POSTCAST: Marcell Ozuna powers Atlanta Braves to quick sweep of Boston Red Sox

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It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

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You are a Locked on Braves Postcast, part of Locked on Sports Atlanta, your team every day.

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Hello and welcome into the Braves Postcast, part of Locked on Sports Atlanta and the Lockdown podcast Network, your team every day. Grant McCaulay, Jake Masterion, with you after a sweep for the Braves ORG. Not quite as big as a sweep over the weekend was, but you'll take it. And two games is plenty to get the Braves back on the right foot as they won both ends of this two game set against against the Boston Red Sox, a 5-0 score behind Chris Sale PERSON and, dare I say it, a power display from the Atlanta ORG lineup, well, from a guy we should expect a lot of power from. That's Marcelo Zuna PERSON.We'll talk all about that. We'll also get you ready for the three-game weekend series coming up after Thursday's off day as the Braves and Mets ORG will meet again. Before we get started with that, make sure that you hit that thumbs up button right down there and subscribe to Lockdown Sports Atlanta here on YouTube ORG. You can also subscribe to Lockedon Braves wherever you get your podcast.And today's episode is brought to you by eBay Motors ORG. Keep your ride or dial live at eBaymotors.com with guaranteed fit. Eligible items only, exclusions apply. eBay guaranteed fit only available for U.S. GPE customers. Jake, a pretty good looking game for the Braves ORG yet again. It wasn't an onslaught of offensive proportions, but the home run ball became a part of what the Braves ORG were doing again.And that was nice to see.

Speaker 394.7s - 111.76s

It was nice to see. It's not necessarily the guys we're still expecting to see it from, but I guess we should expect it from Ozone at this point, like you said. But still, you'll take it. Home run balls coming back to Atlanta, a quick little two-game sweep to try to set the thing, everything right after a tough weekend in L.A. GPE and get some good feelings as you go on the road.

Speaker 1112.28s - 131.76s

Yeah, and they should certainly have some good feelings after this game, after both of these, quite honestly. You know, you expected the Red Sox ORG to have a couple of well-pitched games, I would imagine, not the most powerful offense that you were going to run into, but maybe, Jake, in some ways, it's the right opponent at the right time for the Braves ORG to kind of get themselves right. And sometimes the schedule just works out that way.

Speaker 3132.42s - 185.64s

It does. And we talked about it coming into this one. You know, Povetta PERSON, he's been really good. He was really great in the second half last year. They moved him back into the rotation. He was great in his first two starts to begin this season. But coming off the IL ORG, you knew it could be a tough ass for him to go up against the Braves ORG lineup that I know has been struggling, but still just really a, you know, a tough assignment for him. He's been a big strikeout pitcher, but only one strikeout through four innings in the game for Pivotta PERSON. And sothe Braves ORG were able to kind of take advantage of that, take advantage of him. I think coming off the IL, maybe just not quite ready for it. But either way, the Braves ORG hitters, you know, being able to go up against, you know, what overall has been the best pitching staff, ERA-wise, and baseball coming into this series. I think that says a lot for this Braves ORG team and where they are and kind of hopefully the direction they're going. You know, again, it wasn't an offensive onslaught in either of these games.But the way the Braves have been pitching here lately, you'll take four plus runs a game.

Speaker 1186.16s - 235.3s

Yeah, and with Nick Povetta PERSON, he ran into a guy that I would kind of say has been a nemesis of sorts for him. He's allowed eight hits to Marcel Ozona PERSON. Six of them have now left the ballpark. That's a great ratio for Marcel PERSON. That is not so great for Nick Povetta PERSON,who has had some trouble against the Braves ORG in the past. But for Marcel PERSON, we again, should not be surprised by what he is doing. Another two home run game for him, his second of the year, just missed a third homer in his final at bat as well. I thought he had it, but ran out of gas on the warning track there. 12 home runs leads major league baseball, 38 runs batted in through 34 games now, Jake PERSON. Mark Bowman of MLB.com had the stat. The only Braves to ever have 12 homers and 38 runs batted in in the first 34 games fora Braves ORG team. Marcel O'Suna in 2024, Hank Aaron in 1959. That's a very small list and some very good company for the Big Bear PERSON.

