The Atlanta Braves are finally gearing up for their first homestand of the 2024 season. Things have been going well for the most part as starting pitching has been doing well and the offense is still as powerful as ever.
Things ended on a cold note in Chicago as they split the series with the White Sox. The series finale was postponed due to less-than-ideal weather conditions in the area. That game will be made up on June 27 on a previously scheduled off day during Atlanta's late-summer road trip.
Max Fried was originally slated to start the home opener for Atlanta but with the postponed game in Chicago, the Braves ended up sliding their rotation back a day. Spencer Strider, who impressed in his first start of the year, will now take the bump as the Braves play their first homestand of 2024 at Truist Park.
This sets up a very nice 1-2-3 punch for the first home series of the year. They will deal with a very talented Arizona team that is just one year removed from competing for a World Series title in 2023.
Atlanta Braves welcome talented Arizona ballclub to Truist starting Friday
With Atlanta fans eagerly awaiting the first series of 2024 at Truist Park, the Braves send their best to the mound hoping to get back into the win column. Spencer Strider (0-0, 3.60 ERA) takes the ball in game one and will be opposed by Tommy Henry who is 0-1 with a 11.25 ERA. Start time for the home opener is 7:20 PM EST.
Spencer Strider will now start the Braves home opener after the series finale against the White Sox was postponed.
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) April 4, 2024
Even in yesterday's freezing conditions, he still made time for fans who showed up to watch him pitch 🫶 pic.twitter.com/Y5ENoNAJLk
Max Fried will start game two of the series which also begins at 7:20 PM EST. He will face off with Brandon Pfaadt who surprised baseball fans with a nice season in 2023. Fried did not have a great debut as the Phillies drove him out of the game with less than one inning pitched. A missed third strike call on an 0-2 count with two outs in the first doomed Max in that start.
He will hope to have a better result this time out. That means Chris Sale will get his first home start on Sunday during the series finale, kicking off at 1:35 PM EST. Ryne Nelson takes the mound for Arizona in that game. Sale had an impressive Atlanta Braves debut, completing 5.1 innings with 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, and 7 K.
You couldn't ask for a better starting three for this series. Atlanta's offense is off to a hot start despite a lackluster ending in Chicago. Marcell Ozuna did have a two homer day in the second game of that series, however.
The Braves really enjoy playing at Truist Park as they were 52-29 playing at home in 2023. Atlanta's offense carried a .280 average with 151 home runs, 462 RBI, and a .858 OPS at home last season. That likely won't change very much in 2024.
Atlanta will have to contend with a very good offense as Arizona is great at making contact and running. 2023 NL Rookie of the Year, Corbin Carroll, was very good against the Braves when both teams met. The talented outfielder slugged six hits including two home runs, three stolen bases, and a 1.045 OPS in six total games versus Atlanta.
As a team, the Diamondbacks are hitting .290 with 70 hits including 10 home runs and 44 RBI. Lourdes Gurriel, Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, and Eugenio Suarez are all off to hot starts and will be tough outs for the Braves staff during this series.
Look for Ronald Acuña Jr. to hit his first home run of the season and Austin Riley will hope to get out of his early slump. Atlanta's offense has seen hot starts from Marcell Ozuna, Jarred Kelenic, Ozzie Albies, and Michael Harris II.
Both Arizona and Atlanta played each other very well in 2023 as they split the season series 3-3. Every single game was decided by three runs or less. Expect more of the same between both of these teams in 2024.