<img alt="Cincinnati Reds v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/j1KbxOVAeEarCBt3NGFs3_dPp8A=/0x0:4255x2837/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73587499/2170426492.0.jpg">
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
The Braves have done what they needed to so far against the formidable Dodgers to stay in the playoff hunt. The Braves have done what they needed to so far against the formidable Dodgers to stay in the playoff hunt. The Mets blew Saturday’s game against the Phillies, so Atlanta is now tied for that last wild-card spot and only one game back of the second spot, currently held by Arizona. That being said, they are right on the razor’s edge and need to keep getting results to get through.
Charlie Morton is on the bump for Atlanta tonight and he is pretty much a back of the rotation type of pitcher at this point, but still perfectly fine. His K/9 is at the lowest he has produced since 2015, which was before his late-career renaissance, but he has gotten his walk rate back down from a full-season career high last year. He has probably been the victim of some bad HR/FB luck this season as well, but hopefully he is in the good graces of the baseball gods tonight. His curveball is still really good, but isn’t getting quite the whiffs that it used to. When he has gotten into trouble this season, it has been with walks and homers, so if he can largely avoid those then he will give the Braves’ offense a fighting chance.
On the other side, Walker Buehler gets the start, and he is a complicated pitcher for Braves’ fans. He has been great in the past for a the NL rival Dodgers, but was in one of the best recent playoff moments for Atlanta and has struggled since returning from Tommy John. His strikeouts have been fairly rapidly declining each season since 2020 and his walk rate is at a career high in his 59.0 innings so far this season, as he returns from Tommy John. He has a putrid 5.95 ERA and 6.09 FIP this year, but a more modest 4.63 xFIP. He certainly isn’t the Cy Young candidate he used to be and this looks like roughly a push or a Braves lean for the pitching matchup tonight. If the Braves’ offense can show up, Buehler is not a pitcher they should be afraid of, in his current state.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, September 15, 7:10 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: ESPN
Streaming: none
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
<img alt="Cincinnati Reds v Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/j1KbxOVAeEarCBt3NGFs3_dPp8A=/0x0:4255x2837/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73587499/2170426492.0.jpg">
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
The Braves have done what they needed to so far against the formidable Dodgers to stay in the playoff hunt. The Braves have done what they needed to so far against the formidable Dodgers to stay in the playoff hunt. The Mets blew Saturday’s game against the Phillies, so Atlanta is now tied for that last wild-card spot and only one game back of the second spot, currently held by Arizona. That being said, they are right on the razor’s edge and need to keep getting results to get through.
Charlie Morton is on the bump for Atlanta tonight and he is pretty much a back of the rotation type of pitcher at this point, but still perfectly fine. His K/9 is at the lowest he has produced since 2015, which was before his late-career renaissance, but he has gotten his walk rate back down from a full-season career high last year. He has probably been the victim of some bad HR/FB luck this season as well, but hopefully he is in the good graces of the baseball gods tonight. His curveball is still really good, but isn’t getting quite the whiffs that it used to. When he has gotten into trouble this season, it has been with walks and homers, so if he can largely avoid those then he will give the Braves’ offense a fighting chance.
On the other side, Walker Buehler gets the start, and he is a complicated pitcher for Braves’ fans. He has been great in the past for a the NL rival Dodgers, but was in one of the best recent playoff moments for Atlanta and has struggled since returning from Tommy John. His strikeouts have been fairly rapidly declining each season since 2020 and his walk rate is at a career high in his 59.0 innings so far this season, as he returns from Tommy John. He has a putrid 5.95 ERA and 6.09 FIP this year, but a more modest 4.63 xFIP. He certainly isn’t the Cy Young candidate he used to be and this looks like roughly a push or a Braves lean for the pitching matchup tonight. If the Braves’ offense can show up, Buehler is not a pitcher they should be afraid of, in his current state.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, September 15, 7:10 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: ESPN
Streaming: none
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
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