Speaker 3235.86s - 310.92s

Anytime you're right there with the name Hank Aaron and Braves ORG history, you know you're doing something special. I've listened to them on the radio broadcast. I think it's been done less than 30 times in the history of the game as well. So, I mean, he's doing just some incredible things right now at the moment. And you're right.Just missed it. That last at bad, it would have been out in 17 ballparks in baseball. So he was that close to getting a three home run game and this one, but just got under that one a little bit with a 38-degree launch angle. He had a walk in this one as well. You know, the three hard hit balls.It's just, it's what we've been talking about with Marcelo Zuna for a year now. And you go back and go to that May 1st date of last year. He has a 160 WRC plus over that time. He's hitting 299 with a 370 on base and a 972 OPS since May 1st of last year. And that was coming into tonight. So just incredible stuff from him.But again, what I talk about when I, when I discussed the turnaround for Ozuna PERSON, it's the walks. It's being able to just take his hits the other way. It's not the all or nothing approach that we saw from Ozuna PERSON previously. It's just becoming more well-rounded offensive hitter that's able to do a little bit of everything.And yes, he obviously still has that huge power.

Speaker 1311.64s - 438.38s

Yeah, he does. And he's shown that off many times. But I think to your point, this is the Marcel Ozuna PERSON that the Braves at least thought they might be signing up for after that 2020 season,because this is what he looked like in the shortened year with all that power. Obviously, the home runs, the runs batted in, the batting average took his walks, really complete at bats and complete plate appearances. And that's what we're seeing again. And the fact that he was able to find his way back there after what amounted to two justbasically lost seasons is a pretty impressive accomplishment in and of itself. But as you pointed out, he's coming up on, I believe, about 162 complete or full games played since May 1st of last year. And it's got to be pushing 50 home runs over that stretch as well, just in case you were looking for how big that power is. I know all the other stats you threw out there were great, but 50 homers will catch the attention of most people in a 162 game sample size of Marcel PERSON has been catching the attention of a lot of, I'm sure, opposing pitchers. And for the Braves this year, a lot of attention thatthis offense has needed somebody to come through. He's kind of been that guy. Now, on the other side, I know it's fun to talk about offense because goodness knows we haven't talked about it as much as we'd like to over the past couple of weeks here on the show, but also great to see what we got from Chris Sale PERSON, just a continuation of what's been a very nice start to his tenure in a Braves ORG uniform. I'd imagine that the feelings were a little bit different facing his old club,the Boston Red Sox for the first time in a regular season outing since the trade anyway. He'd pitched in the American League ORG against them prior to that, but had to be, I think, an interesting maybe bittersweet feeling of sorts because I know Chris back in spring training said that he was really amped up to show Boston ORG after getting through all those injuries that he could be back and be healthy. And then the trade happens. So then that kind of transferred over to, okay, well, I'm going to show my new club that Ican be back and I can be healthy. I don't think there's any animosity there whatsoever. It's a great opportunity that Chris Hale PERSON has landed in. But long story short, and we will talk about this performance a little bit more later in the show, but Jake PERSON, it just continues to be exactly what the Braves hope they were getting from Chris Sale PERSON. He seems to be delivering. He has been. I mean, again,

Speaker 3438.8s - 466.5s

it's even better than I think what Alex Anthopoulos PERSON could have expected, what we've seen gotten out of Chris Sale and just a credit to Alex Anthopoulos and taking a chance on this guy that the Red Sox were, I'm not going to say willing to let go. I mean, they got a good player in Von Grissom. They also paid a lot of money on the Chris Sale deal to trade him. I mean, and it's just the talent was still there. It was just a matter of could he stay healthy? And that's still a question. We're not even a month and a half into the season.

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But the result so far and what we've seen,

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this is still at top of the rotation arm in Chris Sale PERSON.

