The Atlanta Braves entered the postseason with the kind of bullpen that should have been a strength. During the regular season, it was one of the best relief groups in baseball. But in Game Two of the NL Wild Card series, that advantage did not carry over, and the late-inning decision-making became part of the story.
Robert Suarez was not used in one of the biggest moments of the season, even though he had been acquired last offseason for postseason moments. With the Braves still trying to steady themselves after a gut-punch loss, the choice stood out because the game was there to be closed, or at least managed, by one of the bullpen's best arms.
The seventh and eighth innings set the tone
The trouble started when Dylan Lee gave up two solo homers in the seventh inning. That immediately put pressure on the Braves, who were trying to keep the game within reach. Raisel Iglesias then pitched well in the seventh and eighth innings, giving Atlanta a chance to survive the middle-to-late innings without the damage getting worse.
For a while, that looked like enough to keep the Braves in position for a late answer. But in a postseason game, every inning can become the defining stretch, and the Braves were forced to keep reaching for answers as the margin stayed tight.
Fuentes handled the ninth before Bohm changed the game
In the top of the ninth, Fuentes recorded the first two outs before Alec Bohm hit a solo homer to give the Phillies a late lead. That home run turned the game again and left the Braves with another frustrating finish in a series that was supposed to showcase their bullpen depth.
That is what makes Robert Suarez's absence so notable. A reliever brought in with October in mind was not part of the final push, even as the Braves searched for a way to avoid a loss that felt hard to absorb. It was the kind of moment that can linger, especially when a bullpen strength from the regular season has not translated into the playoffs so far.
For the Braves, the bigger question now is simple: if Robert Suarez is not used in a spot like this, when exactly is that postseason role supposed to arrive?
