Grant Holmes takes the mound as the Braves face the Nationals

The Atlanta Braves are back home to face the Washington Nationals after a series with the Mets that they likely wish to forget. The Braves are finishing up the month of July as one of the top offenses in MLB for the month, but it did not seem that way last series. The Nationals have not slowed down

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What is the story about?

The Atlanta Braves are back home to face the Washington Nationals after a series with the Mets that they likely wish to forget. The Braves are finishing up the month of July as one of the top offenses in MLB for the month, but it did not seem that way last series.

The Nationals have not slowed down offensively all season. For the season they lead all teams in runs scored. They have scored thirty-one more runs than the second highest scoring team. For the month of July, they are also in first in runs scored. Side

note, it is a bit bizarre that this late into the season the two top offenses in terms of runs scored are the Nationals and Pirates.

The Braves are not far behind. Even after their low scoring series against the Mets, they have only scored three fewer runs than the Nationals this month. For the season they have scored the sixth most.

The Braves will have Grant Holmes taking the mound today. By now, it is well documented that the first time through the order he is elite, but the second time through the order he is one of the worst SPs in the league. Against a high-powered offense like the Nationals, that means the Braves are going to have to score some runs today.

Holmes faced the Nationals this season back in May. He went 5.0 innings and had one of his better performances of the year with ten strikeouts and surrendering two earned runs on six hits and two walks. Interestingly enough, in a game that looked like it should be a shootout on paper, the Braves lost 0-2. In this game Keibert Ruiz hit a double off Holmes, Daylen Lile had a triple off him, and Dylan Crews had a HR off of him.

For their careers, no Nationals player has faced Holmes in more than seven at-bats. The players to keep an eye on based on their past performance are the aforementioned Crews with a 1.833 OPS, James Wood with a 1.500 OPS, and Jorbit Vivas with a 1.850 OPS.

Jake Irvin is scheduled to pitch for the Nationals today. As odds would have it, he pitched in the same game Holmes did the last time he faced the Braves, and it was also the last game he pitched in at the MLB level. In that game he held the Braves to only one hit while striking out seven in 5.0 innings.

If there is a silver lining for the Braves having to face Irvin again it is that he may be a little rusty having not pitched since May. He also has not pitched more than 5.2 innings in any appearance this season. With the Nationals bullpen having the third worst ERA in MLB with a 5.03, the Braves have a shot to score some runs late in the game if Irvin has their number again.

A few of the Braves have relatively extensive histories of facing Irving. Michael Harris has faced him the most with twenty-two at-bats with a .318 average. Matt Olson has also seen success in his nineteen at-bats with an OPS of .812. Ozzie Albies has fifteen at-bats against Irvin but has struggled to an OPS of .435.

It should be noted that although Irvin had an excellent outing against the Braves the last time he faced the Braves, he has a 5.23 ERA on the season. The Braves still look good on paper to win this game, but they will need to score some runs considering the offense they are facing and Holmes being on the mound.

First pitch is at 7:15 EDT.