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Atlanta Braves NLDS Game 1: Time to kick the door down

By Jake Mastroianni

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 20: Dallas Keuchel #60 of the Atlanta Braves walks to the dugout before the game against the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park on August 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 20: Dallas Keuchel #60 of the Atlanta Braves walks to the dugout before the game against the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park on August 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) /
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Dallas Keuchel vs. Miles Mikolas

In the middle of the season when the Atlanta Braves starting rotation was struggling, Alex Anthopoulos went out and spent big money to bring in Dallas Keuchel for this exact moment.

While Mike Soroka might be the ace of this staff, Keuchel has pitched in these big moments before and will be up for the challenge again.

He’s pitched in the playoffs in 2015, 2017, and 2018 for the Houston Astros winning it all in 2017.

The lefty has a 3.31 ERA in 51.2 postseason innings pitched with a WHIP of 1.14. He made two starts last postseason for the Astros and gave up 2 runs in 5 innings on 4 hits in both starts.

However, he struggled down the stretch for the Atlanta Braves giving up 11 earned runs in his last three regular season starts.

Spending most of his career in the American League, obviously not a lot of Cardinals players have much experience against Keuchel.

Paul Goldschmidt has the most experience against him and is 3-for-18. Yadier Molina and Marcell Ozuna are both 2-for-5 off Keuchel, while Matt Carpenter is 1-for-3.

The Cardinals have a very right-handed heavy lineup, but that hasn’t resulted in much success against lefties this season. They have the 22nd best average against lefties in baseball at .247.

Last year Miles Mikolas was the ace for the St. Louis Cardinals posting a 2.83 ERA in 200.2 innings with 146 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.07.

He hasn’t been nearly as dominant this season with a 4.16 ERA in 184 innings with 144 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.22.

Mikolas went 7 innings against the Atlanta Braves earlier this season but took the loss after giving up 3 earned runs on 7 hits and no walks with 9 strikeouts.

I doubt Francisco Cervelli gets the start behind the plate in game one, but he’s 5-for-16 off Mikolas. Brian McCann probably will start game one at catcher and he’s 2-for-3 against him.

Freddie Freeman (3-for-10 with 2 home runs) and Dansby Swanson (3-for-8 with a home run) have had good success against him.

Matt Joyce will likely be in the starting lineup as well and is 1-for-3 with a home run off Mikolas.

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