Atlanta

Braves

Albies’ home run was his 17th of the season. He hit a game-tying solo home run in the eighth inning off Rico Garcia. The home run gave the Braves life momentarily before the Orioles had a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth inning. Albies has hit two home runs in his last three games. He’s hitting .264 with a .755 OPS and 57 RBI.

Elder gave up four hits, walked four and struck out eight. With one out in the third inning, Pete Alonso reached on an error. After a strikeout that would’ve ended the inning had it not been for the error, Elder allowed back-to-back singles that produced an unearned run. In the fifth inning, Elder allowed a solo home run to Gunnar Henderson. He has a 3.96 ERA this year. Elder is lined up to face the Nationals at home next Thursday.

Acuña played the full game in right field during the front end of Saturday’s doubleheader for Gwinnett before sitting out the nightcap. He told reporters afterwards that he’s ready to go with all signs pointing to a return to Atlanta’s lineup for Monday’s series opener against the Mets in New York. It seems highly unlikely that he’ll join the Braves for their final game against the Orioles on Sunday, but stranger things have happened.

Thomas rejoins Atlanta’s relief mix for the second time this season after allowing four runs over 3 2/3 innings against the Pirates back on July 7. The 28-year-old was a notable pitching prospect with the Cardinals earlier this decade before injuries derailed his promising trajectory.

Hernández was jettisoned from Atlanta’s bullpen after tossing three scoreless innings in relief against the Orioles on Friday. The 31-year-old journeyman former starter should clear waivers and figures to remain with the organization as emergency depth.

With the Braves already up 4-3 in the top of the 10th inning, Olson put the game out of reach when he blasted a three-run homer off Andrew Kittredge to extend the Braves’ lead to 7-3. It was the 27th homer of the season for Olson, who has now hit seven bombs in the month.

The O’s got after Holmes in the second inning, generating a mini two-out rally that was capped with a two-RBI double by Christian Encarnacion-Strand to put the O’s up 2-0. After the Braves drew the game even at 2-2 in the top of the fourth inning, Holmes would give up a sacrifice fly to Jackson Holliday, who drove home Taylor Ward to put the O’s back up 3-2. Holmes would induce back-to-back grounders in the fifth inning to get out of a jam with two runners on in what would be his final inning. Holmes remains a steady option on the mound for the Braves and his fantasy managers, having allowed three earned runs or fewer in every start since May 1st, when he allowed five earned runs to the Rockies. He is next scheduled to start on Wednesday on the road against the Mets.

The thinking was that Friday’s game might be Acuña’s last before being activated from his hamstring strain, but it was rained out and will made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday. Acuña could play in both games then before rejoining the Braves, and it that happens, he’ll likely get Sunday off before being activated Monday.

Smith-Shawver struck out five and walked one while throwing 54 of his 86 pitches for strikes. The 23-year-old averaged 97.5 mph on his four-seam fastball, which is up two mph from what we’re used to seeing. His slider was also up four mph, so there may have been a hot gun at the stadium, but he posted a 22 percent whiff rate overall in what was a solid outing. He should be up in the Braves rotation next week and is probably worth a stash in all 15-team leagues. You can wait and see in 12-team leagues if you wanted.

Acuña will play in Triple-A Gwinnett tonight and looks likely to return at some point this weekend against the Orioles. Weiss added that if he wasn’t activated Friday, “almost certainly” he’d be activated this weekend. Acuña has been rehabbing his hamstring since July 13 in the FCL league and then at Gwinnett. The fantasy superstar should be safe to plug in to lineups immediately upon his return.