As the Braves gear up for a Saturday night showdown, they're banking on Bryce Elder to deliver a more traditional start after Reynaldo Lopez's solid outing on Friday. Elder has hit a rough patch recently, and with Logan Webb taking the mound for the Giants, this matchup might not inspire the most confidence at first glance.
Elder's been battling a dip in strikeouts, but the real issue in June has been the uptick in his fly ball to homer rate. Despite his xFIP hovering around 4, his ERA and FIP have taken a hit.
However, pitching at Oracle Park could be a blessing in disguise for Elder, as it's notoriously tough for hitters to knock one out of the park there. With Webb dealing for the Giants, the Braves will need Elder to limit the Giants' scoring to keep them in the game.
On the flip side, Logan Webb is having a bit of an off year by his standards, sporting a 3.51 xFIP over 83.1 innings. While his walks have stayed impressively low, his ground ball rate and strikeouts have dipped to career lows since his breakout season, nudging his xFIP above his usual high standards.
Webb's arsenal includes a five-pitch mix, with his sinker leading the charge, complemented by a changeup and sweeper, along with a four-seamer and cutter. Most of his pitches lean towards the "drop" side of vertical movement, lacking the ideal "rise" you'd want from a four-seamer.
The Braves' offense has been in a bit of a slump, and they'll need a touch of luck with their hitting sequences. Maybe a homer or two could tilt the scales, as slugging off Webb at Oracle is no easy task. A strong showing from Drake Baldwin, with his reverse splits against the formidable lefty Webb, could be just what the Braves need to spark their offense.
Catch the action on MLB.tv and see how this intriguing matchup unfolds.
In Other News...
Braves Bullpen Plan Is Running Into A Problem Fans Saw Coming
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Chris Sale is a big part of the tension. Atlanta has kept him off regular rest for much of the season, and he is lined up for his fourth start of June and his first in 10 days, a reminder of how carefully the club has managed its ace while trying to cover for thinner starting depth. Add in injuries that have taken Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez out of the late-inning mix at different points, plus high-leverage innings that have already gone sideways, and the Braves are finding out what fans feared when the roster was built: a strong bullpen plan only works if the rest of the pitching staff can hold up around it. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Offensive Collapse Puts One Uncomfortable Question Front And Center
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Mauricio Dubon has at least given the club a modest lift with a stronger June, but the larger concern is whether the Braves are seeing a temporary slump or something more systemic as the lineup keeps shuffling. When the bats are this quiet and the available pieces keep changing, the conversation naturally drifts beyond the players on the field and toward how much responsibility still falls on the coaching staff to find answers before the season drifts any farther off course. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Make A Veteran Move As Pressure Builds During Brutal Slide
The Braves have been searching for answers during a rough stretch that has left them with 11 losses in their last 15 games, and the issues have not been confined to one area. The offense has been uneven, the starting pitching has not held up its end, and with the July trade deadline approaching, general manager Alex Anthopoulos has already signaled that the club expects to be active in the market.
Carlos Santana is part of that broader effort to stabilize the roster, bringing a long track record and some postseason pedigree from his time with Cleveland, including the 2016 World Series run. The veteran first baseman will begin at Triple-A, with the possibility of working his way into the major league picture if the Braves decide they need more help on the right side of the infield and in a potential platoon role. [Read more 🡒]