The Braves, who many expect to compete for a World Series this season, have gotten off to slow start in 2021 as they sit at 4-7 through the year's first 11 games.
While the losses have come in a variety of ways, some due to lack of offense and other due to lack of quality starts, it's still the bullpen that has laid stake to the Braves' biggest problem to address this season.
The biggest offseason discussion centered around the right field position and if the Braves were going to bring back last years DH, Marcell Ozuna.
While Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos focused on Ozuna and did eventually bring him back on a multi-year deal, a lesser-detailed story was the Braves bullpen and how many key contributors wouldn't be returning from a unit that was a strength of the 2020 team.
Last season the Braves didn't lose a single game when they had a lead after 7 innings. So far in 2021 they've already lost two games that way.
With Chris Martin injured and currently unavailable, the bullpen issues have grown to one that can't be ignored, but it didn't have to be this way.
The Braves let last year's closer, Mark Melancon, jump to the Padres for $3 million, and he now is tied for the league lead in saves this season with five.
Alex Anthopoulos also has opted (so far) not to bring back high-leverage reliever Shane Greene, who is still an available free agent. So there is still a chance he does return if the bullpen problems continue.
The Braves offense certainly has struggled, but there is much belief that they will solve their issues and get the bats going, but there isn't the same conviction that the bullpen concerns will be settled.
Anthopoulos has a history of improving the Braves near the trade deadline, including a massive bullpen overhaul at the deadline in 2019. There is still a likelihood the Braves GM does take steps to solve some of these issues.
It's a problem that was built by focusing too much on signing Ozuna in the offseason and not enough on keeping a strength of the 2020 team together for this season.