The Atlanta Braves return to Truist Park after a demanding road trip where they finished with a record of one win and five losses, eager to bounce back from these recent setbacks in both the standings and team performance.
Atlanta's Recent Performance
Despite having a respectable 20-12 record so far, the Braves' offensive prowess has declined of late, as evidenced by Matt Olson's batting average, which has dipped below .200.
However, there are indicators that suggest a possible turnaround, especially in Ronald Acuna Jr.'s recent promising performance in Los Angeles, where he was 5-for-12 with a double and his second home run of the season. Austin Riley also contributed a home run and a 3-for-12 performance.
Unfortunately, the bullpen suffered a setback with the placement of Pierce Johnson on the 15-day injured list due to elbow inflammation, leading to roster adjustments with the call-up of Jackson Stephens and the move of Angel Perdomo to the 60-day injured list.
Red Sox Also Struggle
On the other hand, the Boston Red Sox are dealing with their own obstacles as they enter the series with a 19-16 record, placing them in third place in the American League East. American League Eastbehind the Baltimore Orioles by 4.5 games.
Despite a decent 12-7 record on the road, the Red Sox have struggled against teams with a .500 record or better, accumulating a 7-13 record in such matchups.
However, their recent win over the Minnesota Twins offered some breathing room after a three-game losing streak. Grissom's debut for Boston against Minnesota after missing the first month of the season due to injury was notable, although his impact has been minimal thus far.
The pitching matchup for the opener features Kutter Crawford for the Red Sox and Reynaldo Lopez for the Braves.
Crawford, a right-handed pitcher, has had an impressive start to the season with a 1.56 ERA. However, he faces a formidable Braves lineup that, despite recent offensive struggles, has been hitting the ball hard.
Lopez, on the other hand, has also been solid with a 1.50 ERA, although his last start saw him allow three runs in five innings, a departure from his previous performances of at least six innings with few runs allowed.
Back on Battery Ave.#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/9rW2HNlU0d
- Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 7, 2024
Statistics and Probabilities
As for the odds, the Braves enter the showdown as favorites with Moneyline odds of -172, while the Red Sox are listed as underdogs, paying +144.
The Braves have a solid record of winning as favorites, securing victories in 20 of the 30 games played as favorites this season. However, recent betting performance shows a mixed picture for both teams, with the Braves with a 4-4 record as favorites and the Red Sox with a 3-3 record as underdogs in their last 10 meetings.
Analyzing the teams' recent statistics reveals some contrasting performances. The Bravos have a 4-6 record in their last 10 games, averaging 3.0 runs per game with a 3.46 ERA.
By comparison, the Red Sox have a 5-5 record in their last 10 games, averaging 5.0 runs per game with a lower 2.90 ERA.
Key players to watch in this matchup include Marcell Ozuna for the Braves, the leader in home runs (10), RBIs (33) and average (.306), and Tyler O'Neill for the Red Sox, who leads his team with nine home runs and a .297 batting average.
The Braves and Red Sox face off this Tuesday, May 7 at 7:20 PM ET in Atlanta.