The Atlanta Braves dropped game two of their four-game set ot the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Citizens Bank Park on Saturday night.
Here is Today’s Three Things from the contest.
The Turning Point
Believe it or not, it was the top of the first inning.
As we discussed in The Scouting Report, Zack Wheeler’s been shaky of late (6.27 ERA post-ASB), but after Philadelphia adjusted his mechanics, his last start was tentatively back to Wheeler’s normally high standards.
He was tested immediately. Atlanta’s first three batters all reached base, with Drake Baldwin and Ronald Acuña Jr. singling and Matt Olson drawing a walk.
But after that? Bupkis.
Michael Harris II somrhow hit a pop-up on a curveball that was nearly on the dirt, followed by Mauricio Dubòn striking out looking and then Ozzie Albies hitting a lazy flyout to center.
From this point on, Atlanta would register just three more hits and one walk, ultimately scoring two runs on solo shots from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley.
Hanging a crooked number on a scuffling Zack Wheeler would have changed the dynamic of this game, especially after Martín Pérez stumbled in the bottom of the first, walking four and allowing two runs.
Today’s Player of the Game
Ronald Acuña Jr. had two of the team’s five hits and one of their two runs tonight, but I’m giving the award to the bullpen duo of Ray Kerr and Brent Suter.
The lefties combined for four and a third scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out three. The bulk of the innings were covered by Kerr, who cleaned up Pérez’s mess in the fourth (on one pitch) and then covered the fifth through seventh innings.
I’m not saying that I’m ready to give either man high-leverage innings, but holding a more than capable Philadelphia offense to no runs the rest of the way gave the Atlanta offense an opening to rally and maybe find a way to steal game two. (They didn’t do it, of course, but the opening technically was there.)
What You’ll Be Talking About
With all due respect to the struggles of Matt Olson (who was hitless tonight and is now carrying a .150 average and .436 OPS across the last fifteen games), let’s talk about Martín Pérez’s outing.
The veteran lefty very clearly did not have his control tonight, walking the first two batters he faced and ending the 1st inning with two runs on four walks and only one hit, a Luis Arraez single. He needed 35 pitches to get through the inning, although he was able to rebound for decent second and third innings before getting in trouble again in the 4th.
Pérez talked to the media after the game and, essentially, told them that he was rusty because this was his first start in a week…which doesn’t really track, because he had a full week of rest last time out and struck out six Rockies in a one-run effort over 5.2 innings.
That being said, though, it also presents an interesting conundrum for next weekend, when the Phillies come to Truist Park for a rematch with Atlanta. With the team’s current six-man rotation, Pérez would line up to face Philly next Friday at home. Does Atlanta need to either move him up earlier in the week, perhaps swapping him with Chris Sale (who would currently get Tampa Bay in next Thursday’s finale). And does the expected activation of Reynaldo López next week mean that Pérez needs to be the sacrificial lamb to the bullpen for at least a week?
Jake and I discussed this on the Postcast, and I’m guessing the decision won’t be made until after this series is decided - if Atlanta rebounds to go 2-2 or 3-1, you likely don’t worry about moving Sale to the weekend (which would be his 4th start of the season against Philly) and instead let Pérez go on Friday. But if Atlanta drops this series and needs to ensure a win next weekend to keep the NL East, Pérez might need to either move up to Tampa or get temporarily moved to the bullpen until after the Phillies have left Atlanta.
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 contest.
What’s Next for the Braves?
The Braves are back at it on Sunday afternoon, with Tyler Mahle (5-10, 4.25 ERA but 2-1, 1.48 with Atlanta) taking on Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.93) at 1:10 PM on NBC/Peacock.