotation. Injuries have decimated Atlanta’s starters. A.J. Smith-Shawver is out for the season with a torn UCL, Reynaldo López’s timeline for his return from shoulder surgery is uncertain, and Chris Sale could be sidelined until August with a fractured left rib cage. The team has turned to 20-year-old Didier Fuentes in an attempt to deal with the depleted staff.
The Braves are out of options and time. With the season slipping further out of reach, the hope now rests on just a few arms or a front office move before the trade deadline. Until then, Atlanta will have to weather the storm with what’s left.
Main Photo Credit: © Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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