The Atlanta Braves suffered a tough series loss to the San Diego Padres over Memorial Day weekend. After working so hard to get to the .500 mark, the Braves have lost four of five to drop to two games below the .500 mark.

The series finale loss to the Padres on Sunday included another error from Braves third baseman Austin Riley. The usual sure-handed Riley has committed five errors over the past two and a half weeks.

Braves manager Brian Snitker, though, wasn’t ready to completely blame Riley for the sudden rush of errors.

“I don’t think it’s all him if you want to know the truth,” said Snitker to reporters after Sunday’s game.

After a follow-up question, Snitker offered another short response to somewhat clarify what he meant.

“He’s getting some bad hops and things like that,” Snitker added. “I don’t think it’s a bad infielder. I think some of the stuff is out of his control.”

MLB.com’s Mark Bowman interpreted Snitker’s comments as directed at the Truist Park grounds crew. Four of Riley’s five errors since May 8 have come where the Braves play their home games.

“Snitker made it clear he wasn’t happy with the Braves grounds crew,” Bowman tweeted. “When asked about Riley’s recent errors, he said, ‘I don’t think it’s all on him if you want to know the truth.’

“Four of the five errors Riley has committed going back to May 8 have occurred at Truist Park.”

Bowman’s tweet sent Braves fans on X into a bit of a frenzy Sunday night.

“Third baseman: makes an error. Manager: throws the grounds crew under the bus. You really can’t make this stuff up,” wrote Atlanta sports fan and Sideline Sports Network’s Samir A.

“Now it’s turned into blaming the grounds crew? Get him out of here man,” wrote another Braves fan.

Another X user responded to that tweet, writing: “I was still pro Snit until just now.”

“Ya Ed Mangan is literally the guru of grounds crew guys,” wrote a disgruntled Braves fan. “He literally made Turner Field a diamond. Snit can take a hike.”

Other fans, though, disagreed with how Bowman intreperted Snitker’s remarks.

“Where did he say that he wasn’t happy with the grounds crew? You say he makes it clear, but that’s about as clear as smog.”

“That’s not what he said at all, Mark.”

Snitker is known as a player’s manager, who fully supporters his players in front of the media. More than likely, Snitker’s comments were meant as support for Riley, as the third baseman gets through his fielding slump.

Fans on social media, though, appear to see Snitker’s comments more as an excuse than indirect support.