As the Atlanta Braves begin their series against the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday evening, they’re switching things up in the lineup a bit to again attempt to find an offensive spark.
Michael Harris II will hit in the leadoff spot for the first time since Aug. 23 in the series opener. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson follow, dropping Drake Baldwin, who will DH this game with Sean Murphy back behind the plate, to the fourth spot.
Mauricio Dubón is also back at shortstop and hitting fifth, and Mike Yastrzemski
will play left field and hit eighth against a right-handed starter.
The Rays have catcher Liam Hicks back in the cleanup spot after he was out of the lineup in their last game on Sunday.
Also of note, Jorge Mateo, who started the season in Atlanta, is now with Tampa and will start at short and hit ninth for the series opener.
Seeing as he’s made just one career start against the team, only five current Rays have taken a major league at-bat against Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver.
Mind you, that collective production has been pretty good as this quintet is a combined 5-for-10 against the right-hander. Hicks (2-for-2) leads that charge, which includes a homer, a double, three RBIs, three strikeouts and two walks.
The Braves’ hitters have much more of a track record against Rays starter Freddy Peralta, albeit it’s not nearly as successful. They’re a combined 31-for-140 (.221) against the right-hander with eight doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs, 40 strikeouts and 12 walks.
Michael Harris II (4-for-9) is a standout of the bunch against Peralta, and Matt Olson and Austin Riley are each hitting over .300 against him with a pair of homers apiece and a combined eight RBIs.
Interestingly considering Peralta isn’t a reverse-splits guy, the right-handed platoon outfielder, Lane Thomas, has a much better history against him (3-for-9, two doubles, two RBIs) than the left-handed half of the platoon, Yastrzemski, who is 1-for-13 (.077) lifetime against Peralta.
