The start of Atlanta’s series at the Chicago Cubs didn’t exactly go to plan.
A short and ineffective Reynaldo López startended with him going back on the injured list and dug the Braves an early hole. The offense showed fight late but couldn’t claw back into the game, resulting in a series-opening 7-3 loss.
The Braves will look to bounce back Tuesday night (7:40 p.m. ET) with veteran southpaw Martín Pérez (8-9, 3.08 ERA) on the mound against Chicago right-hander (and old friend) Kevin Gausman (9-12,
4.60).
Pérez, who has been an unexpected inning-eater and rock in a tumultuous Braves rotation this season, has had a knack for not delivering back-to-back suboptimal starts.
In line with that, he bounced back from a Sept. 5 start at the Phillies which left something to be desired (3 2/3 innings, four runs on seven hits) with a stellar showing last time out against the Rays last Thursday (seven shutout innings, four hits and two walks).
Pérez’s limited experience against the Cubs hasn’t gone particularly well. The 15-year veteran has faced the Cubs just three times (two starts) and is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA, 11 hits allowed and eight strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings.
In a smaller relief sample size earlier this season, though, he found more success against Chicago, tossing a 1-2-3 inning out of the bullpen in Atlanta’s 4-1 home win over the Cubs on May 13.
Gausman, who had one very good partial season with the Braves (2018) followed by one not particularly good partial season in 2019, restored his career first in San Francisco and more recently in Toronto.
However, his 4.60 ERA in 30 starts this season is his worst since that 2019 season (5.72) by nearly a full run per nine innings.
Things haven’t exactly gotten better since he was shipped to Chicago at the trade deadline. After he had a 4.38 ERA in 23 starts with the Blue Jays, he has a 5.31 ERA in seven starts since joining the Cubs.
Last time out against the Brewers, he had probably his worst start since the trade, getting tagged for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in four innings in an 8-6 loss last Wednesday.
Gausman is 1-2 with a 3.13 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta. That lone loss came earlier this season when he was with Toronto, surrendering all four runs on five hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss on June 2.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 7:40 p.m. EDT
Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
TV/Streaming: TBS, Atlanta News First (locally), BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
