After a disappointing series loss to the Red Sox, the Braves come back home to host the Diamondbacks. Arizona has been playing well in June, going 14-7, outscoring their opponents 116-75. This has vaulted them back above .500, still 5 games behind the Dodgers. The Braves took 3 out of 4 in Arizona during April.
Game 1 – Tuesday 7:10 ET – Daniel Hudson vs. Tim Hudson (obligatory Hudson vs. Hudson comment)
Tim had a mediocre last outing against the Yankees, allowing 2 runs in 5 IP. The right-handed heavy Arizona lineup could have some troubles against him. Daniel has struggled this year, posting a 6.60 ERA. He has been better after his DL stint with shoulder problems, posting a 22/4 K/BB ratio in the 5 starts since. He’s allowing over 25% line drives, the main reason for the .346 BABIP allowed. He’s also had problems keeping the ball in the park, allowing 8 HR in 43.2 IP.
Game 2 – Wednesday 7:10 ET – Trevor Cahill vs. Tommy Hanson
Hanson had a very interesting last outing, allowing 4 runs, all on solo home runs. Cahill had a rough previous outing, allowing 6 runs in 6 innings against the Mariners. On the season, Cahill has maintained his groundball ways, posting a 63% groundball rate. His K rate has increased a bit moving to the National League, while his walks are a bit above average. The Braves lefty-heavy lineup has a much better chance of succeeding against Cahill.
Game 3 – Thursday 7:10 ET – Trevor Bauer vs. Jair Jurrjens
Jurrjens returned from the minors, completely shutting down the Red Sox over 7.1 IP, though he still didn’t look great. For the Diamondbacks, highly-touted minor leaguer Bauer will be making his major league debut Thursday. His size and motion remind most of Tim Lincecum, Bauer has walked a lot of hitters, but has posted K rates around 30%. He also allowed more HR than a normal top-notch prospect, meaning he could be in for a Julio Teheran struggle at the majors.
Offensively, Arizona has been hitting very well lately. Aaron Hill has been their best player so far this year, posting a .291/.357/.496 line and playing a good second base. Miguel Montero has been good behind the plate and has a .371 OBP. Paul Goldschmidt has maintained his lumberjack power, while Gerardo Parra has used defense and speed to post great numbers. Jason Kubel has also been hitting very well.
Chris Young has struggled after returning from a shoulder injury, while Justin Upton has been merely average so far. Ryan Roberts has not shown his 2011 form, posting a 68 wRC+ so far. Willie Bloomquist has played the majority of the time at shortstop, while Stephen Drew recovers from an ankle injury.
After the way last series went, I won’t bother trying to predict specific games. The Braves have the advantage tonight, the Diamondbacks tomorrow night, and Thursday is the wild-card. I am most interested to see how Bauer looks, seeing if he’s still allowed to launch his first warmup pitch over the backstop.
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