Speaker 2473.24s - 478.04s

I mean, it is absolutely ridiculous what he's been able to do for the Braves ORG so far.

Speaker 3478.04s - 482.9s

And yeah, I'm sure anytime a team trade you like that and they pay a lot of money,

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obviously, to trade you like that,

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there's got to be a little bit of juice and carryover to want to show them you can still guide it,

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that they made a mistake in trading you. I'm sure there's some of that. And Chris Sale PERSON's a fiery guy and is, you know, even without all of that, you know, on the table. But I'm sure he wanted to come out today and prove that he's still got it and he did.

Speaker 1501.78s - 564.16s

Yeah, no, he has continued to just show reasons why the brave faith in making that trade is going to be rewarded. And I think the biggest thing, when you looked at the injury history, yes, he had some major stuff. But then it just seemed like a bunch of fluky, weird little things that is kind of piled up and just made things worse for him there. And now with all of that stuff behind him and feeling healthy, having that healthy offseason coming into spring training with no limitations whatsoever, he's been able to parlay all of that stuff behind him and feeling healthy, having that healthy offseason coming into spring training with no limitations whatsoever.He's been able to parlay all of that momentum, including, you know, being able to get back on the mound pretty regularly for Boston last year into what looks like a very crisp sale type season. Six scoreless endings, a season high with 10 strikeouts to help beat his old club by that 5-0 score tonight. Braves ORG' offense backing him up. It wasn't just Marcel O'Zuna PERSON leaving the park either. He went back-to-back with Orlando RCA ORG. Jake PERSON, you alluded to it.That's not always the guy we expect to see in the midst of all the big power surges, but just nice to see the Braves ORG' offense have something like back-to-back homers again. Maybe remind them a little bit about what they were and what they probably still are and what they can be again.

Speaker 3564.88s - 643.7s

Yeah, absolutely what we hope to be. We'll hopefully see a lot more of Austin Riley PERSON and Matt Olson going back to back. And I think that'll happen throughout the summer. But, you know, Ozuena's been hot throughout. Arcea PERSON was hot to begin. And then he's been really cool here as of late. So good to see him kind of get that stroke going again, had two hits on the night with the home run, as you mentioned. So that's great to see.But you look up and down the lineup, and we talked about it last night where kind of everybody's contributing. And on this night again, I mean, everybody had a hit except for Ronald and Michael Harris PERSON, and Ronald PERSON at least had a walk in this one.We haven't talked a lot about Michael Harris PERSON because we've been focusing on the struggles of the guys at the top. He doesn't have a hit in the month of May. He has one hit in his last nine games. So it's been a rough stretch for him. But outside of that, I mean, again, it's just another night where you can look up and down the lineup and just about everybody is contributing. Either has a hit or got on base, had a hard hit ball, something in that regard. And that's what we're used to seeing with this Braves ORG offense, night in and night out.You know, yes, tonight it was still Ozuuna and RCA guys who have had moments this year that put the runs on the board, but at least looking up and down the order, you're still seeing just about everybody doing something, getting on base, moving that line. And that's what we'd love to see with this Braves ORG' offense when they're going. And I think, again, they're just still showing slowly signs of getting back to that type of offense.

