By Olivia Sayer

ATLANTA – Every season, manager Brian Snitker holds a team meeting prior to the All-Star break. With a stack of envelopes in hand, it is one of Snitker’s favorite moments of the season.

“Other than Christmas, it’s one of my favorite days,” Snitker said of handing out the All-Star invitations. “Going to an All-Star game is an honor, and it’s a really special thing for the guys.”

This season, Marcell Ozuna, Chris Sale, Reynaldo López and Max Fried earned the trip to Texas. All four overcame adversity to receive the honor of Major League Baseball’s elite. 

As Ozuna walked the red carpet, one could not help but reminisce on the way the three-time All-Star revived his career. A little over a year ago, Ozuna was a candidate to be released after hitting .085 with a .194 on-base percentage in the first month of 2023. Despite the dreadful statistics, Snitker opted to stick with Ozuna until he figured it out.

“I just couldn’t bring myself to sit there and look at this guy, knowing what he was capable of and how he was handling it, and not just continue to give it a crack and try to light the fire,” Snitker told 92.9 The Game in 2023. 

The decision paid off, as Ozuna is currently slashing .303/.379/.581. During a first half in which the Braves’ offense was inconsistent, Ozuna provided a reliable bat. His 77 RBIs set a record for most prior to the All-Star break.

“He has kept us afloat offensively,” teammate Austin Riley said in June. “He’s a big asset to us, and we love having him here.”

While his on-field statistics are what earned him another All-Star nod, his energy is just as important to the Braves. Ozuna carries around and styles ‘Snit Bear,’ a teddy bear that Snitker gifted to him in honor of his ‘Big Bear’ nickname. The shenanigans are just one of many Ozuna brings to the team.

“If he’s in the room, it’s never dull,” Sale said of Ozuna’s impact on the clubhouse. “And that is what you need. That’s what makes this game fun, and those are the teammates you remember forever.”

Sale battled through adversity of his own to earn his eighth All-Star recognition. The left-hander was traded to the Braves after six up-and-down seasons with the Red Sox. Sale consistently turned in solid starts, but injuries including Tommy John surgery hindered his final five seasons in Boston.

As a result, the Red Sox traded him to the Braves for fan-favorite Vaugn Grissom. The deal included Boston paying $17 million of Sale’s salary, and the results have been more than president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos could have imagined. The former Cy Young Award winner currently posts a 2.70 ERA with 140 strikeouts in 18 starts. 

Sale’s performance, along with a MLB-leading 13-3 record, made him a candidate to start the All-Star Game. However, Sale pitched Sunday’s series finale, which kept him on the bench at Globe Life Field. 

“I know he loves being healthy because this guy loves to play baseball,” Snitker said of Sale. “I’ve been so impressed with how he loves everything about it — the clubhouse, the work, the comorodier with his teammates, throwing sides, the whole thing, and he really loves to compete.”

Snitker said he believes Sale benefited from having a healthy offseason. However, Sale’s solid play can also be attributed to the intensity he displays on the mound. 

“As an athlete, you have to have that proverbial switch people talk about,” Sale said Tuesday on 680 The Fan’s Chuck and Chernoff. “I can’t pitch the way I live my life, but I can’t live my life the way I pitch.”

Sale was not the only new addition to Atlanta’s starting rotation, as the Braves also brought in Reynaldo López. The first time All-Star did not start a game in 2023 and only recorded double digit starts in two seasons before coming to the Braves. 

López’s recent usage had him projected at-best as Atlanta’s fifth-starter that would eventually move to the bullpen. Instead, the right-hander leads MLB with a 1.88 ERA in 17 starts. 

“There’s definitely a unique story to each individual guy,” Sale said. “[López] really being a reliever the past couple of years, and correct me if I’m wrong, he’s the best pitcher in the league right now. You look at what he’s done from start to finish, he’s the guy.” 

López and Ozuna are both from the Dominican Republic and started building their friendship when the former made his debut eight years ago. Ozuna said he calls his teammate ‘the fresh rookie,’ which dates back to 2016 when Ozuna made the All-Star Game and López was on the Futures’ roster. 

Fried rounds out the Braves’ 2024 All-Stars. Atlanta’s ace was the substitute for the Phillies’ Ranger Suárez. Both Fried and López did not allow a run in their All-Star Game appearances.

In the beginning of the season, a second All-Star recognition did not look likely for Fried. He only lasted two outs on Opening Day and allowed seven earned runs in his second start. Facing a contract year, the left-hander turned it around and now leads MLB with two complete games.

“Just his attention to detail,” Sale said of what makes Fried special. “He’s a little bit different than I am in terms of how he sets up for pitching and just how he attacks guys. Just how meticulous he is about his in-between start programs and scouting reports and how he operates that way is just really impressive.”

Sale said he found himself gravitating towards Fried ever since the 45-year-old got to Atlanta. The two left-handers have lockers next to each other in the clubhouse and often engage in conversation.

“He had a start a couple of days ago where there’s a lot of hits going on,” Sale said. “And he was a little upset, and I’m like ‘Dude, if I’ve given up that many hits, I’ve given up 14 runs. If I give up five hits, there’s usually like three or four runs attached to it.’”

With the American League defeating the National League 5-3 Tuesday night, eyes now turn to Atlanta, which will host the 2025 All-Star Game. For the Braves, their season resumes Friday against the Cardinals at Truist Park.