Atlanta Braves vs Colorado Rockies: Five Players to Watch
First trip out West for 2018 – Atlanta Braves vs Colorado Rockies: 4/6 – 4/8
The Atlanta Braves are starting their first road trip of the 2018 season and their first stop is a three game series in Denver, CO.
The Braves (4-2) are coming off back-to-back series wins at home vs the Phillies and Nationals. Meanwhile Colorado (4-3) is coming home for the first time this year after a road trip against the Diamondbacks and Padres.
Game schedule is as follows:
- FRIDAY – 4:10pm (EDT) – McCarthy vs. Marquez
- SATURDAY – 8:10pm – Newcomb vs. Bettis
- SUNDAY – 3:10pm – Teheran vs. Freeland
Here are the five players you need to watch.
Kurt Suzuki, C, Braves
The Braves started off the year losing Tyler Flowers to the DL, making Suzuki the go to option as the backstop. However, after getting struck in the hand with an inside fastball, Kurt has been nursing a sore throwing hand.
Tests came back negative for any severe damage so he was able to avoid a DL stint and has been available in an emergency capacity since.
#Braves plan to have Suzuki catch today and Sunday (weather permitting), and catch about four out of five games while Flowers is on DL.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) April 6, 2018
This series will be the first true test for how his hand feels. Hopefully Kurt can hit the reset button and get back to where he left off last year where he hit 19 HR and had a slash line of .283/.351/.536/.887.
Charlie Blackmon, CF, Rockies
Blackmon comes into this series having recently signed a 6 year, $108M extension with Colorado. This deal will pay him through his age 37 season, which is huge considering how the free agent market went this past off-season.
He’s also carrying a hot bat hitting .345 with 4 HR and 6 RBI in the last seven games.
Preston Tucker, LF, Braves
Possibly the biggest surprise so far in the 2018 season for the Braves, has been the performance of Preston Tucker. In the past 6 games Tucker has a slash line of .429/.455/.810/1.264. He has hit back-to-back 1st inning 3 run homeruns, and had game tying RBI’s in the first two games of the season. Look for his hot bat to play well in the hitters friendly Coors Field.
Ian Desmond, 1B/OF, Rockies
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Probably the hottest hitter for the Rockies coming into this series is Ian Desmond. Sporting a .348 batting average with 2 HR and 7 RBI, Desmond has led the Rockies with his bat.
Coming off an injury plagued season last year, it seems Desmond is taking out his frustration on baseballs.
Johan Camargo, 3B, Braves
According to Mark Bowman, Camargo could be activated from the DL as early as Friday. While getting great production out of Ryan Flaherty in the absence of Camargo, his return would be a huge boost to the team.
Camargo is looking to build off an impressive rookie year that saw him slash .299/.331/.452/.783.
It all gets underway shortly from Denver… weather permitting.