High-powered Braves handed rare shutout loss in Game 1

ATLANTA -- As the Braves spent the regular season producing historic offensive numbers, you never knew what they might do on a given night.

As they opened the 2023 postseason with a 3-0 loss to the Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday night at Truist Park, they did something nobody realistically anticipated seeing them do this year.

“It’s one game,” Braves first baseman Matt Olson said. “You play a five-game series for a reason.”

With their MLB-best 104-win regular season, the Braves gained home-field advantage through the World Series and a bye for the NL Wild Card Series. Those advantages disappeared during Game 1’s three-hour, three-minute span, during which they were shut out for the first time at home since Aug. 28, 2021.

The Braves were blanked an MLB-best two times during the 162-game regular season. It then happened again during this postseason opener, which had the feel of a “must-win” game.

Atlanta became the third team in MLB history to be shut out in Game 1 of a postseason after leading the Majors in runs per game, joining the 2001 Mariners (American League Division Series) and the 1935 Tigers (World Series), per the Elias Sports Bureau.

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for the Braves. They lost the first game of the 2021 NLDS to the Brewers and celebrated a World Series title a few weeks later. But they lost the first game of the 2022 NLDS, and they were eliminated by the Phillies three games later.

“We’ve got to regroup tomorrow, come back and just play our game,” Braves third baseman Austin Riley said. “I trust all the guys in this clubhouse and would go to war with any of those guys.”

• Phillies-Braves NLDS Game 2 FAQ

There’s no doubt Riley and his teammates now face a tough fight. Instead of taking advantage of facing Phillies No. 3 starter Ranger Suárez in this series opener, they now have to deal with ace Zack Wheeler in Game 2 at home on Monday night and Aaron Nola in Game 3 on Wednesday night in Philadelphia.

Max Fried will oppose Wheeler, with the team hoping his left index finger blister isn’t an issue. The Braves could go with Bryce Elder or 20-year-old AJ Smith-Shawver in Game 3. Whoever takes the hill will need assistance from what has been considered one of the greatest offenses baseball has seen.

The Braves were the first AL/NL team to produce a .500 slugging percentage, and they matched an AL/NL record with 307 homers. But they had just five hits -- none of the extra-base variety -- against the Phillies, who ranked second to last during the regular season with four shutout victories. The Braves became the fourth team to not be shut out at home in the regular season and then be shut out at home in the playoffs that year, joining the 1986 Mets, the '49 Yankees and the '42 Yankees.

“We’ve been doing it all season, like winning all the time, especially against them,” Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna said. “Today, we lost a special game. There’s nothing you can say about it.”

But there are always reasons to question what happened. Spencer Strider would certainly like another chance to pitch in this series. Strider made one ill-advised two-strike, two-out pickoff attempt that led to a run in the fourth, then fell victim to Bryce Harper’s great power on a solo homer in the sixth. He allowed two runs (one earned) over seven innings and seemed to show his frustration by yelling at pitching coach Rick Kranitz in the dugout.

Strider says he wasn’t even talking about baseball. But even if he was discussing his fantasy football lineup with Kranitz, this wasn’t the first time he’s been animated after being removed from a game.

“Most of the time, he's yelling at me that he wants to stay [in the game],” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Most of the buzz before the game centered around why Riley was moved to the second spot of the lineup and Ozzie Albies was bumped down to the fourth spot. This decision won’t be scrutinized like the one to give Michael Soroka just one start in the 2019 NLDS.

But this game’s result begged the question of why the Braves would try to fix something that never seemed broken. They wanted to put some right-handed protection behind Olson for when the Phillies chose to utilize José Alvarado or another left-handed reliever against Olson.

But there was no benefit. After Alvarado retired Olson in the sixth, he surrendered a single to Albies and was fortunate Ozuna’s liner found shortstop Trea Turner’s glove. Michael Harris II, who had struck out with the bases loaded in the fourth, then grounded out against Alvarado.

“When you get in the batter's box, they don't know where they're hitting,” Snitker said.

The lineup change is something to pick at, but it certainly wasn’t why the Braves weren’t able to win. Suárez was on a very short leash, as evidenced by the fact he was pulled with two on and two outs in the fourth. But he seemingly outpitched his own team’s expectations before giving way to a bullpen that limited Atlanta to five baserunners the rest of the way.

“Monday is another day,” Ozuna said. “We’re not done yet.”