Sean Murphy gets the start and Austin Riley bats second against the Giants

Sean Murphy and Austin Riley both hit a HR last time they faced Birdsong

It would be nice to say that the Atlanta Braves’ offense has been feast or famine after yesterday’s ten run output. However, it has been much more famine than feast.

In their previous ten games before their loss yesterday, they averaged 3.7 runs per game and only scored more than three runs four times.

There have been some bright spots in the lineup during the past ten games. Ronald Acuña Jr. has picked up right where he left off with a 172 wRC+. Ozzie Albies has heated up to a 146 wRC+ in that span. Is it because his friend Acuña is back? Austin Riley and Sean Murphy have also done well with a wRC+ of 135 and 129 respectively.

The Braves will be facing Hayden Birdsong. No player on the Braves’ roster has more than three at-bats against him. Birdsong only gave up two runs in his 5.0 innings last season against the Braves. Those two runs came via solo shots from Sean Murphy and Austin Riley. Of the five players currently on the roster to face Birdsong, those two are the only ones to get a hit in the game last season.

The common question that we have come to have before the lineups drop is who will be in at catcher. This question has now been answered.

Sean Murphy, who hit had two hits, including a HR, against Birdsong the last time he faced him will get the start. This will move Austin Riley up to the second spot in lineup. Riley also had a HR last time he faced Birdsong.

No player on the Giants roster has faced Spencer Schwellenbach before. Since May twenty-fifth, which spans the Braves’ last ten games, the Giants have scored the fewest runs in MLB. They are averaging 2.27 runs per game.

On paper it looks like the Braves have a shot at winning this game if the bullpen does not collapse again. Maybe we will get to see Craig Kimbrel make his Braves return if the cards play right.

First pitch is at 10:15 EDT.