The Mets hit so many home runs last night that Citi Field evidently ran out of celebratory fireworks.
In the words of my colleague Gabe Burns: “Another 2025 Braves masterpiece.”
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Let’s try this again.
📺 How to watch: First pitch at 7:10 p.m. on FanDuel Sports.
⚾ The pitching matchup: Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 6.18) vs. David Peterson (7-5, 2.98)
📝 The scouting report: In two starts as a Brave, Carrasco has surrendered nine earned runs in 11⅔ innings.
Atlanta got Peterson for three runs back in June.
ANGST AND EXPLANATIONS
Spencer Strider gave up eight runs against the Mets on Tuesday, tying a career high. He only struck out two batters, a career low.
He elicited just one whiff on 23 swings against his fastball.
His ERA ballooned to 4.69.
It’s been a frustrating return from elbow surgery, no doubt. And if there’s one guy you can count on to explain what’s happening, it’s Strider.
Here he is, via the AJC’s Olivia Sayer:
“I can acknowledge the progress; my last two starts from an execution standpoint were really good. It still feels like if a pitch isn’t perfect, it’s getting hit. And the ownership is to say I’ve got to be better, No. 1, and then No. 2, the stuff isn’t good enough. If you’re executing at a high rate, you’re getting hit hard, guys are looking as comfortable as they have in my last two starts, then something has to get better. Whatever you’re doing isn’t good enough.
“I’m never going to be perfect. Mistakes are frustrating and I try to really focus on a process and routine that puts me in the best position possible to execute each pitch. But I’m never going to be perfect. The room for error comes from having good stuff and stuff that’s consistent enough that you know what’s coming out of your hand. That’s getting better over my last couple starts, but it’s obviously not good enough.”
That’s not an encouraging answer, exactly.
But it rings true.
And while Strider’s not one of the guys spending the rest of a lost season fighting for a role in 2026, he’d certainly like to figure things out before 2025 ends.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Chris Sale threw 40 pitches and felt pretty good about his first rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday: “Command was not great, but first time back after a while, so overall I’d say a step in the right direction,” he said.
He still needs to ramp up that pitch count a bit, so don’t expect him back right when he’s eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Aug. 19.
- Injured offensive stars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley may return sooner.
A FLATTERING COMPARISON
As we’ve chronicled extensively, rookie catcher Drake Baldwin is … good at baseball.
But Braves fans will get a kick out of folks comparing him quite favorably to another former phenom: Brian McCann.
Like B-Mac, Baldwin is “above his years, behind the plate and as an offensive player,” manager Brian Snitker said.
B.B. Abbott, whose agency represents both catchers, called Baldwin “so even-tempered.”
“I don’t see him ever going through prolonged slumps,” Abbott said. “He’s very consistent. He’s very even-keel. You look at him on the field, you don’t know if he’s gone 4-for-4 or 0-for-4. And those are things that I really like to see, especially with young guys behind the plate.”
FARM SYSTEM REFRESH
MLB.com recently released its updated prospect rankings for every team — and the top of the Braves’ list sees some positional help on the horizon.
Young pitchers Cam Caminiti (currently at Single-A Augusta) and JR Ritchie (Triple-A Gwinnett) fill the top two spots. After that it’s three straight 2025 draft picks:
3️⃣ Tate Southisene: This is the 18-year-old shortstop/outfielder from Nevada that the Braves used their first-round selection on. Lots to like, but don’t expect him in Atlanta anytime soon.
4️⃣ Alex Lodise: A second-round pick out of Florida State, where he was a Golden Spikes award finalist. He’s 21 and starting with the High-A Rome Emperors.
5️⃣ Briggs McKenzie: Not an SEC quarterback or the fratty antagonist from a National Lampoon movie, but a fourth-round prep school pitcher from North Carolina. Good curveball.
Current big-league Braves Nacho Alvarez and Hurston Waldrep follow at Nos. 6 and 7, respectively.
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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.
