NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 05: A.J. Minter #33 of the Atlanta Braves in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 05, 2022 in New York City. The Braves defeated the Mets 9-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Braves reliever AJ Minter thinks Atlanta could’ve swept the Cardinals. Only problem? They lost two out of three instead.
The Braves lost to the Cardinals on Sunday night, 6-3, and it was Minter’s decisive eighth inning which played the biggest role in Atlanta’s defeat. Minter gave up four runs, including two home runs, in the inning.
Despite the series defeat, Minter had plenty to say in the clubhouse defending his teammates.
“What a game we play,” Minter said. “We just keep doing it to ourselves. You’ve got to love this game. You come out and it will break your heart one night and then come out and be the hero and be on top of the world [the next day]. It was a tough loss, but it was a great game.”
Braves: AJ Minter disrespects the Cardinals after series defeat
Deflect much? Minter has been great all season. It’d be fine to simply say, hey, I didn’t have my best stuff today. But instead he went on a tangent about baseball as a whole, and even took aim at the Redbirds.
“We could’ve easily swept this series. We’re playing great baseball. There’s no reason to hang our heads from this. It’s tough, it stings, but we get to wake up and keep playing,” Minter continued, per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Said comment shakes off what just occurred in a three-game set in St. Louis. The Braves lost two out of three games they played, including Sunday night in heartbreaking fashion.
Sure, Atlanta is the defending champs until proven otherwise, but shouldn’t the Cardinals at least have their attention? Minter hinting that he doesn’t view St. Louis as a major postseason threat could be some emphatic bulletin board material come October.