The mighty Marlins get a chance to respect their Elder tonight as the Braves send Bryce Elder to the mound in Braves, Marlins Game #1.
Elder was an All-Star a year ago but lost the fifth starter battle to Braves ace, Reynaldo Lopez. Elder certainly regressed late last season, and Lopez was the definitive reason he was sent down to AAA Gwinnett. All that being said, the young Texan looks to make a spot start and an impression tonight in his first start of the season.
The Marlins enter the game with a 6-17 record and send lefty Ryan Weathers to toe the rubber. Weathers is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA so far this season. On the other hand, Elder looks to earn some respect from a weak lineup. Bryan De La Cruz is the lone hitter with an OPS over .702 and four hitters have an OPS of .567 or worse.
Understandably, the Braves look to rebound after losing the opportunity to sweet Texas last night. Management wouldn’t complain if Austin Riley and Matt Olson would get going. Truth be told, I wouldn’t either. Thank God for Marcell OHzuna – who ever thought those words could be typed this time last year? All the Big Bear has done is homered nine times and driven in 27 runs in 20 games. Oh, and Td’A is back in the lineup tonight to add some pop!
First pitch for Braves, Marlins Game #1 is coming at you at 7:20 EDT/6:20 CDT. Comment away, I think this should be a fun one.
Big inning avoided.
That double off the wall worked only as effectively as a sacrifice bunt. Thanks, Marlins.
Facts!
A rude greeting…single, single, double…but the Marlins aren’t one of the worst teams in baseball for nothing. Thanks, Luis Arraez, for that base running blunder. And let’s go bats!!!
Travis is certainly eating his Wheaties.
Five homers in four games.
And how ’bout Elder tonight?
Bro shoved hard. Should have earned some Braves Country respect!
Great outing for Elder (although that was some clown-car base-running by the Fish in the 1st). Hope he can continue against a real MLB line-up next time.
The old boys from Atlanta slung the leather around yesterday. Orlando’s barehand play was amazing. Almost got him.
Bryce is a ground ball machine, and that works really well in the regular season, against bad offenses, and with our defense. Not sure I’d start him in a playoff game, but he’s definitely earned another start. I would think that he can slide back into the 5th starter spot.
I see a .980 OPS out of the catcher position. When did Murphy get healthy? Oh… wait…
My weird fan interest: the Braves win a second World Series this year, Snit retires, and Travis takes over. Vogt broke the seal on MLB catchers going immediately into managing. Of course, Snit can stay as long as he’d like. And Bochy’s older and just won a WS so it’s not like Snit is over the hill.
recapped.