The Atlanta Braves dropped just their third game of the season against the New York Mets. Both teams have met 11 times this season and the Braves have handled them pretty well most of the year.
Things went the Mets' way after the Mets took a 7-4 lead in the 5th inning. New York tagged Winans for 7 runs through 4.1 innings of work. The Braves division foes ended up winning game one by a 10-4 final. Not the best outing from Winans but he still shows some promise for the future.
The Braves have to just put that loss behind them as they turn things over to Bryce Elder who hopes to continue his march back to success. His second half hasn't been the greatest but his last start against the Yankees was impressive.
Elder (3.46 ERA) tossed 7 innings of shutout baseball allowing just 1 hit with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. The one thing he needs to work towards most, like most of the Braves rotation, is cutting down on the number of walks issued.
Atlanta has a very high-powered offense but you can't always depend on them to bail you out. At some point, those walks are going to catch up with you.
Bryce on the bump.#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/INItfO1C1J
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 22, 2023
He will be opposed by Mets' starter Tylor MeGill (5.53 ERA) who the Braves tagged for 5 runs on 9 hits his last time out against them. His most recent start came against the Pirates where he allowed 2 runs on 5 hits through 5 innings.
It's always tough facing the same team that close together as we know how tough this Atlanta lineup is from top to bottom. Austin Riley has the most experience against MeGill and is 5-for-18 against him with an HR, 2 RBI, and 7 K.
Eddie Rosario is also 3-for-7 against him with 7 RBI and 1 K. So, I'd definitely expect those two to come through big for the Braves tonight.
Only the first five Mets' batters have seen Elder in their career and that's Nimmo (1-4, 2 K), Lindor (1-2, HR, 3 RBI), McNeil (0-4, K), Alonso (1-4, HR, 2 RBI), and Vogelbach (0-3, 3 K). The rest of the Mets' lineup has not faced Elder yet in their career.
If Elder pitches how he did last time out, the Mets are in trouble. The Mets also have to contend with Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario being two of the best hitters in baseball at the moment. Oh, and there's Acuna, Harris II, Riley, Olson, d'Arnaud, Arcia, and Lopez to deal with. Not an easy team to navigate in the slightest.
Game two kicks off at 7:20 PM EST at Truist Park in Atlanta. You can watch on Bally Sports South and listen on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM.