The Atlanta Braves are starting their final series of the regular season in a disappointing season in which they had high hopes, yet did not make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Joey Wentz will be taking the mound today. The Braves are his third team that he has pitched for this season, but it has been a fun reunion for him. The Braves drafted him fortieth overall in the 2016 draft.
On the season, Wentz has not exactly been great. He has a 5.46 ERA and 1.521 WHIP on the entire season over
94.0 innings pitched. However, since he has joined the Braves he has been much better. In 60.0 innings he has maintained an ERA of 4.65, and a FIP of 3.24 FIP while accumulating sixty-one strikeouts to twenty-one walks. The ERA is better, but not elite by any means. That being said, his 3.24 FIP and strikeout to walk ratio has been a welcomed surprise, especially considering prior to joining the Braves this season he had a 6.82 ERA and 4.99 FIP.
Wentz will be facing his former team today. The Pirates were the first team he played this season before he joined the Twins, and then finally the Braves. That being said, he has not faced any of the players on the Pirates roster this season. Tommy Pham has the most at-bats against Wentz with five and has been successful. He had a .400 average and 1.400 OPS.
Mitch Keller is taking the mound for the Pirates, and outside of Paul Skenes (who clearly the best on the team), Keller has been the one of the bright spots for the Pirates. Keller has accumulated one-hundred-forty-four strikeouts while maintaining a 4.22 ERA over 172.2 IP.
The Braves have not faced Keller this season, but some key players have plenty of history. Ronald Acuña has eighteen at-bats against Keller and has three HRs, a .389 average, and 1.310 OPS. Matt Olson has also been great against him. In ten at-bats he has a .500 average. Ha-Seong Kim has struggled the most. He is hitless in nine at-bats.
With the chance of playoffs gone, and the win streak over, it does make this series seem a bit underwhelming, but there is still a lot to watch for. Can Kim keep making a push and force the Braves hand to offer him a contract beyond his player option year? Can Matt Olson continue his bid for the best first baseman in MLB this season? Can the Braves score enough runs to have a positive run differential on the season? There is plenty to be excited about watching.
First pitch is at 7:15 EDT
Game Notes
Time: Friday, September 26 at 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, Ga
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South/Southeast
Streaming: MLB.TV audio
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan
