Atlanta Braves Postseason Comes to Quick End, Swept Out By Padres

Just two days after clinching a spot in the Postseason, the Atlanta Braves are heading home for the winter

The Atlanta Braves postseason comes to a quick, forgettable ending. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images / Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves 2024 season is over. They lost 5-4 in Game 2 to the San Diego Padres to be swept out of the Wild Card series. They clinched a spot in the postseason on Monday and it was all over on Wednesday. 

Despite doing everything they could to limp to the finish line and make the playoffs, they still have an early offseason. 

Things looked hopeful to lead off the game when Marcell Ozuna drove in Michael Harris II on a sac fly to make it 1-0. But starting pitcher Max Fried struggled and the Braves soon found themselves down 5-1. 

After finding a way to get back into the game,they ultimately fell short. 

The Braves are out in the first round for the third straight season following their World Series title. They have now lost six straight elimination games. 

No one wants to hear it, but unlike previous Braves teams that failed to meet expectations, this one arguably still found a way to exceed them.

A lot of talent was gone quickly. Starting pitcher Spencer Strider was out for the season after two starts. Ronald Acuña Jr. was done before the end of May. Austin Riley hasn’t played in over a month and the team lost Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II and Reynaldo Lopez for chunks of time. 

They didn’t even have their Triple Crown winner, Chris Sale, for the final two weeks of the regular season or the postseason. 

This team never should have sniffed a playoff appearance. Yet, here we are writing about how their postseason series went. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t memorable. But it happened. 

It’s disappointing to be eliminated, but there’s something to be said about the will this team had this season. Should they be content? Of course not. Every player’s goal is to win the World Series and that’s not happening this year. 

That doesn’t mean we can’t give them a little credit. 

Onto the offseason with plenty of chaos that can ensue during that time. Coincidently, opening night in 2025 will be right where they left off in San Diego on March 27. It never takes long for a storyline to come full circle.