<img alt="MLB: Game Two-New York Mets at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hcKiMz9N3XtQf93t5JRDe9px0Dw=/0x0:4943x3295/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73624209/usa_today_24369163.0.jpg">
Can Ozzie step up again? | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The offense will be in the spotlight as the Braves’ pitching staff has been used up to ensure a postseason clinch. The Atlanta Braves finally clinched their seventh straight playoff berth in dramatic fashion yesterday as the lost a back and forth game in the first game of the double header, followed by winning the final game of the season.
The clinch resulted in the Braves receiving the fifth seed and facing the San Diego Padres in a best two out of three series.
The Padres are a good team. Their offense finished the season sixth in MLB in wRC+, and eighth in runs scored. Their overall pitching staff ERA ended the season ranked twelfth in MLB.
If we look at a matchup in the playoffs, it makes better sense to go with more of a “what have you done for me lately?” approach. If we look at the last month, the Padres have been solid in terms of pitching. Since the start of September, their ERA has been sixth in MLB. However, their offense has seen a drop-off, scoring the eighteenth most runs in MLB. The interesting part of the run drop-off is that their wRC+ has actually been the sixth best, showing some misfortune.
Taking a look at the Braves, their offense was not quite as bad as some may have remembered in comparison to the rest of the league. For the entire season they were ranked sixteenth in runs scored, and over the past month they scored the fifteenth most. Of course, this is not exactly the type of offense a perennial contender has, but it is certainly not the worst either.
There is no secret that the Braves’ strength has been their pitching. As an entire staff, they had the best ERA and best fWAR in MLB. Chris Sale did not do that on his own. Well, they had to use a lot of this to just clinch. In the past two days Schwellenbach, Lopez, Morton, and Holmes have all pitched, and Chris Sale is likely out for the series with back spasm issues.
In the bullpen, both Jiménez and Iglesias pitched in both games yesterday, with both of them struggling in game one. Needless to say, the Padres have the advantage on paper.
The rosters are due at 1 PM ET, and even without knowing who is pitching for the Braves yet, we know that the offense is going to have to come up big in this game.
Ozzie Albies came through in a big way in game one yesterday, but has otherwise struggled mightily since coming back from injury. He owns a .184/.244/.368 slash in that timeframe. During that same timeframe, Michael Harris, who has been hitting in front of him, has slashed .395/.439/.553. This has created some momentum killing moments. However, if Ozzie Albies can come through tonight, like he did in game 1 yesterday, it could be the key to victory.
Matt Olson has been on fire since the series in Miami with a slash of .323/.447/.419, and Ozuna has had an OBP of .333 in the same timeframe. Again, if Ozzie can ride the momentum, he has a solid core of hitters around him in the heart of the order that have been producing recently.
All eyes will be on who the Braves will choose as their starting pitcher. Can the Braves ride the momentum of winning six out of their last eight games? Tonight is going to be a fun matchup.
First pitch is at 8:38 ET.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, October 1st, 8:38 p.m. ET
Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA.
TV: ESPN
Radio: National - ESPN Radio
<img alt="MLB: Game Two-New York Mets at Atlanta Braves" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hcKiMz9N3XtQf93t5JRDe9px0Dw=/0x0:4943x3295/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73624209/usa_today_24369163.0.jpg">
Can Ozzie step up again? | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The offense will be in the spotlight as the Braves’ pitching staff has been used up to ensure a postseason clinch. The Atlanta Braves finally clinched their seventh straight playoff berth in dramatic fashion yesterday as the lost a back and forth game in the first game of the double header, followed by winning the final game of the season.
The clinch resulted in the Braves receiving the fifth seed and facing the San Diego Padres in a best two out of three series.
The Padres are a good team. Their offense finished the season sixth in MLB in wRC+, and eighth in runs scored. Their overall pitching staff ERA ended the season ranked twelfth in MLB.
If we look at a matchup in the playoffs, it makes better sense to go with more of a “what have you done for me lately?” approach. If we look at the last month, the Padres have been solid in terms of pitching. Since the start of September, their ERA has been sixth in MLB. However, their offense has seen a drop-off, scoring the eighteenth most runs in MLB. The interesting part of the run drop-off is that their wRC+ has actually been the sixth best, showing some misfortune.
Taking a look at the Braves, their offense was not quite as bad as some may have remembered in comparison to the rest of the league. For the entire season they were ranked sixteenth in runs scored, and over the past month they scored the fifteenth most. Of course, this is not exactly the type of offense a perennial contender has, but it is certainly not the worst either.
There is no secret that the Braves’ strength has been their pitching. As an entire staff, they had the best ERA and best fWAR in MLB. Chris Sale did not do that on his own. Well, they had to use a lot of this to just clinch. In the past two days Schwellenbach, Lopez, Morton, and Holmes have all pitched, and Chris Sale is likely out for the series with back spasm issues.
In the bullpen, both Jiménez and Iglesias pitched in both games yesterday, with both of them struggling in game one. Needless to say, the Padres have the advantage on paper.
The rosters are due at 1 PM ET, and even without knowing who is pitching for the Braves yet, we know that the offense is going to have to come up big in this game.
Ozzie Albies came through in a big way in game one yesterday, but has otherwise struggled mightily since coming back from injury. He owns a .184/.244/.368 slash in that timeframe. During that same timeframe, Michael Harris, who has been hitting in front of him, has slashed .395/.439/.553. This has created some momentum killing moments. However, if Ozzie Albies can come through tonight, like he did in game 1 yesterday, it could be the key to victory.
Matt Olson has been on fire since the series in Miami with a slash of .323/.447/.419, and Ozuna has had an OBP of .333 in the same timeframe. Again, if Ozzie can ride the momentum, he has a solid core of hitters around him in the heart of the order that have been producing recently.
All eyes will be on who the Braves will choose as their starting pitcher. Can the Braves ride the momentum of winning six out of their last eight games? Tonight is going to be a fun matchup.
First pitch is at 8:38 ET.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, October 1st, 8:38 p.m. ET
Location: Petco Park, San Diego, CA.
TV: ESPN
Radio: National - ESPN Radio
Link to original article
