After a much-needed off-day on Monday, the Atlanta Braves will resume their homestand on Tuesday with a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants. The Braves enter this series with a 46-36 record and have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games. They trail the Philadelphia Phillies by eight games in the NL East but currently hold a 3.5-game lead for the first Wild Card spot.
Since their strong 19-9 start, Atlanta’s offensive performance has been inconsistent. They are 27-27 since May 1, with injuries playing a significant role in their struggles. Despite this, key offseason acquisitions like Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez have bolstered the rotation, and the bullpen has been reliable. However, the team has struggled offensively, dealing with injuries, batted ball luck, increased drag, and subpar hitting. With the Trade Deadline approaching in about a month, Atlanta is expected to seek additional offensive help for the stretch run.
The Braves anticipate having A.J. Minter back for Tuesday’s game. Minter missed all of June due to hip inflammation. Daysbel Hernandez was sent back to Gwinnett after Sunday’s game to make room for Minter’s return.
Outfielder Ramon Laureano, who has missed the last four games due to a sore back, is hitting .257/.292/.371 with four doubles and a home run in 11 games since joining the active roster. In his absence, Adam Duvall has resumed his everyday role in right field, while Forrest Wall and Luke Williams have been sharing duties in left field.
The Giants enter the series with a 41-44 record and recently won two of three games against the Dodgers. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and 11.0 games behind Los Angeles in the NL West. They are also 3.0 games out of the final Wild Card spot.
Jorge Soler, a World Series hero for the Braves, is hitting .230/.311/.398 with nine home runs and a 106 wRC+ in his first season with the Giants. LaMont Wade Jr. and Heliot Ramos have been standout performers, with Wade boasting a 161 wRC+ in 54 games and Ramos hitting .289/.333/.529 with 10 homers in 48 games.
Patrick Bailey has contributed with strong defense and solid hitting. While the Giants have several players performing well, they have been hampered by inconsistent play from veterans like Wilmer Flores. Overall, the Giants have a 105 wRC+, ranking 11th in MLB, and are 12th in position player fWAR.
San Francisco has been grappling with several injuries to its pitching staff, including offseason acquisition Blake Snell, who is currently on the IL with a strained groin. The Giants’ pitching ranks 22nd in fWAR and has the second-highest park-adjusted ERA in baseball, largely due to poor strand rates. While Logan Webb and second-year pitcher Ryan Walker (now primarily a short-stint reliever) have performed well, the rest of the pitching staff has been inconsistent.
**Tuesday, July 2, 7:20 p.m. ET (Bally Sports South)
– **Hayden Birdsong** (1 GS, 4.2 IP, 22.7 K%, 13.6 BB%, 5.79 ERA, 5.73 FIP)
Young right-hander Hayden Birdsong will start for the Giants in Tuesday’s series opener. Ranked as San Francisco’s fifth-best prospect by Baseball America, Birdsong made his MLB debut on June 26 against the Cubs, allowing three runs in 4 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and three walks. He averaged 96.2 mph on his fastball and used a mix of changeup, slider, and curveball. His promotion comes due to Blake Snell’s injury and a general lack of reliable starters.
– **Reynaldo Lopez** (14 GS, 79.1 IP, 25.6 K%, 8.5 BB%, 1.70 ERA, 2.79 FIP)
Reynaldo Lopez will take the mound for the Braves in the series opener. Despite facing a lot of traffic on the bases recently, Lopez has managed to limit the damage. He allowed four hits and matched a season high with four walks in his last start against the Cardinals but yielded only two runs in five innings. Since June 13, he has given up just two runs over 16 innings, with 19 strikeouts and six walks.
Wednesday, July 3, 7:20 p.m. ET (Bally Sports South)
Jordan Hicks** (17 GS, 85.2 IP, 20.9 K%, 9.1 BB%, 3.36 ERA, 4.15 FIP)
Jordan Hicks, who transitioned from a reliever to a starter, will pitch for the Giants. This will be Hicks’ 18th start of the season, having already surpassed his total innings from last year. He allowed three runs and struck out seven in five innings against the Cubs in his last outing. Hicks has struggled in recent starts, with a 12/9 K/BB ratio in his last three games compared to a 64/24 ratio in his previous 14.
Chris Sale** (15 GS, 93.2 IP, 32.3 K%, 4.7 BB%, 2.79 ERA, 2.32 FIP)
Chris Sale will face Hicks in Wednesday’s game. Sale has been exceptional this season, surpassing expectations and staying healthy. He recently had one of his best performances, allowing just one run and striking out a season-high 11 in seven innings against the White Sox.
Thursday, July 4, 7:20 p.m. ET (Bally Sports South)
Logan Webb** (18 GS, 112.1 IP, 21.1 K%, 5.7 BB%, 3.12 ERA, 2.76 FIP)
Logan Webb will start the series finale on Thursday. Webb has been a reliable workhorse this season, currently tied for second in the majors in innings pitched. He is coming off a solid outing where he allowed two runs and struck out six in seven innings against the Dodgers. Webb has had mixed results against the Braves, with dominant performances historically and struggles in recent starts.
Charlie Morton** (15 GS, 85.2 IP, 24.4 K%, 10.1 BB%, 3.89 ERA, 3.80 FIP)
Charlie Morton will pitch for the Braves in Thursday’s finale. Morton is looking to build on a strong performance in his last start, where he threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Pirates. His season has been characterized by alternating good and bad outings, resulting in an overall average performance.
