The Atlanta Braves were surging a week ago after posting six wins in seven games and adding 2021 World Series MVP Jorge Soler from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline.
Things have changed in a hurry for Atlanta. A five-game skid punctuated by poor pitching has dropped the Braves out of a playoff position after they were swept at home by the Milwaukee Brewers this week.
The Braves will try to end the slide when they start a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night in Denver. Atlanta will give the ball to Grant Holmes (0-0, 3.00 ERA), and Colorado will counter with Tanner Gordon (0-3, 6.75) in a battle of rookie right-handers.
The Braves have gone from five games out of first place in the NL East on Aug. 2, when they held the top NL wild-card spot, to 8 1/2 games back in the division and a half-game out of a wild-card position.
“That’s how quick it can change,” manager Brian Snitker said after his team’s 16-7 loss to the Brewers on Thursday. “That’s why you can never take anything for granted. I keep saying, ‘Hopefully we’ll turn it around.'”
It will take better pitching to help Atlanta get back on track. The Braves’ staff has given up 45 runs during the five-game losing streak, and the offense has been absent, too. Atlanta was shut out twice in a row before scoring a total of 12 runs in the past two games.
Holmes will make his third start after opening his major league career with 10 relief appearances. As a starter, he has a 3.72 ERA. In his most recent outing, he gave up three runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings in his team’s 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins on Saturday.
The 28-year-old South Carolina native will face Colorado for the first time.
Gordon is seeking his first win in his fifth start since making his major league debut on July 7 against the Kansas City Royals. He has yet to oppose the Braves. The 26-year-old Illinois native has shuttled between Colorado and Triple-A Albuquerque but could get an extended run in a rotation that has been hit hard by injuries.
Colorado’s German Marquez, who made one start last month after coming back from Tommy John surgery, was shelved for the rest of the season due to an unrelated stress reaction in his pitching elbow.
Ryan Feltner was placed on the injured list with right shoulder soreness after leaving his Wednesday start following the first inning. In addition, right-handed long reliever Peter Lambert could miss time with a left thumb injury sustained Thursday against the Mets.
“Bullet off the thumb of his glove hand ballooned up as the outing went on,” manager Bud Black said after the Rockies’ 9-1 loss to New York. “Peter caught the ball gingerly every time he got the ball back from the catcher, and it was becoming a distraction to pitch. Took X-rays that were negative, but it’s severely bruised and it hurts.”
Lambert’s injury is a blow to an already taxed bullpen that was forced to pitch 14 innings over the last two games. Riley Pint was recalled from Albuquerque before the Thursday game and tossed an inning of scoreless relief.
Black was able to stay away from using his workhorses — Justin Lawrence, Tyler Kinley and Victor Vodnik — so they will be available Friday night.
–Field Level Media