Speaker 1643.7s - 783.76s

Yeah, we'll talk a little bit more about how the Braves ORG initial scoring rally came to be, that OZuna 3-run Homer that almost wasn't. We'll get into all of that. We'll talk a little bit more about what Chris Sale did on this night. And, of course, we've still got to get you set for that MET series is coming up. All of that is coming your way as the Braves ORG postcast continues.Step up to the plate this Mother's Day as DoorDash ORG has a deal you don't want to miss. Right now, get 50% off your next order up to $15 when you spend $15 or more on your next flower, convenience, grocery, or retail order. Use the promo code locked on MLB and start Mother's Day with flowers or surprise or with gifts from brand she loves delivered the very same day with DoorDash ORG. Again, that promo code is locked on MLB ORG. Download that DoorDash app and use that today. Passion, drive, and patience, the formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive.eBay Motors ORG has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to peak performance, supercharges, roof racks, exhaust kits, LED headlights, and more. Whether you're into speed, power, or style, eBay Motors ORG has you covered. With over 122 million parts, you'll always find exactly what you're looking for. And with eBay ORG guaranteed fit, your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back.Because with eBay Motors ORG, you are burning rubber and not cash. All the parts you need are the prices you want. It's easy to make your car the MVP and bring home those huge wins. eBaymotors.com eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay guaranteed fit is only available to U.S. GPE customers.Well, Jake, let's get in the line score and the box score of this 5-0 win for the Braves over the Boston Red Sox for that two-game sweep at Truis Park FAC before they head back out on the road. To take on the New York Mets ORG, a series that we'll talk a little bit more about as we go along. The Red Sox were shut out on seven hits, no errors for them. They continue to struggle with opportunities to score 0 for six with runners in scoring position, leaving nine men on base.Braves, meanwhile, five runs, nine hits, one error for them. They left eight, or excuse me, five minutes on base. Winners, Chris Sale, he's now five and one. Nick Pavetta takes a loss, drops to one and two. And for Chris Sale, you know, we touched on what he has done and how he has delivered thus far for the Braves in his time in Atlanta over these first, what month and a half's worth of starts. But six innings of shutout ball, one walk, six hits and 10 strikeouts for Chris Sale, 103 pitches as well.He really looked dialed in. And whenever he got in trouble, he seemed to find a way to get right back out of it with a lot of swing and miss.

Speaker 3784.6s - 818.2s

Yeah, I mean, that's what, again, has been so incredible with Chris Sale PERSON is just the stuff. And you look at it and you look at, you know, it was baseball's Devon page from the night, 13 whiffs on 18 swings against his slider. That's a 72% whiff rate on his slider, which he threw the most tonight. He had 20 whiffs overall, the second most on the night in all of Major League Baseball ORG as we record this. It's just, again, I never really questioned this stuff for Chris Sale PERSON.It was always there. To me, it's always just been about can you keep him healthy? And right now he looks healthy, certainly.

Speaker 0818.7s - 864.46s

And again, the stuff is crisp. He's getting those swings and misses, you know, did have some traffic, just like Ronaldo Lopez the night before, I was able to pitch around that and make big pitches when he need to in key situations. And like you said, kind of always seem to have that swing and miss pitch when he needed it to get out of a jam. But a great job by him. It's three straight starts now of giving up a combined total of two runs. Kind of like the stretch we saw Renaulta Lopez on earlier in the year, Chris Sale PERSON now doing that and doing it in a dominant fashion and just great job overall,you know, by the pitching staff in this one, really in these two games. Pitching staff has been tremendous, you know, throughout really this entire stretch while we've talked about the Braves ORG offense being down, probably haven't focused enough on just how good the pitching has been over that stretch. And Chris Sale PERSON, obviously a big part of that.

Speaker 1864.84s - 937s

And the words of the great American poet James Todd Smith, Chris Sale has been doing it, doing it and doing it well so far in a Braves ORG uniform. 295 ERA now after today's start. Again, everything the Braves ORG needed. We've talked about this almost ad nauseum every time that Chris Sale has started for Atlanta ORG. He has continued to deliver the starts that the Braves ORG were hoping that they would get.And when you think about all of the things that the Braves wanted to accomplish with their winter shopping in order to get themselves, I think a little bit more stable in rotation, yeah, you couldn't have planned for losing Spencer Strider for the year. But, I mean, how much more of a master stroke does it look like to have someone with Chris Sails PERSON pedigree come in, show that he's healthy and be capable of being one of the horses you want to be able to have at your, you know, available to you when you start thinking about what you want toaccomplish in October. It just, the move became even more important. And I know with all respect to what Rinaldo Lopez PERSON has done as a surprise to this rotation and jumping back in and having a lot of success, I think there was always going to be a higher expectation for Chris Sale because he's quite simply shown it over the course of his career,that he can be one of the best pitchers in baseball. I don't know that we're asking him to do that necessarily, but he's proven that there's still plenty left in the tank.

