López returns from suspension and ready to face the Marlins in game 2

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 02: Starter Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Chase Field on April 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images He’s back! And just in time, yesterday was not the

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What is the story about?

He’s back!

And just in time, yesterday was not the opener the Atlanta Braves were looking for to start this homestead against the Miami Marlins. The early pulling of Grant Holmes initially raised concerns until Walt Weiss’ reasoning behind his decision was later explained.

Let’s look at these pitching matchups to gear up for game two in what Braves fans hope will be a get-back after yesterday’s outing.

There’s not really a whole bunch to rediscover as we look at Reynaldo López and what he brings to the

mound. Coming in this matchup with a 1.15 ERA, López has been looking pretty dominant and in control during his three appearances thus far (Don’t bring Soler into the mix). Even in his last outing against the Los Angeles Angels, he recorded seven strikeouts across his 4.2 innings before getting pulled.

This outing is more of a continuation for López to pick up where he left off last week, but also a chance to set the tone early against the Marlins in hopes of the offense doing the same (obviously).

So, what should we expect on the other side?

Max Meyer (3.68 ERA) is also coming in for his fourth start of the season. Looking at his record from 2024 and 2025, Meyer tends to perform weaker on the road, gaining a 5.88 ERA away last year across five games. This year, however, things could always shift, especially with the quality of his pitches improving, similar to how his appearances reflected in the beginning of last year before his injury at the end.

The Braves’ offense needs to keep an eye out for his filthy changeup and even sneakier slider, which is his signature weapon of choice to get him out of traffic.

Meyer is learning to stabilize the rest of his five-pitch arsenal to complement his go-to and prolong his successful stint as the rest of the season kicks off.

Game two, the Braves need a bounce-back before the finale, as the only MLB team that hasn’t lost a series yet, they’re looking a lot like themselves, with just a few kinks to straighten out in their armor to produce consistency. What I’ve learned from life and the game of baseball is that it’s not how you start, but how you finish that counts.

And for the Marlins, well, they’re hoping to be the team that puts a stop to their opponents’ strong run. If they clinch today’s win, consider it done.