Here we go, folks.
The Braves versus the A’s, a team with baseball’s second-worst team ERA.
If the Atlanta offense can’t get something — anything — cooking this week … well, I may just weep.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Columnist and friend of the newsletter Ken Sugiura says the Braves’ season is beyond salvaging. Hard to argue, but let’s keep trying, eh?
📺 How to watch: First pitch arrives at 10:05 p.m. EDT on FanDuel Sports.
⚾ The pitching matchup: Didier Fuentes (0-2, 9.00) vs. Jeffrey Springs (6-6, 4.07).
📝 The scouting report: Springs is a 32-year-old lefty who spent his early career as a reliever and started a total of just 10 games in 2023 and 2024 — yet has arguably been the most consistent A’s pitcher this season.
Fuentes gave up just two runs in his last outing for the Braves, but failed to get out of the fourth inning.
ABOUT THAT BALLPARK …
Tonight will not be a return to Oakland for former Athletics Matt Olson and Sean Murphy.
Instead, it will be the Braves’ first game in Sacramento. West Sacramento, actually. And it will be played in a minor league stadium that fits a crowd of 14,000 or so.
Let me explain why.
🤨 The basics: Because they failed to reach a deal for a new stadium, the heretofore Oakland-based Athletics are moving to Las Vegas.
- Problem 1: They still have to build the Vegas stadium.
- Problem 2: Their lease in Oakland expired in 2024.
The solution everyone somehow landed on? Playing in Sacramento for at least three years.
🤨 At least it’s close, right? Eh. It’d be more or less akin to temporarily moving the Braves to Athens.
If average temperatures in Athens this time a year were about 20 degrees hotter than in Cobb County.
🤨 As for the venue itself: Sutter Health Park is the usual home of the Sacramento River Cats, a Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
They’ve made some improvements, including shiny new video boards, better lighting and … fancier grass.
Games aren’t selling out, though. Even at the greatly reduced capacity.
🤨 The reception among players: The team also renovated clubhouses and such.
But all you need to know is that A’s pitcher Luis Severino recently said, “It feels like a spring training kind of game every time” he pitches at home. And he didn’t mean it as a compliment.
Should be a blast.
AND THEN THERE WERE FIVE
We’ve got two new entrants into Monday night’s home run derby at Truist Park — and one is a guy with local roots.
⭐ Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton was a standout at Appling County High before getting drafted second overall in 2012. He’s hit 20 home runs so far this season.
⭐ Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Oneil Cruz, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-7 shortstop who absolutely crushes the ball (when he makes contact).
They join a derby roster that also includes the Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr., Mariners sensation Cal Raleigh and Nationals youngster James Wood.
SPEAKING OF ACUÑA …
The Braves’ superstar has cooled off quite a bit since his torrid return from injury.
- Acuña is hitting just .150 with two runs scored and zero RBI in July.
- Take it back another week or so, and he’s still hitting just .183.
Thanks to reader Rick for encouraging me to point this out. Acuña will be fine but … hopefully that happens sooner than later.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Braves legend Chipper Jones (left) and the Montreal Expos’ Vladimir Guerrero (perhaps my favorite non-Atlanta player of all time) during the 2000 All-Star game at Turner Field.
Thankfully, this year’s All-Stars will wear their regular team jerseys.
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
Tyler Estep hosts the AJC Win Column, Atlanta's new weekly destination for all things sports. He also shepherds the Sports Daily and Braves Report newsletters to your inbox.
