I don’t know about y’all, but the vibes are… not quite dire, but close to it. It’s just year after year of an IL spot barely getting cold after an activation before someone expeditiously takes its place. The baseball gods have seemingly decreed that the Braves will never be allowed to be 100% healthy.
Don’t know what I’m referring to specifically? I envy you, and am sorry to be the messenger.
The good news came yesterday with the activation of Ronald Acuña Jr. He was available off the bench for the series
opener, but he returns to the lineup and his leadoff spot as the designated hitter. (José Azócar will play right field and bat seventh.)
Another spot of news that will cause some rejoicing: Aaron Bummer was released after his contributions to yesterday’s disasterclass.
The very bad news: Drake Baldwin’s oblique strain. As a result, Chadwick Tromp was recalled from Triple-A. More on the other moves (Bummer, Dylan Dodd, JR Ritchie, Víctor Mederos) here.
It’s big next-man-up hours, and we need it from everybody. We’re hoping the turnarounds we’ve started to see from Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Riley are legit. It’s getting hot and humid here in Atlanta, which has historically been helpful. But before they can return to Cobb County and take advantage of those conditions, there are three more games to play in Miami.
One thing at a time – the Braves must not let Braxton Garrett get right. As we mentioned in the preview, his return to the majors did not go amazingly (1.1 innings, 5 ER). The cleanup man Ozzie Albies is 4-for-5 with an OPS of 2.033 against him. Concerningly, our big boppers with the most ABs against him haven’t solved him yet: Matt Olson and Austin Riley have 10 and 8 ABs against Garrett, respectively, with no hits (although Riley has walked thrice).
The lineup for the Marlins looks a little different to counter a left-handed pitcher. Xavier Edwards and Connor Norby are in the same spots as yesterday, but new faces Heriberto Hernández, Christopher Morel, Esteury Ruiz, and Leo Jiménez will all get the start today. Morel and Ruiz have a hit apiece off Pérez.
Weird 4:10 pm first pitch coming up!
