On July 27, Atlanta Braves pitcher Connor Thomas recorded one of the worst outings of the season.
In 2.2 innings, Thomas allowed 10 hits, five walks, three home runs and 11 earned runs in total.
Before entering the game in the sixth inning, the game was tied 3-3. However, it quickly got out of hand as the New York Mets scored 11 unanswered runs en route to a 14-3 win over the Braves.
After being removed from the game in the eighth inning, the Mets broadcast team was sympathetic towards Thomas after reading his final line.
Because of this performance, Thomas’ ERA ballooned to 21.32 for the season. This isn’t a new thing for him either; in 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers, Thomas had an ERA of 20.25 in two appearances.
Atlanta optioned Thomas to Triple-A after the game, but why did Walt Weiss allow this to happen in the first place?
The Braves Are Navigating a Tough Stretch
Coming out of the All-Star break, the schedule had Atlanta playing 17 games without an off day. Their next scheduled off day is on Monday, Aug. 3, over two weeks after the season resumed on July 17.
The Braves had a hard-fought weekend series versus the Baltimore Orioles between July 24 and July 26. All three games were decided by one run and two of them went into extra innings. Naturally, the high-leverage arms had to carry the burden. Interestingly, all three starting pitchers during the series went at least five innings.
Between July 20 and July 26, all five of Atlanta’s wins were decided by one run.
In that time, Tyler Kinley, Dylan Lee and Raisel Iglesias all pitched in at least three games. Didier Fuentes threw 2.2 innings in two games during that stretch as well.
Unfortunately, that meant all the high-leverage arms were unavailable on July 27, even in a tied ball game. Weiss was more concerned with not taxing the bullpen any further, even if it meant punting away a game.
Atlanta’s bullpen is also down, perhaps their best relief pitcher. Robert Suarez, who has an 0.56 ERA this season, hasn’t pitched since June 19. Weiss was expecting him to be back by now, but things have changed.
The Braves bullpen ranks sixth in bullpen ERA (3.41) and 12th in innings pitched from their relievers as of July 31 (414.1). Atlanta has one of the elite bullpens in MLB and has relied on them at times to win games.
Relief Pitchers Are More Important Than Ever
Thomas’ outing was ugly, but it illustrates a broader reality about modern baseball.
In 2026, relief pitchers have become a more integral part of the game. Chris Sale ranks top two on the Braves in innings pitched (117.0). He went at least seven innings in just five of his 20 starts. For comparison, in 2013, Atlanta won 96 games, spearheaded by Mike Minor, who started 32 games that season. He went at least seven innings in 14 starts that season.
Moreover, in nearly half of those starts, Minor threw fewer than 100 pitches to get through seven innings in six of his starts. Sale met that mark in just two starts this season. The point is that over the past decade, there has been a shift in starting pitching usage as teams have opted to use their bullpen more.
Of course, the modern age of analytics is playing a role as well. Statistics show that starting pitchers are significantly worse when they face a lineup for the third time. This leads to managers pulling their starters before then to avoid potential damage. According to MLB.com, from 2016-2025, opposing lineups had an OPS of .780 compared to just .718 the first time through the order.
With bullpen usage trending upward, it is more important than ever to manage them throughout the season to preserve their health.
Lee in particular has been the ultimate workhorse for Atlanta. He ranks top 30 in innings pitched among relief pitchers (50.0). Moreover, he is fourth in appearances in high-leverage situations (28) and third in appearances on zero days’ rest (13). Lee has become a staple of the Braves’ bullpen, and the absence of Suarez makes him even more important.
Weiss sacrificed one game to protect the arms that will matter over the final two months. That trade-off could pay dividends down the stretch.
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