SAN DIEGO — It’s been practically every week because the Padres clinched. They’ve recognized they’d be internet hosting the Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence since Friday. They spent the weekend resting up, setting their rotation and staying recent.
The Braves? Their path was not practically as simple, to say the least.
Now, the Braves’ pitching plans have been thrown into flux, they usually should journey throughout the nation for a playoff sport barely 24 hours after they’d clinched a spot.
However right here’s the vital half: They’re in.
“Taking part in a doubleheader positively doesn’t assist them, and it advantages us in a manner,” mentioned Padres third baseman Manny Machado. “However on the finish of the day, it’s postseason baseball. As soon as that sport begins, as soon as these lights activate, each groups are going to be competing.”
The Braves are doubtless going to be with out Sale this collection they usually have been taxed in the course of the doubleheader earlier than taking a late-night cross-country flight to San Diego. However first baseman Matt Olson embraces the underdog position.
“There’s gonna be sufficient adrenaline to go round for everyone,” Olson mentioned. “It is playoff baseball. That is why you do 162 [games]. It is the prize. You exit and play significant baseball and have an opportunity to win a World Sequence. We ain’t apprehensive about 18 [innings] immediately and a flight. We’re going to go play.”
Right here’s what you have to learn about Tuesday’s Recreation 1:
When is the sport and the way can I watch it?Recreation 1 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:38 ET/5:38 PT and might be broadcast on ESPN.
Wild Card Sequence video games might be out there in Spanish on ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App. ESPN Radio can even present stay nationwide protection of all 2024 MLB Postseason video games.
All video games can be found within the U.S. on MLB.TV (authentication to a taking part Pay TV supplier is required). Stay video games are additionally out there in choose nations exterior the U.S. For full particulars, click on right here.
Who’re the beginning pitchers?Braves: TBDThe Braves will doubtless determine between Ian Anderson, AJ Smith-Shawver and Bryce Elder, who would every should be promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett. Anderson missed a lot of the 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure and when he started pitching once more this summer season, he remained on the Triple-A degree. However he has a 1.26 ERA in eight profession postseason begins. Stephen Strasburg and Christy Mathewson are the one different pitchers to supply a 1.50 ERA or decrease over a minimum of eight playoff begins.
Padres: Michael KingIn a minor shock, the Padres tabbed King for his or her Recreation 1 begin, over each Dylan Stop and Joe Musgrove. However the shock is barely minor, as a result of King has been among the best pitchers in baseball in the course of the second half, posting a 2.15 ERA because the All-Star break. Throughout 30 begins in his first season as a full-time starter, King posted a 2.95 ERA with 201 strikeouts. He has by no means made a begin in opposition to the Braves.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has been sidelined because the finish of Could and Austin Riley suffered his personal season-ending damage six weeks in the past. This group has struggled to seek out constant manufacturing. However Harris has been scorching not too long ago and Albies is beginning to get snug with batting from the precise facet in opposition to right-handed pitchers. The switch-hitting second baseman nonetheless feels discomfort in his previously-fractured left wrist when swinging from the left facet.
The Padres hardly ever altered their lineup down the stretch, although it’s doable they’d drop Cronenworth under Solano in the event that they have been to face a left-handed pitcher. David Peralta seems set to come back off the bench, as a possible lefty pinch-hitting choice for Higashioka.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?Braves: Nearer Raisel Iglesias and prime setup man Joe Jiménez each appeared in each ends of Monday’s doubleheader. They may each be unavailable for Recreation 1. If that’s the case, former Padre Pierce Johnson may deal with the closing duties. The Padres have had some bother in opposition to left-handed pitchers, so southpaw relievers Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer might be utilized in some high-leverage spots with the Atlanta bullpen a little bit skinny on Tuesday.
Padres: The Padres have three bona fide back-end relievers in Jason Adam, Tanner Scott and Robert Suarez. They like to make use of them in that order for the seventh, eighth and ninth — with the caveat that they’re keen to regulate primarily based on matchups. Suarez struggled in September, blowing three saves after he’d blown solely three prior saves all yr. For the center innings, the Padres nonetheless have some high-leverage weapons. Bryan Hoeing, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada have been wonderful this season. Maybe most significantly, in contrast to within the Atlanta bullpen, all the Padres’ important arms are recent and rested.
Any accidents of be aware?Braves: The Braves are hoping Sale would possibly have the ability to pitch in the event that they advance to the subsequent spherical. However the 35-year-old hurler’s again has sporadically bothered him going to again to his most-recent begin on Sept. 19 in Cincinnati.
Padres: On Saturday, the Padres formally shut down Ha-Seong Kim, who will bear season-ending shoulder surgical procedure. Since Kim’s mid-August damage, Bogaerts has moved again to shortstop, with Cronenworth sliding to second. Kim is the one member of a possible postseason roster on the IL.
Who’s scorching and who isn’t?Braves : Albies entered Monday’s doubleheader 4-for-31 with a homer since ending a two-month stint on the injured listing. He went 3-for-7 with a double and a homer in the course of the twin invoice.
Olson began this season gradual, however his .966 OPS since July 31 ranks fifth amongst all MLB gamers.
The rest followers would possibly need to know?• The Padres received the season collection between these two groups, 4-3, however the Braves took two of three once they met at Petco Park within the ultimate collection earlier than the All-Star break.
In fact, no group in baseball has turned in a greater second half than the Padres. Their 43-20 file because the break is the perfect mark within the Majors.
• The Braves and Padres have met as soon as within the postseason — the 1998 NL Championship Sequence, which San Diego received in six video games, after storming out to a 3-0 collection lead.
• Arraez and Ozuna battled right down to the wire for the NL batting title (alongside Shohei Ohtani). Arraez ultimately received that race with a .314 mark. In 25 profession video games in opposition to the Braves, Arraez has a .375 common. In the meantime, in 28 profession video games at Petco Park, Ozuna has an .840 OPS with seven dwelling runs.
