Happy Fried-day, Braves Country. The Braves begin a four-game set with the San Diego Padres tonight, sending Max Fried to the mound.
Atlanta is fresh off a stretch where they have won six of their past eight games. It’s probably a good thing for Brandon Gaudin and everyone who loves him, that it wasn’t the Cubs who came to town for this wrap-around series. Can you imagine? “Mastrobouni seems to enjoy the wrap-around…series.”
Padres send Waldron to the mount
San Diego (22-24) sends Matt Waldron (1-5, 5.49, 1.45 WHIP) to the mound this Fried-day against one of the Braves’ top three. Fried is 3-1 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.
Ronald Acuña, Jr. is back in the lead-off spot but Austin Riley continues to sit. No worries, that means Zack Short. The best hitting #59 in Braves history is 4-for-10 with four walks, two walks, and four runs scored in the last few games.
First pitch is set for 7:20 EDT/6:20 CDT. Happy Fried-Day, Braves Country!
You mean Ray Short!
Max is walking the tightrope these first few innings. It’s some BABIP though.
Just got home right as Bummer took the mound; did Fried get hit hard in the 5th, or just bad BABIP?
He wasn’t very good tonight and he also had some bad luck before the 5th but it didn’t cost him until that inning.
I miss our offense.
It’s just this season Max is one extreme or the other and the offense has been in perpetual hibernation mode for a months
We’re in Chicago this weekend for an investment club association convention, as my wife belongs to multiple clubs. Our college-aged son twisted my arm really hard and got me to skip today’s convention events to accompany him to a tour of Wrigley plus a Cubs-Pirates day game. Skenes was pitching for the Pirates. The press report I saw slightly understated how dominant he was. It’s not just that, as reported, he struck out the first 7 Cubs or that he hit 100 regularly or that in six innings he allowed no hits and one walk while striking out 11. I’m pretty sure there weren’t even any foul balls during the first seven strikeouts, and it took a long time for a Cub to hit it to the outfield (I believe he only gave up one fly ball). He also had batters off stride with changes of speed, getting as low as 80 mph on some pitches, and even his 95 mph sinkers worked as offspeed pitches.
There were a few issues – he did appear to fade slightly, and the Cubs seemed to be timing his pitches better in the last couple of innings. By that I mean they were fouling the ball back or hitting grounders occasionally instead of totally missing everything. Also, it took him 100 pitches to get through only 19 batters (18 outs, so 6 innings). Still, he was very impressive, and I imagine the 7 Ks to open the game by a pitcher in only his second MLB game is some sort of record.
A relief pitcher gave up a hit with two out in the seventh to end the no-hit bid; I think that’s the longest no-hit bid I’ve seen in person. The Pirates coasted to a 9-3 win.
I was trying to remember during the game how many teams’ home games I’ve seen in person, and I think this was the 14th (in 17 stadiums – 3 in Atlanta and 2 in Baltimore).
11 K’s in 6 innings is way too many. Our offensive approach this year hasn’t been good.
11 strikeouts against a pitcher who is 1-5 with that WHIP is frustrating, at best.
Max’s outing was equally frustrating.
An absolute punchless lineup. Watching guys swing through fastballs every night. Nobody expected last seasons production but we didn’t expect to be the marlins either
17 Ks now. That is insane. I can’t stand this offensive inability/.
What a clunker! 18 Ks!!!
And TDA left with concussion symptoms. Get ready for more of Chadwick Tromp and Sandy Leon for the next week or so until Murphy is ready to come back.
If Riley can’t play tomorrow then he may need to go to the IL too.
Some things I am worried about: Arcia is hitting like he has most of his career so last year may be the outlier. The Kelenic experiment isn’t working out great so far. Duvall is old and hitting like it (though he isn’t getting a ton of PA to be fair). And why is Acuña doing his best Otis Nixon impression instead of hitting for any power at all? Is he hurt?
Recapped https://bravesjournal.com/2024/05/17/18-ks-1-run-scored-braves-1-padres-3/
Have the wheels run off the wagon yet?