After having their four-game winning streak snapped by the Dodgers on Wednesday, the Braves will try to start another one this afternoon in the series finale. It won’t be easy, to say the least, as they face Clayton Kershaw, the best left-hander and arguably the best pitcher in baseball.
Here’s what young Matt Wisler and the Braves are up against today in Kershaw, a three-time former Cy Young Award winner:
After going 2-3 with a 4.32 ERA in his first nine starts in 2015, Kershaw is 16-4 with a 1.42 ERA and .169 opponents’ average in his past 27 starts, with 248 strikeouts and 28 walks in 196 1/3 innings. The turnaround began with a May 26 win against the Braves in which he allowed four hits and struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings.
Kershaw is 3-0 with an 0.62 ERA in his past four starts against the Braves, including two in the 2013 division series and one apiece in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
He’s 2-0 with a 1.79 ERA in six regular season starts against the Braves, including 2-0 with an 0.56 ERA in two during the 2014-2015 seasons, with 19 strikeouts and no walks in 16 innings. The other starts were in 2009-2011.
Kershaw is 3-0 with 1.54 ERA in eight career starts against Braves, including postseason.
In two road starts this season, Kershaw has a 1.20 ERA and has allowed a .100 average (5-for-50) with two walks and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings.
The Braves could’ve used Ender Inciarte, who’s 4-for-10 against Kershaw, and Gordon Beckham, who’s 2-for-5 against him. Both are on the disabled list.
The only other current Brave with a batting average above .222 against Kershaw is Nick Markakis (2-for-3), who’s getting his first rest of the season today in the noon start against Kershaw. Markakis has started all 14 games before today.
Among other Braves, Freddie Freeman is 2-for-9 with a homer against him, Kelly Johnson is 3-for-15 with a homer, Jeff Francoeur is 1-for-6, Tyler Flowers 0-for-3, Erick Aybar 3-for-21, and Drew Stubbs 4-for-31 with 16 strikeouts.
