Today's Three Things: Strider shelled as Diamondbacks take series opener

Arizona's stars...starred. Atlanta's did not, and it made all the difference

The Atlanta Braves dropped their series opener 8-3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Truist Park on Tuesday night.

Here’s Today’s Three Things from the contest.

The Turning Point

The Braves came into tonight’s game knowing that the Arizona bullpen was suspect, at best. They didn’t help themselves until it was too late.

They were too aggressive early against starter Zac Gallen, who came in with an ERA over 5.00 and one of the highest walk rates among qualified starters. Gallen’s 23 pitches to get through the order the first time allowed him to pitch through seven. The Braves immediately started a rally in the 8th against reliever (and old friend) Shelby Miller.

Ronald Acuña Jr. singled to open the frame, but was thrown out at second on Drake Baldwin’s ball to second baseman Ketel Marte. Austin Riley then singled, putting a runner in scoring position for just the second time in the ballgame.

And then Matt Olson struck out, with his first strike being a center-cut 95.7 mph fastball that he fouled off, before Marcell Ozuna put a charge into a ball that was caught on the warning track.

Brian Snitker’s ill-fated decision to send Rafael Montero back out for a 2nd inning of work resulted in three more runs on the board for Arizona in the 9th, avoidable runs (they definitely change the pitcher if it’s a 6-5 Braves lead instead of a 5-3 Atlanta deficit), but ultimately not why Atlanta lost the game.

Today’s Player of the Game

Drake Baldwin.

The youngster picked up Atlanta’s first hit of the game in the 4th inning when he served an elevated Gallen cutter to the fans in the Chop House. It was Atlanta’s only extra-base hit of the day.

He then added two spectacular defensive plays in the 7th inning to get Pierce Johnson out of the frame. First, he threw out Corbin Carroll, one of MLB’s fastest baserunners, at second base with a picture-perfect throw slightly up the first base side of the bag and directly onto Carroll’s shoulder.

(I say “picture-perfect” because throwing to this side of the bag and slightly up the line has become a capital-T Thing across MLB this season. Watch for it and you’ll see what I mean - it’s everywhere.)

After Ketel Marte walked to finish that at-bat, Baldwin then backpicked him at first base with a perfectly placed throw low and over the bag. Matt Olson was able to catch the ball and swipe at a diving Marte with one move, getting the out on replay review.

It’s getting harder and harder to justify Baldwin sitting as much as he does - he’s one of the best hitters on the team. While he isn’t as solid defensively as Sean Murphy, he has improved significantly under Murphy and coach Eddie Pérez.

What You’ll Be Talking About (besides the offense)

More struggles from Spencer Strider.

‘Quadzilla’ gave up three homers as part of his five runs today, two of which were surrendered to Ketel Marte. He lasted only five innings, being lifted for the start of the sixth inning and replaced by Enyel De Los Santos.

I’m conflicted on this one. On the one hand, Strider got the whiffs (14, including eight on his slider). But on the other hand, the homers were on fastballs left down the middle of the plate at just 95 miles per hour.

I was impressed with how Strider varied his arsenal - instead of 90% combined usage of his fastball and slider pairing, he threw the curveball 13% and the changeup another 6% tonight. His 46% fastball usage was the second-lowest figure of his career and is something that needs to continue while he finishes ‘coming back’ from elbow surgery.

But despite throwing less of the pitch, the locations with the fastball were too often still down the middle and overall, the pitch just isn’t missing very many bats. Arizona hitters swung at 22 of his 39 fastballs and whiffed exactly once, fouling eight off and putting thirteen in play.

Strider told me in 2024 spring training about needing to have his ‘stuff’ to throw right down the middle, but he’s not able to reach back and get it just yet. Does he continue evolving as a pitcher and varying his locations and sequences more, or does he keep doing what he’s done for his entire professional career while waiting for the velocity to return to what it was in his 2023 season?

With the loss tonight, his ERA on the season sits at 5.68 through his first four starts, having already given up five homers in just 19 innings.

What’s Next for the Braves?

The Braves are looking to even the series. Chris Sale (3-3, 3.06 ERA) takes on Merrill Kelly (5-2, 3.78 ERA) at 7:15 PM ET.