Speaker 3937.44s - 959.24s

He has, but you're right. I think, you know, you go and get somebody like Chris Sale PERSON and the pedig that he has. You're hoping that there's enough left in the tank for him to be that top the rotation guy. Now, when you had Strider and Freed PERSON, wasn't a ton of pressure on him to really be that. You know, he could just kind of be that number three. And if you get top of the rotation production, then fantastic. But now with Spencer Strider PERSON gone

Speaker 0959.24s - 989.1s

and you lose kind of that one, two monster at the top of the rotation. Well, now you replace that with Chris Sale PERSON. And again, now you kind of have that with Freed and Chris Sale PERSON at the top. And two guys that are both pitching like Aces at the moment. Honestly, Renault Lopez has for much of the season, if not all the season as well. But at Sell is the one that, you know, again, you're not going to replace Spencer Strider PERSON, but he is pitching like that top of the rotation guy for the moment with the Braves. And you pair that with Max Fried PERSON. And again, I take that up against just

Speaker 1989.1s - 1066.26s

about anybody's one, two in baseball. Yeah, and they have been extremely good. And again, you can't plan around the injuries and the Braves ORG have had to deal with it for a couple of years now. But having Chris Sale on this rotation changed completely the dynamics of how Atlanta ORG's dealing with it this year versus, say, last year, where, of course, they were trying to replace two starting pitchers, which is a different math equation, which I'm sure they don't want to get into again this year. Now, speaking of all the run support for Chris Sale PERSON to win this game,the Braves big second inning, it had a little bit of help, or the Braves ORG big scoring or early scoring, had a little bit of help because it took Austin Riley PERSON beating out a ground ball double play and upon review being placed at first base. because it took Austin Riley PERSON beating out a ground ball double play. And upon review being placed at first base, Matt Olson did with an absolute screaming line drive down to third.No, not really. Right off the end of the bat, I think it was 41 miles an hour, the exit velocity. An infield hit, but doggone it, that guy deserves a little bit of bad at ball luck once in a while. Maybe it'll help him out. He's gotten some two days in a row because Devers couldn't make the catch yesterday, wasn't going to be able to come in and make the play today. All of a sudden, there's two men on, two men out, Marcelo Zuna at the plate, three-run homer, first of his two homers on the day. But Jake PERSON, that's a whole situation that, you know,had Austin Riley not been able to beat out that double play, the Brace would have been back into the dugout very quickly, back out onto the field, and Chris Sale PERSON would have been back to work in a scoreless game.

Speaker 31067.02s - 1085.22s

Yeah, it's a big play in that game. Obviously, it turns out maybe the biggest play in the game with what happened after it, obviously. And, you know, this game of baseball, you can't ever try to speculate on things would have played out the same way. But who knows, you know, what would have happened differently if he's, if it stands or if the Braves ORG don't review there, that's the first inning.

Speaker 01085.42s - 1124.98s

And the Braves ORG are going to use their review on that. You lose it. You lose your challenge. So, I mean, it's obviously safe there. So it's the right call. But you never know with replay.Obviously, as we've seen as Braves ORG fans. But just great on Austin Riley PERSON. Look, somebody who's been slumping, hasn't, you know, been playing like himself. And it doesn't let that affect him, you know, in the field where he plays great defense, although I know he had an error tonight, but also had some great plays mixed in there and it's been fantastic all year long. And haven't heard on the base path.We talked about it the night before, you know, going first or third, leading to another run in that game to kind of give you some insurance. And then here hustling out a ball to get a, you know, to get a single or to get on base there and keep the inning alive. And then you're absolutely right.

