Atlanta

Braves

Perhaps the Braves can only play well against the Mets. After sweeping their rivals earlier this week, they fell short in their season opener against the Marlins. Riley’s eighth inning home run was only their second run of the game as they were shut down by Janson Junk and Miami’s bullpen. That was Riley’s 12th home run in what’s been a good, not great season for the slugging third baseman.

It looked like Fuentes – the youngest current major league player at just 20 years old – was about to get his doors blown off by the lowly Marlins in his debut. They had eight hard-hit balls over the first three innings and had four runs home. Yet, Fuentes settled over his final two frames and grew more comfortable with his secondary pitches to try and force some weak contact. While it wasn’t a great debut, the Braves have proven to be one of the more aggressive teams when promoting young prospects and Fuentes could get another shot in this rotation soon if Bryce Elder falters or they sustain another injury. This was expected to just be a single spot start though as Atlanta has aggressively reshuffled their rotation in order to allow their top-line starters to face the Mets with seven games against them in 10 days.

José Ruiz was DFA’d last night to make room on the roster. The 20-year-old Fuentes will make his major league debut tonight against the Marlins. It’s expected to be just a spot start for now, but he’s quite intriguing for the long haul.

The Braves needed to clear up spots on both their active and 40-man rosters for the arrival of Didier Fuentes on Thursday and it looks like Ruiz drew the short straw this time around. The 30-year-old hurler posted an 8.82 ERA, 1.96 WHIP and a 15/9 K/BB ratio over 16 1/3 innings in 18 appearances with the Braves.

That’s a sweep for Atlanta. Olson’s bases-loaded double broke the game open in the sixth. He’s batting .321/.451/.607 with three homers and 17 RBI in 71 plate appearances during the month of June, and his current .850 OPS is his highest mark since the second game of the season.

As a considerably more difficult assignment, this rates as an excellent followup to his 13-strikeout gem against the Rockies. Strider topped out at 98.4 mph and averaged 96.0 mph with his fastball tonight, a slight improvement over his season mark of 95.3 mph. Strider opened up 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA, but these last two outings have been strong enough to already drop his ERA to 3.89. Expectations are that he and Clay Holmes will face off again, this time in Queens, next Wednesday.

The 20-year-old hurler has made nine starts across three minor league levels for the Braves this season, compiling an 0-7 record, 4.81 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 48/12 K/BB ratio across 39 1/3 innings of work. Even in a matchup against the Marlins, he should be avoided for fantasy purposes. It’s expected to just be a spot start to give everyone else in the Braves’ rotation an extra day of rest.

Sale clearly had plenty in the tank pitching on eight days’ rest and made the Mets feel his wrath. They hit dribbler after dribbler and didn’t put a single runner into scoring position after the first inning. Sale had no fear attacking them with fastballs in the zone which set up dozens of devastating sliders darting low. It was pure domination. The only reason he wasn’t able to finish the complete game shutout is because Brandon Nimmo hit a flare over Austin Riley’s head with two outs in the ninth inning and manager Brian Snitker didn’t want to push Sale when he’d already amassed a season-high 116 pitches. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a single start since April 13th and has reclaimed his throne as one of the league’s best. If the Braves keep him on regular rest, he’s lined up for a two-start week against the Mets, again, and Phillies.

Acuña set the tone for this game when he ambushed the first pitch he saw from Paul Blackburn and sent it way back over the fence in straightaway center field. Since his season debut on May 23rd, no one in baseball has a higher batting average (.390), on-base percentage (.495), or slugging percentage (.720). It’s safe to say he’s back.

Azocar will test the open market for a new opportunity after receiving exactly one plate appearance during his time with Atlanta. The 29-year-old outfielder went unclaimed on waivers earlier this week after being jettisoned from the club’s 40-man roster.