The Braves got the sequel nobody wanted.
After Tuesday’s 7-1 loss, Atlanta’s bats stayed stuck in place and the Rays backed it up with another 7-2 win, this time leaning on Griffin Jax over Reynaldo Lopéz. The Braves managed only three hits, and the Phillies’ win over Houston trimmed Atlanta’s NL East lead to three games.
Lopéz was in trouble almost immediately. In the second inning, Rays right fielder Victor Mesa, Jr. turned a belt-high heater into a drive that landed in the last row of the Chop House for a 1-0 Tampa Bay lead.
Chandler Simpson followed with a single, then a disengagement infraction moved him to second. After Richie Palacios walked, the Rays pulled off a double steal, and Jorge Mateo made it count with a two-run single into shallow center field to make it 3-0.
The second inning was rough. The fourth was worse.
Mesa started it with a single, Simpson worked a walk and Cedric Mullins added another hit to bring home the fourth run. Palacios singled in the next one, Mateo laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, and Yandy Díaz followed with a deep sac fly to stretch the lead to 6-0. By then, Braves fans were already checking the out-of-town scoreboard.
Atlanta finally answered in the bottom of the fourth when Drake launched a 3-1 Jax sinker over the center field fence for his 23rd homer of ’26. The Braves picked up a little more in the sixth after Drake walked, RAJ doubled him to third and Olson drove him in with a sacrifice fly, cutting it to 6-2.
That was as close as it got. Tampa Bay added another run in the seventh after Victor Mederos hit a batter and allowed two singles, and Atlanta never seriously threatened after that.
Lopéz finished with 4.2 innings, 6 earned runs, 7 hits and 3 walks. The bullpen group of Ray Kerr, Mederos and Bailey Falter was better, allowing just one run over 4.1 innings with 3 hits and no walks. Ozzie, who came in mired in a 4-for-31 stretch this month, was dropped to seventh in the lineup and went 0 for 3.
So the Braves leave with a bad loss, a second straight ugly result, and a narrow cushion in the division after Philadelphia’s win. The series wraps Thursday afternoon at 12:15 pm, with Rays ace Nick Martinez (14-4, 3.04 ERA) set to face Braves lefty Martín Pérez (8-9, 3.25).
In Other News...
Braves Rotation Need Could Push Atlanta Toward An Intriguing Gamble
The Braves already made one move to bolster the rotation by adding Tyler Mahle at the trade deadline, but the work there does not figure to be finished once the offseason opens. Atlanta still has an obvious need to improve the starting staff, and that puts the front office in the market for pitchers who can offer upside without demanding the kind of certainty that usually comes at a premium.
Casey Mize fits that kind of discussion. CBS Sports Mike Axisa floated Atlanta as a possible landing spot for the free-agent right-hander, whose talent has shown through even as his performance has remained uneven this season. For a Braves club trying to keep pace in a demanding division, the appeal is clear, but the question is whether this is the sort of gamble the organization wants to make as it tries to deepen a rotation that still feels unfinished. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Outfield Uncertainty May Not Last As New Internal Options Emerge
The Braves outfield picture is still unsettled in the short term, but the organization may already have a few answers taking shape inside the system. With current roster decisions and free agency keeping the big-league mix in flux, Atlanta is looking closely at a group of younger options who could eventually factor into both the outfield and designated hitter spots.
Eric Hartman, AJ Gracia, Carter Beck and Owen Carey all got attention for the way they performed recently, and each brings a different kind of fit for the Braves to consider. The timeline is still gradual rather than immediate, but the idea that one or more of these players could push into meaningful roles over the next year and a half gives the front office something useful while the bigger-picture outfield situation remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Pitching Shuffle Puts Reynaldo Lopez In A Spotlight Again
The Braves continued to reshape their pitching group amid the series with the Rays, adding left-hander Bailey Falter to the major-league roster and designating right-hander Elieser Hernandez for assignment. The roster moves came alongside a more significant development for Atlantas rotation, with Reynaldo Lopez reinstated from the injured list and lined up to start the upcoming game.
Bryce Elders move to the injured list after knee surgery added another layer to the shuffle, leaving Atlanta to lean on depth it has been forced to test often. For Lopez, the return puts him back in a familiar spotlight at a time when the Braves are still sorting out how their staff fits together over the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]