Atlanta Braves outfielder Ramón Laureano made several mistakes during the team’s 3-2 loss to the New York Mets on Thursday night. After the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker didn’t mince words about just how crucial one mistake in particular was.
In the top of the tenth inning, the Braves attempted to score a run by laying down a bunt. But Laureano, the runner on third base at the time, decided to break for home before the bunt was placed.
The Mets played it perfectly, pitching out and catching Laureano in a rundown, ultimately tagging him out for the second out of the inning.
The squeeze play goes wrong for the Braves!
Both teams exchange some words after Ramon Laureano and Francisco Alvarez collided pic.twitter.com/hB4ncWC9r5
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 26, 2024
Laureano’s second mistake ended up costing the Braves the game, overrunning a fly ball from Jeff McNeil, which led to the game-winning run that crossed the plate for the Mets.
RAMON LAUREANO OVERRUNS IT AND THE METS WIN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/CVFtfC4BLq
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 26, 2024
The former National League Manager of the Year was asked about both mistakes after the game. The baserunning error, which Snitker called “unacceptable,” particularly frustrated him.
“I don’t know what that was,” said Snitker. “Quite honestly… You’ll have to ask him. I didn’t have anything on. We normally don’t bunt in that situation, but I was trying to score a run. We had two pretty good hitters coming up. That’s unacceptable.”
“I don’t know what that was. You’re going to have to ask him. That’s unacceptable.”
Brian Snitker on Ramón Laureano’s base running error in the top of the 10th inning🔊 pic.twitter.com/ZZAvDMH8zA
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) July 26, 2024
He was far less upset about Laureano’s fielding mistake, calling it “unfortunate.”
“Yeah, he just ran a long way for it,” said Snitker. It’s unfortunate.”
As you may expect, Laureano was also asked about both mistakes after the game by reporters. For the baserunning error, he admitted that he believed there was a squeeze play on.
“Yeah, they called a pitchout,” said Laureano. “It was a good strategy. I thought there was a safety (squeeze). Yeah, I don’t know what happened.”
“I overran it, but I should have caught that ball. No excuses. I let the team down today for sure.”
Ramón Laureano evaluates his performance during game one against the Mets⬇️ pic.twitter.com/r3VxS6jnNb
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) July 26, 2024
It is quite rare that a manager calls out a player so directly for their mistakes. But at least in this instance, Snitker seemingly believed that his player’s mistake was bad enough to be publicly addressed in his postgame presser.
This could also be a sign of frustration from Snitker and the Braves organization in general, as it was their fifth straight loss.
