Well, folks.
Thursday’s game was fun. But over the last seven days, the Braves are hitting .197 (worse than all but one other team). They’d struck out 64 times (fourth most) while scoring just 17 runs (second fewest) and hitting three home runs (tied for the least) over the same span.
Not encouraging, particularly with the Brewers and Dodgers on deck.
How about we start with something a tad more pleasant?
WELCOME TO WILLIAMSPORT
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Sunday’s series finale with the Brewers takes place in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the ongoing Little League World Series (no Georgia teams involved this time, sorry).
The kiddos, their coaches and their families get to spend some time with the big leaguers … and then watch the game in an unusually intimate setting.
Historic Bowman Field holds about 2,600 people. Should be quite the lovely occasion.
⚾ And in case you were wondering …
- Jurickson Profar is the only (sort of?) current Brave to play in the Little League World Series. He suited up for Curacao in 2004.
- Other LLWS players with Atlanta ties include Christian Bethancourt (2004, Panama); Jason Marquis (1991); Jason Varitek (OK, not a Brave, but a Tech man and 1984 participant); and Gary Sheffield (1980).
- Semirelated: Josh Lester, a former non-Brave big leaguer now playing in Mexico, was part of the 2006 Columbus squad that won the whole shebang.
⚾ Looking for a Little League rooting interest?
- Phenix City, Alabama — Columbus’ cross-river sister city — is part of this year’s tournament.
- Cory Rasmus, a 1999 LLWS player and 2013 draft pick by the Braves, is the father of Phenix City’s Kinley Rasmus. She’s the only girl playing in this year’s tourney … and a beast on the mound.
- Rasmus’ younger brother, Case, also manages the team. And yes, their other brother is former big leaguer Colby Rasmus.
Brian Kelly at LSU voice: “Family!”
10 THOUGHTS ABOUT THE NEXT FEW WEEKS
We’ll take a closer look at the forthcoming series in just a sec. But I did want to tease reporter Gabe Burns’ recent list of 10 thoughts as the Braves approach the season’s final stretch.
Among other things, he’s still thinking Atlanta holds off the Phillies to win the National League East … while falling short of a top-two seed and a first-round bye.
To wit:
The first-round bye has been controversial since its implementation, with some believing it somewhat ices the team that’s sitting idle, but it’d be big for these Braves. The Dodgers’ recent struggles temporarily put the Braves in the No. 2 seed last week, and it’ll be a tight race to the finish. But I expect the Brewers to secure the top seed and the Dodgers to finish well. The Braves host the Dodgers next week, but Los Angeles otherwise has a very generous schedule to close the regular season.
So the Braves would host the best-of-three Wild Card series at Truist Park. Right now, that’d be against the Padres, who eliminated them in San Diego during their last postseason appearance.
Yeah … that bye would be big-time for a team with a rotation like the Braves’, so let’s root for Gabe to be wrong.
But I don’t think he will be.
MEANWHILE, IN THE ROTATION …
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Let’s turn to our favorite Braves beat writer for a little insight on one of Atlanta’s most polarizing starters.
By Chad Bishop
It’s not often Bryce Elder skips a turn in the rotation.
But this week the Braves are giving the right-hander a little extra time to rest and prepare for the stretch run. Elder did not pitch during a three-game series against the Twins and isn’t scheduled to pitch in this weekend’s three-game series against the Brewers.
The reasoning can be found in an Easter egg manager Walt Weiss dropped Sunday after Elder allowed one run over six innings in the Braves’ win over the Diamondbacks at Truist Park. Weiss called Elder a “warrior” and revealed Elder has been dealing with knee pain recently. Weiss said the issue wasn’t a main concern and that a move to the injured list wasn’t expected.
Tracked down in the clubhouse after those comments by Weiss, Elder confirmed it was his right knee that has been troublesome but also quipped that if it was something serious than he wouldn’t be pitching.
Elder (8-7, 3.92) previously went 11 days between starts July 9-20 (a stretch that included the All-Star break) and 12 days from June 27-July 9. Elder has a respectable 3.34 ERA in six starts since July 20, a mark that includes giving up seven runs Aug. 10 against the Mets.
Giving Elder a turn off, of course, is a Catch-22. With AJ Smith-Shawver now cemented as part of a temporary six-man rotation, the Braves are short an arm in the (very taxed) bullpen. It’s a calculated risk of course, but a risk with now a little bit more urgency considering the Phillies have cut the NL East lead to five games.
- Thanks, Chad! Also of note, rotation wise: The Braves say Reynaldo López (knee inflammation) will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday.
WHAT’S ON DECK: BREW CREW AND DODGER BLUE
OK, about the actual baseball games …
BRAVES AT BREWERS
📺 Game times: Friday at 4:10 p.m., Saturday at 2:10 p.m. and Sunday at 7:10 p.m. (from Williamsport). The latter airs on ESPN.
💪 The probable starters: In chronological order …
- Chris Sale (12-8, 2.16 ERA) vs. Jacob Misiorowski (12-5, 1.75)
- Martín Pérez (8-7, 3.15) vs. Logan Henderson (7-2, 2.70)
- Tyler Mahle (4-10, 4.53) vs. Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.94)
That first one’s pretty juicy, eh? The Braves beat the flame-throwing Misiorowski back in June, thanks to a go-ahead, two-out hit from Mauricio Dubón (who else?) and some outstanding defense from Eli White (miss you!).
🤔 What else to know: The NL Central-leading Brewers (79-49) have had their struggles, including getting swept by the Padres last week. Since then, though, they’ve taken a four-game series from the Dodgers and put a historic 22-0 beat down on the Mariners.
First baseman Jake Bauers has been particularly hot at the plate of late.
- Ronald Acuña Jr. posted two homers, seven RBIs and an absurd 1.726 OPS over three games in Milwaukee last season.
BRAVES VS. DODGERS
📺 Game times: First pitch at 7:15 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. All listed as airing on BravesVision … but also TBS, MLB Network and FS1, chronologically. Restrictions may apply.
🤔 What to know: Despite an 8-10 record in August (a mark much improved by a recent sweep of the Rockies), the Evil Empire still sits at 77-51 for the season.
L.A. put starter Justin Wrobleski (11-5, 3.56 ERA) on the injured list this week and Shohei Ohtani still isn’t throwing … but don’t feel bad for ‘em. Tyler Glasnow (the one who looks like actor Cillian Murphy) dominated his final minor league rehab start on Wednesday and could return from his lengthy battle with back spasms just in time for the Braves series.
- Also: Former Brave Freddie Freeman is hitting an even .300 since falling into a dugout while chasing a foul ball last week.
🎉 Festivities and free stuff: Friday brings Harry Potter theme night, but you gotta buy the special ticket package to get the “Draco Baldwin” bobblehead.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Credit: AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Credit: AP Photo/Abbie Parr
In the era of instant replay, coaches challenges and ABS, we must appreciate the rare managerial ejection when it happens … even when it’s fueled by a weird decision not to get a second opinion on a Mauricio Dubón check swing. (Apparently Dubón and the ump have some history!)
Thanks for reading Braves Report. Tell a friend — and maybe give the Win Column a shot, too.
Until next time.
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