Four Storylines to Follow Up on From Braves Loss to Mariners

The Atlanta Braves dropped their series opener in Seattle to the Mariners, 5-4, on Monday night. They watched as their 4-0 lead was squandered by a five-spot in the bottom of the sixth by the Mariners' bats.

There were a few storylines to watch during this game, so we're going to sort through them here. Regardless of the outcome, there is something worth evaluating.

Sean Murphy Still Has Some Rust to Shake Off

That's not a critique, per se. It's just a reality check after coming off the injured list. He's only been back to live action for a couple of weeks, and the action he saw was essentially an abridged spring training.

He struck out twice in his return to the Braves, and he grounded into a double play in the other trip to the plate. If there is anything that could be seen as encouraging, that ground ball came off the bat at 107 mph. Murphy just couldn't get that pitch elevated.

Then, there was the use of ABS behind the dish. He had the chance to use it during his rehab assignment down in the minor leagues, but this was his first time giving it a try in a game that mattered. The result was that he lost both challenges in the bottom of the first inning.

Murphy has given no reason for alarm yet. It was one game, but a reality check was needed.

Ritchie Should Still Look Back at This Game Fondly

If he's frustrated with how it turned out, that's understandable. It was his first time getting to pitch in his hometown, and it could be viewed as having been spoiled at the end.

Had the Braves gone to the bullpen after five innings, the narrative would have been entirely different. But given his pitch count and how he had looked heading into the sixth, five scoreless innings, there was no reason for the Braves to take him out earlier than they did. It just didn't work out like they had hoped.

Regardless of the outcome, there was still another piece of that dream lived out on Monday night. A first-time pitching in your childhood MLB stadium is still doing just that. It should always be a special night for him.

One of the Good Bullpen Arms was Destined for Rough Game Eventually

The Braves have tried to be as strategic as possible with the bullpen all season. Sometimes, even the top options can't deliver.

After Ritchie's exit in the sixth inning, Tyler Kinley was brought in to get the Braves out of a jam. He couldn't get it done, allowing the rally to continue. He allowed JP Crawford's go-ahead two-run home run, and he took the loss as a result.

Kinley has allowed three earned runs over his last two appearances. He had two all season before that. As much as the Braves are reliant on key members of the bullpen, one of them was bound to have a tough night eventually. When it becomes a long-term trend for Kinley, we'll circle back to this loss.

Olson's Pace Isn't Slowly Down for Any Reason

Different ballparks at different altitudes and in different climates featuring different levels of competition haven't been able to faze Olson in the slightest.

The Braves star first baseman belted his 300th career home run on Monday night. That milestone in his career marked his 12 home run of the season, which have come in just 36 games.

He's now on pace to match his career-high for a season, 54 home runs, which was set back in 2023. He's on pace to drive in 144 runs, and he's batting .300 with a 1.047 OPS. It's the first month. There's a long season to go. But until that slump actually comes about, and it likely will at some point, this is a pace worth discussing.

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