Not a great weekend, folks.
The combination of Chris Sale’s cracked rib cage and a flop of a series against the Fish is enough to make even the most optimistic Braves fan waver.
Maybe a trip to Queens and a rematch with the (still very good but currently misery-bound) Mets is just what the doctor ordered.
Maybe.
THE SERIES AHEAD
Credit: Kayla Wolf/AP
Braves-Mets, Part II. Let’s get it.
📺 How to watch: The four-game set runs tonight through Thursday, with all games at 7:10 p.m. on FanDuel Sports. Tuesday’s contest also airs on TBS.
⚾ The pitching matchups: In chronological order …
- Spencer Schwellenbach (5-4, 3.26) vs. Paul Blackburn (0-1, 6.92)
- Spencer Strider (2-5, 3.89) vs. Frankie Montas (n/a)
- Didier Fuentes (0-1, 7.20) vs. Clay Holmes (7-4, 3.04)
- Grant Holmes (3-6, 3.97) vs. Griffin Canning (7-3, 3.91)
📝 The scouting report: The Braves won games started by Blackburn and Holmes last week. Montas, who posted a 4.84 ERA with two different teams in 2024, is slated to make his first start of 2025 after dealing with a lat injury (and struggling in his rehab starts).
The Mets dropped their weekend series with the Phillies and have now lost eight of their last nine.
WEEKEND RECAP
Credit: Michael Laughlin/AP
Feeling … brave enough to relive the weekend a bit, and consider what it means moving forward?
The offense: The Braves bats left a total of 12 runners on base in their Friday and Sunday losses to the Marlins.
- All told, Ronald Acuña Jr. (who says he’s up for next month’s home run derby at Truist Park, if he’s invited) scored or drove in seven of the team’s 12 runs in the series.
- Center fielder Michael Harris II is now hitting .223 — which, according to my research, ranks 142nd out of 161 qualifying players.
The pitching: The Braves figured they could work their way through the Miami lineup while saving Spencer Schwellenbach for the Mets. It didn’t really work.
- Didier Fuentes, the 20-year-old prospect from Colombia, showed flashes of brilliance in his big league debut on Friday, but the three-run homer he surrendered (and the four total runs) were too much for the offense to overcome.
- Grant Holmes put forth an admirable performance on Saturday. Bryce Elder’s five-run outing on Sunday wasn’t good enough.
In short, columnist Michael Cunningham writes, the Braves still can’t be trusted.
It’ll be even harder to find some version of consistency with Chris Sale on the shelf for at least two weeks (and probably more).
Fuentes is penciled into the rotation for another start, but beyond that? We’ll see.
Here’s a closer look at where the Sale injury leaves things.
DOWN ON THE FARM
Let’s talk a quick jog through the Braves minor league system.
👀 Outfielder Jurickson Profar is now hitting .400 (with only three strikeouts) through six games of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. He hit two homers on Friday.
- Infielder Nacho Alvarez is hitting .455 through seven games with Gwinnett.
👋 Catcher James McCann appears to be on his way out. The veteran had played well for Gwinnett and, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, is set to ink a major league deal with the Diamondbacks.
🫡 Top prospect Cam Caminiti charted the first scoreless start of his professional career, striking out six for the Single-A Augusta Greenjackets on Saturday. Here’s video proof.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Prayers up for beloved former Braves coach Ron Washington, who’s stepping back from managerial duties with the Los Angeles Angels because of unspecified health concerns.
It’s unclear how long Washington, 73, will remain sidelined. Players told reporters he “hasn’t been himself” lately.
The Braves host a series with the Angels starting July 1.
NOW OPEN AT THE BATTERY
The Braves won’t be back until Friday … but Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux opened earlier today at The Battery, in the former Mac McGee’s spot behind Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.
Billing itself as “a sports bar for fans of all ages,” it boasts dozens of TVs and a Cajun-inspired menu that sounds lovely.
Fair warning, though: Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees is one of the chain’s co-owners.
Thanks for reading Braves Report. Tell a friend — and maybe give the AJC’s Sports Daily newsletter a shot, too.
Until next time.
About the Author
Before taking over the AJC's Sports Daily newsletter, Tyler Estep spent two years writing the A.M. ATL newsletter. A Gwinnett County native and University of Georgia graduate, he has been with the AJC since 2015 and previously worked as a reporter on the breaking news, hyperlocal and local government teams.
