The next three games for the Atlanta Braves should be one of the most exciting series of the season. It's not often fans get to watch the MVP favorites from each league square off and also both home run leaders from the National and American League.
Everyone in the world knows who Shohei Ohtani is and just how good he is at the game of baseball. The ability to be an elite hitter and also an elite pitcher still blows me away every time he takes to the field.
Unfortunately, Ohtani won't appear as a pitcher in this series and that's okay. I won't wish that on the Braves lineup to deal with that. This could be one of the most entertaining series of the year.
The Angels have shown they are going to be buyers at the deadline and give themselves a shot at a World Series before Ohtani becomes a free agent at the end of the year. Atlanta fans won't be able to see Mike Trout play either as he is out with an injury at the moment.
New series on deck!#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/uf7VdzrnzP
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 31, 2023
Los Angeles currently sits third in the AL West and will have their hands full with an explosive Braves offense that just scored 29 runs on 41 hits during their 3-game series with Milwaukee.
Charlie Morton will start for Atlanta hoping to improve on a disappointing start in Boston his last time out. He allowed 4 runs and an alarming 5 walks through 3.2 innings with only one strikeout. He's not had a great time with command the last couple of times out as he has 8 of them over his last 9.1 innings of work.
He will need to be on his A-game tonight with one of the most dangerous hitters coming to the plate. If he hits a homer, we want it to be of the solo variety only. Charlie has shown he still has great pitching ability but he does have these hiccups from time to time.
He will be opposed by Griffin Canning who has a 4.46 ERA through 84.2 innings. In his most recent start against Detroit, he allowed 2 runs on 7 hits. He has done a decent job of keeping the ball on the ground this season. He will be facing a Braves team who currently carries the most homers in all of baseball so Canning certainly has his work cut out for him.
UPDATE: Canning will not be starting tonight according to The Athletic's Sam Blum. Instead, they will send Chase Silseth will take the mound for LA.
Chase Silseth is pitching tonight. Not Griffin Canning.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) July 31, 2023
Game Information
Time and Location: 7:20 PM EST at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA
Watch: Bally Sports South and MLB.tv (subscription required)
Listen: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan