The Atlanta Braves suffered a devastating 11-10 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, squandering a six-run lead in the ninth inning. The Braves’ bullpen surrendered seven runs in the final frame, marking one of the most crushing collapses in recent team history.
The loss snapped Atlanta’s streak of 766 straight wins when leading by six or more runs entering the ninth inning, a record dating back to 1973.
Manager Brian Snitker didn’t hide his frustration postgame. “Six runs up in the ninth, you feel like you should win the game,” he said. “It’s a horrible loss… We’re all going to be miserable, and we should. We didn’t execute.”
#Braves Brian Snitker: "It's a horrible loss. Now we've got to sit on it for 5 hours and we're all going to be miserable. And we should." @ATLNewsFirst pic.twitter.com/4mYEdD9jTB
— Connor Hines (@ConnorHinesTV) June 5, 2025
When asked if the team could address its bullpen issues without new additions, Snitker replied, “We’re gonna have to make it work because it’s what we got.”
Bullpen Woes Continue To Plague Braves
So far, Braves, who recently released their veteran Orlando Arcia, have struggled will their bullpen. Atlanta’s bullpen currently ranks 15th in the majors with a 3.90 ERA, a dramatic drop from last season when they finished third with a 3.32 mark. The group has blown 10 saves this season, tied for the ninth-most in the league.
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Closer Raisel Iglesias has been at the heart of the problem, owning a 6.75 ERA and giving up more home runs already than he did all of last year. Setup men like Aaron Bummer and Joe Jimenez have also been inconsistent.
With pressure mounting, the Braves have recalled veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel from Triple-A Gwinnett in hopes of injecting stability into a collapsing bullpen.
The Braves, who sit second in the NL East, begin a tough road trip against the Giants and Brewers. If the bullpen doesn’t turn things around soon, Snitker’s message of “make it work” may not be enough to keep Atlanta in the hunt.
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