After the array of news that seemed to dog-pile on the team over the past few days, a clutch win to end game two in the series, and a three-game losing streak at home was a definite must.
The bottom of the sixth is when yesterday’s game took a turn in the right direction for the Atlanta Braves after a seven-run inning. Now, the question is… can they finish the job?
The good news is, the offense seemed to step up after news of the two main starting pitchers going down. The not-so-good news is, consistency has been their constant issue.
However, we’re not here to discuss the offense just yet; we’ll see how they fare after tonight’s performance. We need to look into the mound appearance closing out this series, and all eyes will be on Bryce Elder.
It’s time to step up… big time.
Elder (2-5), currently possessing a 5.82 ERA with a 1.57 WHIP for the season, struggled immensely in his last outing against the Phillies, only pitching for two innings and giving up a total of nine runs through eight hits.
His last two appearances weren’t the best either, as he gave up five runs over five innings against the Marlins and four runs over a short three innings against the Rockies.
The last quality start from the Texas native was against the Giants on June 7th (8 IP/ 3 H/ 1 ER/ 0 BB/ 12 K). Although it resulted in an overall loss for the Braves, the outing showed a glimpse of the potential Elder can display to hold off his opponent.
With his slider (84.4 mph) and sinker (91.4 mph) both stealing the show in his arsenal around 40% of the time, if Elder can establish his command for the strike zone and get out of his head, it’s possible that he could be a key piece in snagging this series win.
Now, to take a look at the opposing pitcher.
José Soriano (3.99 ERA and 1.47 WHIP) will be taking the mound for the Los Angeles Angels. Although he’s been a solid starter for the Angels, he had a bit of struggles of his own in his last outing (4 IP/ 9 H/ 8 ER/ 2 BB/ 4 K) along with their bullpen in a 15-9 loss against the Nationals last Friday.
What should the Braves’ offense be on the lookout for?
His sinker (97 mph), which he uses 50% of the time, but more importantly, his sneaky knuckle curve (85.1%), which he likes to throw in the mix in his five-pitch arsenal.
José Soriano, Vicious Knuckle Curves…and Sword. ⚔️
4Ks thru 2. pic.twitter.com/uZIA8T1e3p
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 22, 2025
Can the Braves take care of business to close out this series on a high note? There’s nothing left to do here but watch and see.
First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. EDT
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, July 3, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: FanDuel Sports South, Southeast
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan