The Braves survived their first of two critical series against the Phillies, essentially, by winning two of four games on the road to keep their NL East lead at four games.
Before the Phillies return the favor with a three-game series in Atlanta this weekend, the Braves host the Tampa Bay Rays for a three-game series which begins Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. ET.
The Rays remain a true baseball anomaly, 23rd league-wide in payroll this season at $107.3 million, and yet once again positioned to make the playoffs.
Although Tampa Bay has less than half of the Braves’ payroll, it enters a half-game ahead of Atlanta in terms of record (85-58 to 85-59) and is essentially a playoff lock to make its sixth playoff appearance in the last eight years.
The Braves will give the ball to AJ Smith-Shawver (0-1, 7.13 ERA) for the series opener, hoping he can find the improved form that has evaded him since his delayed start to this season upon his return from Tommy John surgery.
After the right-hander had a 3.86 ERA in nine starts last season before sustaining the elbow injury, he has struggled this season.
That’s particularly been the case in his last three starts since returning from Gwinnett. He hasn’t lasted more than five innings in any of those starts, allowing a combined 12 runs on 16 hits over 13 1/3 innings (8.10 ERA).
Facing a Rays team which leads the majors in batting average (.260) but is 13th in slugging percentage (.403) will present an interesting test as Smith-Shawver’s time to prove his worth as a playoff roster inclusion dwindles.
He’s made one career start against the Rays last April, taking a no-decision after allowing two runs on six hits over five innings.
The Braves aren’t facing all of the heart of the Rays’ rotation in this series like they did against the Phillies, but there aren’t many holes in a Tampa rotation which ranks fourth in the majors in starting pitcher ERA (3.61).
Right-hander Freddy Peralta (7-11, 4.96), acquired from the New York Mets earlier this month ahead of the trade deadline, will start the series opener for the Rays.
Peralta, acquired last offseason from the Milwaukee Brewers, didn’t meet expectations with the Mets, posting a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts. That hasn’t exactly changed with Tampa, with a 4.86 ERA and 2-2 record in his first six starts with the Rays.
His WHIP, though, has dramatically improved with Tampa Bay, falling from 1.48 in New York to 1.02 with the Rays. A much better strikeout-to-walk ratio (27 to 6 compared to 113 to 48) has certainly played a role in that.
Peralta, who spent his entire career with the Brewers before this season, is 6-2 with a 3.83 ERA in 11 career appearances (10 starts) against the Braves. He faced Atlanta twice earlier this season when with the Mets, going 1-0 with two earned runs allowed over a combined 9 2/3 innings.
