<img alt="MLB: AUG 06 Brewers at Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pDpMldBAa2ZP5UR9BRy5Ul6jiwA=/0x202:2400x1802/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73507279/2165123549.0.jpg">
Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Braves limp into Wednesday’s game after two straight home shutouts. One step forward and two back. That is a statement that would accurately describe the 2024 season for the Atlanta Braves. A 6-1 stretch by the club last week is a now distant memory after three-straight losses.
Bryce Elder struggled again Tuesday and the Braves were shutout at home for the second straight game Tuesday night. They have been outscored 20-0 dating back to the fourth inning of Saturday’s game against the Marlins. Elder was called upon to give Chris Sale and the rest of the rotation an extra day of rest which is a strategy that the team has continued with even as the Wild Card race has tightened. Atlanta enters play Wednesday occupying the final Wild Card spot. They are a game back of the San Diego Padres and a half game back of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Braves have a 1.5 game edge over the New York Mets who are currently on the outside looking in.
Brian Snitker hinted after Tuesday’s loss that they may return to a standard five-man rotation once Reynaldo Lopez returns from the injured list later this month.
It would be fair to question the strategy with the rotation, but the offense has been what has held this group back since the beginning of May. Sale will make his third start of the second half Wednesday and nothing that he does will matter if this team can’t figure out a way to score some runs.
Prior to the losing streak, Atlanta’s offense had seen a surge thanks to the home run. The Braves are currently eighth in homers and were as high as sixth before the three-game skid. However, they are just 25th in runs scored for the season which is the number that matters. Homers can cover up a lot of deficiencies and this is a lineup that has seemingly been searching for an identity for months now.
Jorge Soler hasn’t provided the immediate boost that the Braves were hoping for since acquiring him at the trade deadline. Soler is 3-for-20 with three walks and eight strikeouts through six games and doesn’t have an extra-base hit. Matt Olson produced just a 70 wRC+ in July. He is off to a good start in August and had two doubles in Tuesday’s loss but they didn’t lead to any runs. Austin Riley has a 145 wRC+ since June 1 but again, there are just too many holes in this lineup. It is scary to think about what things would look like without the production of Marcell Ozuna who has probably meant more to his team than any other player in the National League.
Sale faced the Brewers last week where he allowed two runs and struck out six over 5 2⁄3 innings. Both runs came in the first inning. He’s allowed four runs combined in his two starts since the All-Star break and hasn’t allowed more than two runs in nine-straight outings. The Brewers will counter with Freddy Peralta, who also faced the Braves last week and allowed two runs and struck out seven over six innings.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET and can be seen on Bally Sports South.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, August 7, 7:20 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia
TV: Bally Sports South
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM
<img alt="MLB: AUG 06 Brewers at Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pDpMldBAa2ZP5UR9BRy5Ul6jiwA=/0x202:2400x1802/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73507279/2165123549.0.jpg">
Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Braves limp into Wednesday’s game after two straight home shutouts. One step forward and two back. That is a statement that would accurately describe the 2024 season for the Atlanta Braves. A 6-1 stretch by the club last week is a now distant memory after three-straight losses.
Bryce Elder struggled again Tuesday and the Braves were shutout at home for the second straight game Tuesday night. They have been outscored 20-0 dating back to the fourth inning of Saturday’s game against the Marlins. Elder was called upon to give Chris Sale and the rest of the rotation an extra day of rest which is a strategy that the team has continued with even as the Wild Card race has tightened. Atlanta enters play Wednesday occupying the final Wild Card spot. They are a game back of the San Diego Padres and a half game back of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Braves have a 1.5 game edge over the New York Mets who are currently on the outside looking in.
Brian Snitker hinted after Tuesday’s loss that they may return to a standard five-man rotation once Reynaldo Lopez returns from the injured list later this month.
It would be fair to question the strategy with the rotation, but the offense has been what has held this group back since the beginning of May. Sale will make his third start of the second half Wednesday and nothing that he does will matter if this team can’t figure out a way to score some runs.
Prior to the losing streak, Atlanta’s offense had seen a surge thanks to the home run. The Braves are currently eighth in homers and were as high as sixth before the three-game skid. However, they are just 25th in runs scored for the season which is the number that matters. Homers can cover up a lot of deficiencies and this is a lineup that has seemingly been searching for an identity for months now.
Jorge Soler hasn’t provided the immediate boost that the Braves were hoping for since acquiring him at the trade deadline. Soler is 3-for-20 with three walks and eight strikeouts through six games and doesn’t have an extra-base hit. Matt Olson produced just a 70 wRC+ in July. He is off to a good start in August and had two doubles in Tuesday’s loss but they didn’t lead to any runs. Austin Riley has a 145 wRC+ since June 1 but again, there are just too many holes in this lineup. It is scary to think about what things would look like without the production of Marcell Ozuna who has probably meant more to his team than any other player in the National League.
Sale faced the Brewers last week where he allowed two runs and struck out six over 5 2⁄3 innings. Both runs came in the first inning. He’s allowed four runs combined in his two starts since the All-Star break and hasn’t allowed more than two runs in nine-straight outings. The Brewers will counter with Freddy Peralta, who also faced the Braves last week and allowed two runs and struck out seven over six innings.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET and can be seen on Bally Sports South.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, August 7, 7:20 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia
TV: Bally Sports South
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM
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