The Braves have already grabbed one of the biggest moments of this series, and now they get a shot to turn it into a statement. After yesterday’s dramatic win over the Phillies secured the season tiebreaker, Atlanta can put itself in line for a six-game lead with a victory today. With only three games left between these teams before the season ends, the margin is starting to feel enormous.
Grant Holmes gets the ball for Atlanta, and the bullpen may end up being a major factor again. Holmes has not been a pitcher who works especially deep into games, so the relief corps has to be ready from the jump.
His recent results have been all over the map: in his last five starts, he has allowed zero earned runs, then six, then zero, then three, then zero. When he’s sharp, he looks dominant.
When he’s off, things unravel fast.
The Braves have already seen Holmes handle Philadelphia twice in a five-day stretch back in April. In the first outing, he went 4.2 innings and gave up two runs on four hits, including a home run.
In the second, he matched his second-longest start of the year at 6.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out four. Atlanta won both of those games.
The Phillies have had mixed success against Holmes, but a few hitters have made noise. No one on the roster has more than nine at-bats against him.
Kyle Schwarber has a .904 OPS with two home runs, though he’s hit just .143. Bryce Harper has done the most damage in a tiny sample, going 1-for-4 with a homer, a .500 average, and a 1.964 OPS.
Garrett Stubbs has a 1.334 OPS against Holmes, and Trea Turner sits at 1.158. Beyond that, the numbers drop off quickly, with no other Phillies hitter above a .625 OPS.
On the other side, Jesús Luzardo brings a strong season into this matchup. He has logged 169.2 innings and carries a 3.02 ERA, 2.86 FIP, and a 4.10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has not faced the Braves yet this year, even though these clubs have already met six times.
Atlanta does have some familiarity on its side in the lineup. Four Braves have at least 22 at-bats against Luzardo, and the results are uneven.
Ozzie Albies has a .625 OPS, Matt Olson sits at .518, Austin Riley is at .694, and Lane Thomas has absolutely jumped off the page with a 1.503 OPS and four home runs. That kind of production makes a strong case for keeping Thomas in the lineup this afternoon.
If the Braves are going to keep the pressure on, the formula looks familiar: make Luzardo work, get to the bullpen, and try to tilt the game late. On paper, Atlanta has a climb ahead of it. But after what this series has already shown, the path is clear enough.
First pitch is at 1:05 EDT.
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The move also reshuffles the back end of the staff for now, with Bryce Elder heading to the bullpen while he works through a minor knee issue. Elder is not expected to go on the injured list, but the Braves will be watching how both pitchers respond as the schedule keeps coming fast and the rotation picture continues to evolve. [Read more 🡒]