The Boston Red Sox open a series against the Atlanta Braves with left-hander Ranger Suarez on the mound for Boston and right-hander Spencer Strider starting for Atlanta. The Braves won two of three in their earlier meeting with the Red Sox in Atlanta earlier this month and will look to build on that edge in the opener.
The Braves enter the game at 36-18 and continue to feature a deep lineup led by Ronald Acuña Jr. in right field, Matt Olson at first base, Ozzie Albies at second, Austin Riley at third, and Michael Harris II in center field. Atlanta also has several other regular contributors in the lineup, including Mauricio Dubón, Eli White, Ha-Seong Kim, and Sandy León. Strider, who is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA, takes the ball as Atlanta tries to bounce back after back-to-back losses to the Nationals, including a 2-1 defeat on Sunday in which the Braves scored their only run in the ninth inning.
Boston, meanwhile, comes in at 22-30 and is trying to gain momentum after playing better at the plate in recent games. The Red Sox lineup includes Jarren Duran in left field, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, Wilyer Abreu in right, Willson Contreras at first base, Masataka Yoshida as designated hitter, Mickey Gasper at catcher, Kristian Sogard at second, Marcelo Mayer at shortstop, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa at third. Suarez, who is 2-2 with a 2.40 ERA, has extensive experience against Atlanta and has faced the Braves 22 times, including 13 starts. In those appearances, he is 4-4 with a 3.38 ERA and has struck out 86 batters in 80 innings.
Boston’s offense has shown signs of life, batting .272 with a .340 on-base percentage and a .782 OPS over its last seven games. Wilyer Abreu has been one of the club’s hotter hitters, posting a .301 average with an .804 OPS over his last 29 games. The Red Sox also have several players with small but notable sample sizes against Strider, including Connor Wong, who is 2-for-3, and Carlos Narváez and Ceddanne Rafaela, who have each recorded hits in limited opportunities.
Atlanta’s offense has been more uneven lately. Matt Olson has struggled over his last 13 games, batting just .160 with two extra-base hits, while the Braves as a team have been held to one run in each of their last two losses. Still, the club’s overall record remains among the best in baseball, and its lineup has enough power and depth to pressure Boston early.
One notable stat adds context to Boston’s outlook: the Red Sox have never reached the playoffs in a season when they lost 17 of their first 25 home games. The game is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. and will air on NESN, TBS, and WEEI-FM 93.7.
