The Scouting Report: Braves vs Angels, Game 3
Lineups, pitching matchup, bullpen status, and what to watch tonight
It’s Atlanta Braves baseball! Let’s break down everything you need to know about this afternoon’s matchup.
Game Info
First Pitch: 4:07 PM ET
Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California
TV: BravesVision
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan
Weather: 76° and mostly cloudy, wind WSW at 8 MPH
Today’s Lineups
Atlanta Braves
RF Ronald Acuña Jr. (R)
DH Drake Baldwin (L)
2B Ozzie Albies (S)
1B Matt Olson (L)
3B Austin Riley (R)
SS Mauricio Dubón (R)
LF Mike Yastrzemski (L)
C Jonah Heim (S)
CF Michael Harris II (L)
Quick thoughts:
This is Yastrzemski’s first start of the season against a lefty - he’s been on the bench for all of them so far.
Los Angeles Angels
SS Zach Neto (R)
CF Mike Trout (R)
1B Nolan Schanuel (L)
RF Jorge Soler (R)
3B Yoan Moncada (S)
DH Jo Adell (R)
LF Josh Lowe (L)
C Logan O’Hoppe (R)
2B Oswald Peraza (R)
Quick thoughts:
MLB has yet to announce punishments in last night’s brawl that led to the ejections of both Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López, so the slugger is back in the lineup as the RF and batting 4th.
Braves Starter: Grant Holmes (0-1, 2.45 ERA)
Quick snapshot (2025):
3.99 ERA / 4.55 xERA / 3.20 FIP
25.0 K% / 11.0 BB% / 3.3% HR
Pitch mix (avg FB velo = 95.5 mph)
vs RHH: 45% slider, 35% four-seam, 13% cutter, 7% curveball, <1% kick-change
vs LHH: 31% four-seam, 26% slider, 24% curveball, 18% cutter, 2% kick-change
What’s different so far this year?
So far, not much. Against righties in his first two starts, Holmes has stuck to a combined 81% usage of his slider and four-seamer, roughly matching last year’s 80%. Against lefties, he’s traded off some of the secondaries for more fastball and slider, as well as slightly increased kick-change usage (7%)
Opposing Starter: LHP Reid Detmers (0-0, 2.38 ERA)
Quick snapshot (2025):
3.96 ERA/ 3.61 xERA / 3.12 FIP
30.1% K / 9.4% BB / 2.3% HR
The arsenal (2025):
Pitch 1 = four-seamer (45% usage, 95.8 mph)
Pitch 2 = slider (31% usage, 88.3 mph)
Pitch 3 = curveball (21% usage, 73.6 mph)
Pitch 4 = sinker (2% usage, 95.6 mph)
How He Attacks Hitters
Detmers has added a changeup this year, so it’s modified what he does on the mound somewhat. It’s almost entirely been an early count pitch to righties, with all but three of them he’s thrown coming on 0-0, 0-1 or 1-0, and 1-1.
Vs RHP: Fastballs early, sliders late
45% four-seam, 33% slider, 12% changeup, 10% curveball
Vs LHP: four-seam/slider if ahead, sinkers if behind
38% slider, 36% four-seamer, 18% sinker, 8% curveball
Sequencing (2026:)
How to read a plinko chart: Each circle represents the usage of a pitcher’s arsenal in a given count (color key below). The thickness of the connecting lines reflects how often each count occurs, helping show how a pitcher navigates an at-bat.
What This Means for the Braves
Mauricio Dubón has earned his promotion to the #6 spot based partly on his performance this year, but also on how he’s handled Detmers in previous seasons. For his career, Dubón is 6-11 with a homer and 2 RBI off the lefty. Joanh Heim has been okay, hitting 4-16, but Jorge Mateo (not in today’s lineup) is just 2-11.
Anecdotally, lefty curveballs always seem to give Braves hitters some fits, so let’s hope that Detmers doesn’t go to it early in this one.
Braves Bullpen Status
Likely available:
José Suarez can give you length, while both Osvaldo Bido and Joel Payamps are ready for lower leverage moments.
Used recently:
All the leverage arms went last night, but I’m willing to bet that with tomorrow being an off day, they’re all on the table in this one.
Potential limitations:
Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias are guys that you’d like to give the day off from a pitch count perspective, but that likely won’t happen today of it’s a close game. Aaron Bummer probably won’t be asked to pitch three consecutive days unless it’s an emergency (or they don’t want to trust José Suarez as the second lefty out in any sort of leverage situation)
Quick takeaway:
Thank goodness tomorrow is an off day. A blowout today would be nice.
Opponent Bullpen Status
Likely available:
Most of the leverage arms got yesterday off, so they’re all on the table, as are Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz.
Used recently:
Mitch Farris, former Brave, pitched yesterday, but it was his first outing of the week, so he’s likely available.
Potential limitations:
Shaun Anderson’s down for a few after making a quasi-start yesterday.
Quick takeaway:
Kurt Suzuki’s got most of his levers available to secure a win.
What to Watch This Afternoon
Walt Weiss said last night that he doesn’t endorse his pitchers hitting a guy just because they can’t get him out, but I’m curious to see if ‘hitting someone because they took a swing at your rotation mate’ is still okay in his book.
How does Yastrzemski handle a lefty over multiple ABs? The process looked good at times in the spring in those situations, but he didn’t actually produce any offense.
Let's get this W and have a winning road trip with an off day tomorrow! Let's go Braves!