Today's Three Things: Hurston Waldrep dominates Guardians in series opener

The Mayor of Splitter City had a 62% whiff rate on the splitter against Cleveland

The Atlanta Braves won game one of their series against the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 in Progressive Field on Friday night.

Here is Today’s Three Things from the contest.

The Turning Point

Offense was at a premium all night, but the Braves put the game away in the top of the 9th inning.

Holding a narrow one-run lead, Marcell Ozuna led off the inning with a single back up the middle. As Atlanta’s wont to do, they sent Eli White out to run for The Big Bear.

Ozzie Albies advanced White to second on a groundout to the right side - first baseman Carlos Santana had no other play than taking it to the bag himself, conceding the 90 feet to White. And that was a break for Atlanta, as Michael Harris II’s single to the left-center gap was quickly cut off by reigning three-time Gold Glove winner Steven Kwan, but not in time to avoid White scoring to push the lead to two.

And it’s good that White scored there, because the end of the next at-bat was two total outs to end the inning, with Sean Murphy striking out and Harris being thrown out at second or his second caught stealing of the game. In Harris’ defense, it looked like he thought Murphy had walked and throttled it down short of the bag, not realizing the throw was coming down and he was about to be tagged out.

Today’s Player of the Game

Hurston Waldrep, easily.

The Mayor of Splitter City threw six scoreless innings tonight, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. Unlike his last outing, where he leaned on the sinker to set up that lethal splitter, he went to the cutter to get ahead tonight (24% usage, 2nd most thrown pitch). Waldrep finished with fourteen total whiffs tonight, including eight on the splitter on just thirteen swings.

In just three MLB appearances, he’s completely changed his trajectory from someone we thought was going to need to go to the bullpen into someone who, at least as of right now, might be the best healthy starter the Braves currently have in the majors.

What You’ll Be Talking About, Outside of Waldrep

Raisel Iglesias.

Watching his scoreless ninth inning, you’d have no idea that he was pitching in his third straight game. Iglesias hit a season-high 98 mph on his four-seam fastball as he dispatched the Guardians in just fifteen pitches.

And it’s prompted more questions about why no contender made a big push to acquire him at the trade deadline. Since July 23rd, he’s pitched twelve innings in twelve games to a 0.75 ERA and just five hits, locking down seven of his eight save opportunities.

And less you think it’s some sort of small sample size shenanigans here, since June 9th, he’s thrown 26.2 innings to a 1.28 ERA, just one homer, and 30 strikeouts against just four walks. He’s 10 for 11 in his save opportunities there, too.

I’m starting to wonder what the lower payroll number is that will prompt Atlanta to re-sign Iglesias for next season versus going into the free agency market for a backend reliever. I’m planning on diving into Atlanta’s payroll for 2026 next week, but there’s not as much money as you’d assume - do they try and save some money here so that they can invest in the rotation and/or the middle infield? (More on that next week, too)

Looking for more discussion about this game?

Here’s tonight’s Postcast, with me and Locked On Braves host Jake Mastroianni, as we went live to break down the win.

What’s Next for the Braves?

Game two of the series in tomorrow night at 7:10 PM ET. Joey Wentz (3-3, 5.03) takes on Slade Cecconi (5-5, 4.11) at Progressive Field.