Although the 2025 MLB season is just a week old, the Atlanta Braves have already established themselves as one of the league’s most disappointing teams. Entering the season with an over/under win total of 93.5, the Braves remained winless before Wednesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After building a 5-0 lead in the second inning, Atlanta seemed poised for their first victory, but Shohei Ohtani’s dramatic ninth-inning walk-off home run sealed a heartbreaking 6-5 win for the reigning World Series champions.
Falling to 0-7 is challenging enough, but doing so in such gut-wrenching fashion amplifies the struggle. The emotion was palpable in Brandon Gaudin’s call for FanDuel Sports Network South as he described Ohtani’s game-winning homer: “Out to center field. Harris is back. At the wall. And the heartache has hit a new level for the Atlanta Braves,” a clearly dejected Gaudin noted. “Ohtani and the Dodgers walk it off with a homer.”
Oh man the Braves broadcast 😭pic.twitter.com/TXi3T5cl2K
— DodgersMuse (@LADodgersMuse) April 3, 2025
In contrast, Gaudin’s commentary starkly differed from the excitement expressed by Joe Davis on behalf of Dodgers fans for Spectrum SportsNet as he exclaimed, “High fly ball to center. Harris is back — Ohtani! Inevitable!”
OHTANI WALK-OFF DINGER pic.twitter.com/TXVQdEFQLZ
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) April 3, 2025
As the Dodgers improved to 8-0 and the Braves fell to 0-7, Ohtani’s walk-off home run—his third of the season—indeed felt “inevitable” for all involved, albeit for very different reasons as highlighted by the contrasting local broadcast calls.
With the Braves still seeking their first win in the 2025 season, they will host a three-game series against the Miami Marlins this weekend. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will travel to Philadelphia for a three-game set with the Phillies, who are off to their own strong start at 4-1 as they look to complete a three-game sweep against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.
