Atlanta is still searching for answers on the mound
Four. That is all the Braves need now, in any mix of wins and Phillies losses, to punch their postseason ticket. Martin Perez takes the ball Tuesday night in Chicago with that number hanging over him. The left-hander draws the Cubs a day after Atlanta dropped the series opener 7-3, though at 88-63 the Braves still sit on top of the NL East.
Perez is 8-9 with a 3.08 ERA, and his last time out was the best work he has done all year: seven shutout innings against Tampa Bay on Thursday, a no-decision, a 3-1 win for his team. The Cubs are another matter. No wins, two losses, a 5.40 ERA across three appearances. His only relief outing against them came on May 13, a scoreless inning in a 4-1 Atlanta win.
Try it for $0.99.
Walt Weiss is short on arms and running out of room
The Atlanta manager still has not settled his pitching group. Weiss said Monday that Reynaldo Lopez, dealing with a shoulder issue, is probably headed for the injured list. JR Ritchie comes up from Triple-A to start Wednesday’s third game of the series.
AJ Smith-Shawver made his own argument on Monday, closing out the game with five innings of relief and two runs allowed. Weiss wants every door left open. “I always talk about the importance of starters and having options,” he said. “If we keep him stretched out, he remains an option as a starter.”
Chicago is half a game clear, with no margin either
The Cubs have plenty riding on this too. At 84-67, they used Philadelphia’s off day Monday to take sole possession of the top wild-card spot, half a game up on the Phillies. A second postseason trip in three years under Craig Counsell is within reach.
Kevin Gausman draws the start, and his season reads 9-12 with a 4.60 ERA. Wednesday against Milwaukee went badly wrong: seven runs, six earned, four innings, home runs off the bats of Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and William Contreras. “I just need to pitch better,” he said afterward. Tuesday puts him opposite the club he pitched for in 2018 and 2019. Five career starts against Atlanta, a 1-2 record, a 3.13 ERA.
Discover the rest of the MLB news on our website and mathodds app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply