For all of the many great things about older sports video games, one that never gets talked about is how one season in your franchise/dynasty mode is just that: one season. There were no long-term ramifications if a player tore his ACL or fractured his arm.

Real life is not like an old sports video game, and someone needs to tell the Atlanta Braves.

It’s been pretty clear for several weeks now that the Braves, despite Ronald Acuña Jr.’s best efforts, will not make the playoffs. Atlanta entered Monday at 47-63 and are 14 games back in the Wild Card race. Only the Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals, and Colorado Rockies have a lower winning percentage than the Braves’ .427, and that’s only part of Atlanta’s disastrous 2025 campaign.

Yet, the Braves are still taking unnecessary risks by continuing to play their best players through various injuries and ailments. Take All-Star third baseman Austin Riley, who landed on the IL on Monday after reaggravating a previous abdominial strain; Riley had just come off the Injured List a couple of weeks ago due to the same injury.

Acuña went on the IL last week with a calf strain, though he and the Braves initially feared he hurt his Achilles. Incredibly, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker allowed Acuña — the face of the Braves and a perennial MVP candidate — to play last Tuesday despite reporting discomfort in his calf area. Keep in mind that Acuña returned in late May after returning from a torn ACL.

On an unrelated, Atlanta also has five starting pitchers on the 60-day injured list.

The Braves must learn from the Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. injuries

Snitker is expected to retire upon season’s end, so anything that happens doesn’t necessarily affect him in the long term. If he does indeed hang it up for good, then he won’t need to worry about Acuña’s Achilles or Riley’s abdomen. The players will, though, and Snitker’s replacement certainly will have to deal with it.

By no means are we encouraging the Braves to tank or do anything to intentionally forego winning. However, there is no reason for the Braves to play any key players who self-report noteworthy soreness, extensive fatigue or anything that could cause them to miss significant time beyond Game 162.

At this point in the year, why even take the risk? Who cares that Nacho Alvarez Jr. is 9-for-60 as a big-league hitter? The Braves are better off ending Riley’s season early and giving Alvarez the rest of the year at third base. Acuña may want to play later this month, but that doesn’t mean that he needs to play.

Snitker has been around baseball long enough that he can surely find a way to balance trying to win without endangering his best players. If he and the Braves don’t change strategies soon, then they may as well kiss their 2026 title hopes goodbye before 2025 even ends.