BRAVES POSTCAST: Atlanta Braves TAKE DOWN Chicago Cubs in series opener LIVE REACTION

The Locked On Braves Postcast recaps the Atlanta Braves' 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the series opener at Truist Park, highlighting a dominant performance from the bottom of the order and a stellar bullpen effort. Dom Smith went 4-for-4 with singles, Austin Riley hit a home run, and Mike Yastrzemski recorded his first home run of the season, earning him Player of the Game honors with 56% of the vote. The episode dives into the Braves' offensive depth, particularly the contributions from players like Drake Baldwin, Matt Olsen, and Hasan Kim, who returned from injury with strong defensive and offensive play. The discussion turns to Grant Holmes' struggles in his second trip through the order, with a sharp drop in effectiveness, prompting a debate on whether he should be piggybacked by relievers like Didier Fuentes or Martin Perez. The bullpen’s five-inning, one-hit shutout was praised, with Fuentes delivering a standout performance. The hosts also express frustration over the Braves’ 10 pickoffs in 42 games, attributing it to growing pains under new base-running coach Antoine Richardson, though they emphasize patience given the team’s strong record. Finally, the episode previews tomorrow’s game with J.R. Ritchie facing Shota Imanaga, with hopes for a strong outing despite the matchup challenge.