Braves Report: Time to shine

It’s finally game day, y’all.

I’m ready. Atlanta’s ready. Ronald Acuña Jr.’s definitely ready.

Are you?

ALL-STAR ABCs

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Without further ado: Here’s the skinny on tonight’s All-Star Game at Truist Park.

⭐ The basics: The TV broadcast starts at 8 p.m. on Fox. If you’re headed down to Truist Park, gates open to the public at 5 p.m.

⭐ The starting pitchers: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal for the American League, Pirates phenom Paul Skenes for the NL.

⭐ The locals: Acuña will start in the outfield and bat second. Teammate Matt Olson figures to come off the bench at some point, assuming he’s not too tired from his Home Run Derby appearance.

⭐ The injuries: Atlanta pitcher Chris Sale and former Brave Max Fried both got All-Star nods but will remain on the sidelines with injuries. (More on Sale’s recovery in a bit.)

⭐ Then there’s Freddie: Freddie Freeman left Atlanta for the Dodgers four years ago. But his return — as the starter at first base, no less — is still emotional.

“When you spend so much time like I did here in Atlanta, it’s special,” he said. “I got to hang out with Snit a little bit earlier. Talking with him and seeing all the guys in the home clubhouse I haven’t gotten to see over the last few years, it’s been fun.”

THE YOUNG GUNS

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

There are a ton of young guys in tonight’s All-Star Game. Plenty of whom casual fans might not be familiar with.

With that in mind, I went to an (incredibly chaotic) media event and asked a handful of players their favorite budding stars to watch.

They had answers.

🤩 Jacob Misiorowski, the fireballing Brewers rookie whose own inclusion sparked a bit of a controversy, pointed to Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong: “He’s sitting right next to me. He’s just one of those guys that you’re just in awe watching. He makes those plays in the outfield that are crazy. It sucks to play against him and he’s in our division.”

🤩 Pete Crow-Armstrong then struggled to appropriately describe Nationals outfielder James Wood: “Like … I don’t know. You see it, you watch it. That dude can hit. Almost like … him and Aaron Judge, Shohei (Ohtani) I guess, but Shohei does it in a way that’s different than those guys. James Wood is by far my favorite player around my age.”

🤩 Matt Olson followed suit: “Probably Wood. He does some things that not a lot of people are doing, hitting balls 115 (mph) to the opposite field, looks like he’s asleep the whole time. It comes real natural to him.”

🤩 Ronald Acuña Jr. misunderstood the assignment a bit … but gave us a good shortstop prospect to keep tabs on: “We have a lot of young players to watch. (Leo) De Vries from the San Diego Padres.”

🤩 Max Fried, the former Braves ace, is fond of an Athletics shortstop: “I think just off the top of my head, Jacob Wilson. He’s from my area back home in Los Angeles, he’s had a great year especially rookie year being able to do that. I’m excited to talk to and pick some of the brains of some of the pitching guys, too.”

🤩 Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals, a young superstar in his own right, chose Wilson as well: “He’s playing a premier position at shortstop and hitting for a high average, doing his thing. It’s pretty awesome to see him do it.”

SOLID EFFORT, MATT

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Check out this morning’s Sports Daily for a fuller reckoning of last night’s Home Run Derby. But the aforementioned Olson said he had a blast even though his 15 homers weren’t enough to carry him out of the first round.

“To be able to do it in front of that crowd, you had the chop going, every ball that went out they were (going) crazy. It was something I’ll never forget.”

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

I watched the young lady on the left throughout the Derby — and she caught *everything* that came her way.

Without, you know, robbing any participants.

PROGESS REPORT: CHRIS SALE

At the same media event, injured Braves starter Chris Sale said he’s “hoping to be throwing again here in the next few days.” That doesn’t mean he’ll return to the rotation anytime soon, but it’s progress.

Today marks four weeks since Sale cracked his ribcage diving for a grounder against the Mets.

📅 And if you’re wondering: The Braves return from the break on Friday, when the Yankees come to town for a three-game set.

Thanks for reading Braves Report. Tell a friend — and maybe give the AJC’s Sports Daily newsletter a shot, too.

Until next time.