SAN DIEGO — The Braves and Padres open their season on Thursday with a 2024 postseason rematch. And maybe even a ‘25 postseason preview?
On the very least, these are the ambitions for these two Nationwide League heavyweights as the brand new season dawns. A yr in the past, the Padres dispatched an injury-plagued Braves crew within the NL Wild Card Sequence. Atlanta returns to the exact same Petco Park setting to open its 2025 season.
With some notable variations, in fact. For one, the Braves are getting more healthy. They’ll have Chris Sale on the mound this time, after he was unavailable resulting from a again damage final October. Jurickson Profar can be lining up on the opposite aspect this time, as effectively. Profar, who’s beloved in San Diego for his 5 seasons with the membership, signed with Atlanta throughout the offseason.
“Just like us, they’ve bought some actual star energy,” Padres supervisor Mike Shildt stated of his season-opening opponent. “They’ve bought good pitching, bought a very good bullpen, their regulars one by means of 9 are very skilled and good large league gamers. Their bench is strong. It’s only a good membership.
“It’s an exquisite alternative to start out the season with a very good check. We’re trying ahead to it.”
What are the doubtless lineups?Braves
Who’re the beginning pitchers?Braves: LHP Chris SaleSale, the reigning Nationwide League Cy Younger Award winner, will make his sixth Opening Day begin and first since 2019. The veteran left-hander received the NL’s Triple Crown, main in wins (18), ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225) final yr. He tossed seven scoreless innings in opposition to the Padres on Might 20, after which allowed only one run over 5 innings when he began at San Diego on July 14.
Padres: RHP Michael KingKing’s first season in San Diego — and his first season as a full-time starter — couldn’t have gone a lot better. A yr later, he’s the Opening Day starter. King posted a 2.95 ERA whereas making 31 appearances (30 begins) in 2024, and the Padres envision even greater issues for him in ‘25. His first check? A Braves crew he held scoreless for seven innings, whereas placing out 12, final October.
How may the bullpens line up after the starter?Braves: Former Padre Pierce Johnson will function nearer Raisel Iglesias’ major setup man. Aaron Bummer and Dylan Lee are a pair of left-handers who is also utilized in any high-leverage scenario. Héctor Neris joined the Braves after the beginning of Spring Coaching. However he and Enyel De Los Santos, one other former member of the San Diego bullpen, will crew with Daysbel Hernández to provide Atlanta a trio of late-inning right-handed aid choices.
Padres: Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam and Robert Suarez line up because the Padres’ seventh-, eighth- and ninth-inning choices, respectively — with Adrian Morejon out there for high-leverage lefty at-bats. Alek Jacob, who made the membership with a powerful spring, could possibly be requested to cowl the center innings, with lefties Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta out there as effectively.
Padres: On the position-player aspect, the Padres made it by means of camp unscathed, although they’re brief of their rotation and bullpen. Starters Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove and Matt Waldron, and relievers Bryan Hoeing, Sean Reynolds and Jhony Brito, will open the season on the IL. Amongst that group, solely Musgrove (Tommy John surgical procedure) is out for the yr. The remainder are anticipated to make an affect once they return.
Who’s sizzling and who’s not?Braves: Michael Harris batted .333 (15-for-45) with two doubles and two homers in Grapefruit League play. However Jarred Kelenic hit .205 (9-for-44) and struck out 27.1 % of the time throughout the 17 video games he performed in Florida.
Padres: Clearly, Arraez is wholesome following offseason left thumb surgical procedure. He flirted with .400 all spring. In the meantime, the Padres’ catching scenario left a lot to be desired in camp. Díaz and Martín Maldonado mixed to bat .145 getting into Monday’s Cactus League finale.
Anything followers may need to know?• That is the second straight yr the Braves have began a season the place their postseason run had ended the earlier yr. They opened 2024 at Philadelphia’s Residents Financial institution Park, the place they have been eradicated throughout the 2023 NL Division Sequence.
• That is the sixth time the Braves and Padres have opened a season in opposition to one another, however the first time since 1994. Every of those Opening Day matchups has been performed in San Diego.
• Ozzie Albies will develop into the primary Braves participant to make eight straight Opening Day begins at second base. Glenn Hubbard is the one different participant in franchise historical past to be at second base for eight season openers. However Hubbard did so over a span of 9 seasons (1979-87). Jerry Royster interrupted this span when he was Atlanta’s beginning second baseman in 1980.
• Manny Machado’s sixth Opening Day begin at third base will transfer him previous Chase Headley for essentially the most by a Padres third baseman.
