Anyone have spare fireworks lying around?
The Braves offense sure could use some — even after reportedly shipping out Alex Verdugo to make room for a (kind of?) familiar face.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
A 4-0 loss (Atlanta’s third time being shutout in five games) is not a good way to start a series. Tonight’s matchup looks a little dicey, too.
📺 How to watch: First pitch from Truist Park arrives at 7:15 p.m. on FanDuel Sports.
⚾ The pitching matchups: Didier Fuentes (0-2, 10.80) vs. Yusei Kikuchi (3-6, 2.79)
📝 The scouting report: Fuentes was originally slated to make his third-career start last night (I missed the memo when the Braves swapped his position with Grant Holmes).
As for Kikuchi: The win-loss record doesn’t show it, but he’s having a career-best year for the Angels. The lefty is also coming off a season-high 12 strikeouts against the Red Sox.
HELLO AGAIN
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
No official announcement by the time this newsletter sent.
But by all accounts, today is the day exiled outfielder Jurickson Profar rejoins the big league Braves, his 80-day PED suspension done and dusted.
Will he be cheered by the Truist Park crowd? Booed? My money’s on “tepid applause.”
But that’s beside the point.
Here’s what to expect — on the field — from Profar’s return.
📝 We won’t know specifics until lineups are announced a little later this afternoon. But manager Brian Snitker has said he plans to throw Profar into the middle of the batting order.
- Generally speaking, Profar would be a natural fit at No. 2, behind Ronald Acuña Jr. But Matt Olson’s found a groove there of late and Snitker might not want to break up his team’s most (only?) consistent hitters.
- With Marcell Ozuna struggling, I’d be tempted to put the switch-hitting Profar third in the order … but feels more likely he’ll wind up hitting fifth, after Ozuna and Austin Riley and ahead of Drake Baldwin.
“One established guy that can lengthen your lineup can be a big deal,” Snitker said recently. “Especially, him being a switch hitter and the matchup thing — kind of take that out of the hands of the opposition.”
📈 Nobody’s going to save this Braves offense by themselves. But every little bit helps, and Profar killed the ball during his warm-up in the minors.
The numbers across 13 games with Triple-A Gwinnett:
- .333 average, .407 on-base percentage, .990 OPS.
- Three home runs, nine RBIs, seven runs scored.
- Just six strikeouts.
If nothing else, another discerning eye will sure be nice to see in this Atlanta lineup.
TRAVIS, BACK HOME
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud, one of several former Braves now playing for the Angels, chatted with the AJC’s Chad Bishop about being back at Truist Park.
“I’ve have had a lot (of memories here),” d’Arnaud said. “The biggest one, obviously, ’21 winning it all. A crazy one is playing here with nobody in the stands in 2020. All the playoff games, all the sold-out crowds. There’s a ton, man.”
SO WHO’S THIS RELIEVER?
Alongside the news of Chris Sale moving to the 60-day injured list (meaning he won’t be back until at least late August), the Braves announced a trade.
Sent to the Pirates: Minor league outfielder Titus Dumitru, a recent 16th-round draft pick.
Back in return: A reliever named Hunter Stratton … who has a 23.63 ERA in three major league appearances this season. He put up a far more respectable 3.58 last year, though.
- One of these days I’m going to count all the different relievers to move in and out of Atlanta so far in 2025. It’ll take a while.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
He didn’t score … but maybe his shadow did.
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Until next time.
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