Takeaways from Atlanta's 8-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday Night Baseball

The Giants took advantage of some pitching mistakes to come out on top in the series finale

Lindsay Crosby | Aug 27, 2023

Atlanta dropped game three of their series with the San Francisco Giants, 8-5, on Sunday night in Oracle Park. Here's what you need to know from the contest:

Jared Shuster wasn't great, but it was better than some of the other #5 starters we've seen this season

Shuster went 4.2 inning in this one, with four hits and four runs allowed. When he left the game with two outs in the 5th inning, there were runners on 1st and 3rd and Atlanta was trying to hold a 3-2 lead.

Shuster actually pitched well in this one, allowing only three hard-hit balls in the outing. But the home run, coming off a middle-middle changeup, was an egregious mistake.

On paper, it's more of what we've seen this season from Shuster. In his last start back in June, prior to being sent down, he allowed four runs on seven hits to Cincinnati in just 3.2 innings. But in this stint, he allowed less home runs and avoided the heart of the plate more than previous outings.

Only two of the runners scored against Shuster himself, with the other two that were charged to him scoring off of a reliever. Shuster's bullpen let him down, but he pitched well enough to get another chance at the #5 starter job.

Not sure he's safe from Michael Soroka (once he's eligible to be promoted, of course) coming up and taking the job, but it was a more promising outing than some we've seen this season.

Travis d'Arnaud is the best "backup" catcher in baseball

Atlanta's lucky enough (hashtag blessed) to have not only the All-Star starter at catcher in Sean Murphy, but the most qualified "backup" catcher in the league in Travis d'Arnaud. The two rotate almost daily during the heart of the summer sweltering heat and Travis got two of the three starts behind the plate for the San Francisco Giants series.

It paid off.

Travis went 1-3 in the game, with the 5th inning hit bringing in Atlanta's first two runs. He then followed that up with an incredibly athletic play, running through the stop sign at 3rd base and evading a tag at home to score from 2nd on a ground ball to left field.

He's valued as an extension of the coaching staff, frequently leading the meetings on opposing hitters and the game plans for the pitching staff to attack them.

d'Arnaud signed a contract extension in July that will keep him tied to the team through 2024 with a club option for 2025, when d'Arnaud will be 36 years old.

Collin McHugh rode the struggle bus tonight

The righty entered in the 5th for Jared Shuster, tasked with getting one out and then coming back out and eating some innings in advance of Atlanta's trip to Colorado.

He did neither of those things.

McHugh faced eleven batters, with seven of them reaching base. After coming in with runners on 1st and 3rd in the 5th, he walked the first two batters (scoring a run) and then gave up a 3 RBI, bases-clearing double to catcher Patrick Bailey to extend San Francisco's lead to 6-3.

He finished with only 1.1 innings of work, coming out after the 6th with three hits and four runs on his tally, walking four and striking out only one. All four runners that he walked - Joc Pederson was an intentional walk in the 6th - came back around to score in this one.

Atlanta used Michael Tonkin and Brad Hand for the last two innings, saving a day of work for their high-leverage guys prior to a series in Colorado, but definitely one more reliever than the ideal scenario.

On the season, McHugh's sitting on a 3.88 ERA and a 4-1 record, but he's struggled to handle inherited runners and hasn't seen the typical high and medium-leverage opportunities he was used in last season. It's fair to question what role he'll have in the bullpen on the postseason roster, as well as what the front office does with his $6M club option for 2024 ($1M buyout).

What's next for Atlanta?

The Braves head to Coors Field for a three game set with the Colorado Rockies. Always a tough environment to play that tests your pitching, as it's the ultimate hitters' park due to the altitude.

Atlanta opens the series with Bryce Elder, who is facing off with LHP Austin Gomber on Monday night at 8:40 PM ET, followed by Charlie Morton on Tuesday and officially a "TBA" for Wednesday's primetime series finale.

Check out Braves Today on Socials!
Follow Braves Today on Twitter!
Like Braves Today on Facebook!
Check out the homepage for more Atlanta Braves News!
Subscribe to Braves Today on YouTube!
Get Exclusive Braves Merchandise from FOCO

Published Aug 27, 2023

LINDSAY CROSBY

Managing Editor for Braves Today and the 2023 IBWAA Prospects/Minors Writer of the Year. You can reach him at contact@bravestoday.com