What is the story about?
Braves
8, Rangers 5
- That didn’t go the way we were hoping.
- Nathan Eovaldi was allowing homers and couldn’t go deep into the game, and the bullpen combined with some poor defensive decision making to allow a big inning late.
- For all the angst about the offense, its the pitching that is particularly problematic right now.
- Nathan Eovaldi gave up 10 home runs in 130 innings all of 2025. So far this season, in 115 innings, he’s allowed 22 home runs. If you want to know how he’s gone from a 1.73 ERA last year to a 4.21 ERA this year, well, that goes a long way.
- Eovaldi’s career high in home runs allowed is 23, and hopefully he ends up breaking that mark, because otherwise it would mean he’s out for a lengthy period of time.
- Evan Carter was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the sixth, rather earlier than would be ideal. That left Cam Cauley playing center field the rest of the way, and trying to make a play on the Matt Olson double that started things off in the seventh, the hit where all the trouble began.
- I don’t know that Cauley should have made a play on that ball, or that Carter would have…but its one of those things where I’m wondering if Carter in the game means that’s an out rather than a double, and potentially all the rest of the nonsense from that inning doesn’t happen.
- Wyatt Langford, at least, is continuing to rake, falling a triple shy of a cycle. The Rangers had 11 hits in the game, with ten of them coming from four players — Langford, Joc Pederson, Nicky Lopez and Jake Burger.
- Going on the road and playing a good team, the expectation is that you’re going to lose two of three. The Rangers lost two of three. Expectations were met.
- It doesn’t mean it isn’t disappointing, though.
- Nathan Eovaldi’s fastball topped out at 95.1 mph, averaging 93.7 mph. Robby Ahlstrom reached 95.6 mph on his sinker. Cole Winn’s fastball touched 96.0 mph. Tyler Alexander hit 92.2 mph with his fastball. Peyton Gray maxed out at 94.0 mph with his fastball. Ben Peoples’ fastball topped out at 96.6 mph.
- Jake Burger had a 107.8 mph single and a 101.7 mph single. Wyatt Langford had a 105.7 mph double, a 105.2 mph home run, and a 101.1 mph single. Nicky Lopez had a 101.6 mph single. Kyle Higashioka had a 100.6 mph single. Joc Pederson had a 100.2 mph double.
- Back to Arlington, and hopefully, a productive homestand.
