New York Mets broadcasters Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling are known for their love of good baseball. So when they watched Atlanta Braves reliever Connor Thomas get shelled for 11 runs in just 2.1 innings, they didn't hold back their disgust.
"I'm sorry, I think it's just criminal what we just witnessed," Hernandez said during the broadcast, as Thomas surrendered 10 hits, five walks, and three home runs on 78 pitches. The Mets cruised to a 14-3 victory, but the conversation wasn't about the score—it was about Thomas's nightmarish outing.
Darling went even further, saying he felt physically ill watching the young pitcher struggle. "I mean, you just want to wrap your arms around him, give him a hug," Darling said. "I mean, literally I'm sick to my stomach."
Hernandez echoed the sentiment, calling himself "pretty disgusted" by the decision to leave Thomas on the mound for so long. The Braves had pulled starter Martin Perez after 87 pitches in the fifth inning, and Thomas was brought in to eat innings—but the result was a firestorm of criticism.
While Hernandez and Darling were the loudest voices, Braves fans on social media were split. Some defended the move, arguing that Thomas "took one for the team" to save the bullpen. "Bullpen has been over worked… needed Thomas to take one for the team. Oh and we're playing for something, unlike the Mets," one fan wrote on X.
Others were less forgiving. "Sooooooo they literally handed the Mets the game. How does anyone defend the Braves management here? They literally gave up after the 7th inning even though they still had a chance to win," another user posted.
One fan tried to put a positive spin on it, noting that Thomas's sacrifice might pay off down the stretch. "I'd rather have 62 wins (like the Braves) vs 62 losses (like the Mets). Maybe that should make you sick to your stomach. Bad losses happen, and yes Thomas wore it bad, but he also saved the bullpen, which is a huge deal. He did a good thing for this team."
From a strategic standpoint, the Braves are still in a strong position. They lead the NL East by 5.5 games over the Phillies with 56 games left, including a matchup later that night. The decision to let Thomas absorb the punishment may have been a calculated risk to preserve a tired bullpen for more winnable games ahead.
But for Hernandez and Darling—and for many fans watching—the sight of a pitcher being left to drown on the mound was hard to stomach, regardless of the bigger picture. The moment even drew comparisons to controversial pitching decisions in other sports.
Whether you call it strategy or cruelty, one thing is clear: Connor Thomas's name will be remembered for a while—and not for the reasons he'd want.
