A Tale of Two Arms
Chris Sale made what was likely his final regular-season start Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds. He faces a Cincinnati Reds lineup built to test his stuff. This game pits two pitchers with seasons going in opposite directions. Sale is having one of the best years of his career. Sale is positioned to recieve significant second and third place Cy young votes. His 2.18 ERA and 30.3 percent strikeout rate tell that story clearly. He also leads the league in strikeout to walk ratio at 6.13.
Andrew Abbott’s four-year career is suffering its most difficult season on the other side. His 4.70 ERA is about eleven percent below average. His 1.472 WHIP marks the worst number he has ever posted. Abbott has struggled with control, giving up 4.2 walks per nine innings. The Braves need to be patient against him tonight. They must take advantage of his weakness with walks. This is a clear mismatch on paper for the home team.
Resting the Stars
The Braves have already clinched the division. They are in “rest and get ready for a short playoff series” mode now, according to Battery Power. That is the plan for most of the roster. Yesterday Ronald Acuña struck his shin with a foul ball, alarming everyone. Tests came back negative, which is great news. Acuna missed one game after the injury and returned to the lineup Thursday. The team has a very low chance of getting a playoff bye anyway.
Forced calendar appearances essentially define these concluding games. The Dodgers have all but secured the second seed. There is not much to gain or lose in today’s game. Still, fans can watch for some specific things in the bullpen. Robert Suarez is returning to showcase if he belongs on the playoff roster. Dylan Lee has had recent struggles with his arm angle. These small spots might decide who plays in October.
Can the Offense Spark?
The offense looked bad again yesterday. A loss to the Reds would not hurt the standings, but it would kill the mood. The Braves need to catch a spark before the playoffs take off. They struggle in the walk department with a 7.7 percent rate. That is the third worst mark in MLB. Walks get runners on base to knock in runs. The team strikes out less than average, but they need on-base players.
Abbott has been pitched to no more than five times by any Braves player. Austin Riley is hitless in five at-bats against him. Michael Harris has an OPS of just .400 in five tries. Ozzie Albies has a .600 average in his limited history. It is hard to make any prediction on such a small sample. Relief pitcher ERA ranks in the bottom six for the Reds. The Braves have feasted on relievers all season long. Get to the bullpen and strike. First pitch is at 7:15 EDT at Truist Park. To ensure an easy victory, Chris Sale must limit the runs allowed.
