Despite having a talented roster on paper, the Atlanta Braves find themselves eight games below .500 and nearly out of the NL East race midway through June. The disappointing season stems from a mix of issues a flawed roster built by Alex Anthopoulos, the failure of free agent signing Jurickson Profar, and too many key players underperforming, especially in crucial situations.
Some fans and critics have blamed manager Brian Snitker or suggested there’s a leadership gap in the clubhouse. While those may be contributing factors, they’re not the main problem the team simply hasn’t played well.
Austin Riley, the team’s highest-paid player ever, recently addressed the leadership criticism. He pointed to veterans like Chris Sale, Marcell Ozuna, Matt Olson, and himself as players who are stepping up and having the necessary internal conversations. Riley pushed back on the idea that the players don’t care or that leadership is absent, calling such claims misguided.
Critics may question the team’s passion or Snitker’s decisions, but Riley suggests people outside the clubhouse simply don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes. Just because something isn’t public doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. While leadership might not be at the level of previous years, it’s unfair to claim the team lacks it altogether without firsthand knowledge.