Speaker 31125.04s - 1149.94s

Matt Olson, give me all the 49 mile per hour bloop hits that he can get because that man has been robbed of so many hits over the last month or so. He will definitely take all of them. But, yeah, a lot of credit to Austin Riley PERSON again with the struggles he's had at the plate. It hasn't affected him in other parts of his game where he's trying to make a difference and come up with moments wherever he can. Another hit in this one. Again, we're seeing Austin Riley PERSON kind of come out of that,

Speaker 11150s - 1232.48s

though, on the offensive side. Yeah, I think that we are. And yeah, I know he had the error late in the game, but there were some plays that Austin PERSON made, particularly in big moments in order to kind of, I think, quell or at least quiet down some opportunities that the Red Sox ORG might have been trying to put together throughout this one. And we've continued to talk about this all season long. And I guess we'll just continue to talk about it. But Riley PERSON, defensively speaking, has really upped his game by leaps and bounds almost seemingly every single yearsince he made it to the big leagues in 2019 as a left fielder, by the way, in case you forgot. A guy that a lot of folks were kind of wondering if he'd ever stick at third base. The Braves ORG had a decision to make also. Did they want to resign Josh Donaldson PERSON, let him go? Well, that thing played out, I think favorably for the Braves ORG. One of these guys is still playing. The other announced his retirement a little bit earlier this year.So I would say that that worked out for Atlanta ORG as well. The bullpen able to take care of things, Dylan Lee PERSON with a couple of scoreless innings. Braves debut for Ray Kerr as well. He was just fresh up from AAA Gwinnett. Those guys with three scoreless behind Chris Sale PERSON to close it out. And Jake, I know we talked about this a little bit earlier, but after that frustrating road trip, one in five, a trio of one-run losses mixed into that, the sweep in Los Angeles to come home and have things go as well as they did with a couple of wins.And really, everybody contributing to those has to make the Braves ORG feel at least a little more back to normal as they continue to kind of search for some answers and consistency at the plate.

Speaker 31232.92s - 1253.26s

Yeah, definitely wouldn't say that they're all the way back right now because it is, you know, some of the guys who have been performing in Ozuna and even Arcia GPE, but we're seeing signs towards that. And like you said, anytime you win, obviously you feel much better about it. But, you know, guys being able to contribute in different ways. You know, Kelnick PERSON had some hits in this series, big hits, also had some great defensive plays.

Speaker 01253.46s - 1289.64s

Maybe robbed the home run tonight as well. So, I mean, just guys kind of up and down doing things to help you win ball games. And that's very big. Another thing that's key in this one, you know, Christel leaves after six shutout, Dylan Lee comes in, Ray Kerr and nothing. And there's no drama. And you love to see that in these types of games. The Braids have played in so many close, one run, extra inning games here lately. It's had to tax a lot of that bullpen. I know they gottwo off days this week, which helps. But anytime you can have games like this during the season where you got a pretty solid lead going late into the game and you can have your, you know, your seventh, eighth

Speaker 31289.64s - 1296.34s

guys in the bullpen come in. I know, I know Dylan Lee PERSON's probably more in a higher leverage situation now with Pierce Johnson PERSON out. But, you know, you can have those guys come in and there's

Speaker 11296.34s - 1365.34s

just no drama and they shut things down and save the rest of the bullpen. That's, you know, that can be as big as anything else. You'll absolutely take it. And then you consider that this two game series is wrapped around by an off dayday Monday and off-day on Thursday. So the Braves ORG bullpen, you're right. They didn't have to work too incredibly hard in order to get these two wins. And what they did was provide some spotless relief to help the Braves knock off the Red Sox ORG in both of these games.When we come back, we will get you set for the next road trip, although it's only one series, before the Braves will actually have a full-on regular homestand that begins on Monday against the Cubs. When we come back, we will get you set for the next road trip, although it's only one series, before the Braves will actually have a full-on regular homestand that begins on Monday against the Cubs ORG, but they've got to get through the New York Mets this weekend. We'll talk about that when we come back on the Braves ORG postcast. Prize Picks is America's number one fantasy sports app with more than 3 million members.It's the easiest and most exciting way to get in on the action while you watch your favorite sports and players. With baseball season and full swing, don't miss your chance to add your favorite players from the diamond in your prize picks entries. Whether it's strikeouts, RBI's first inning runs, Marcelo Zuna home runs, take your pick of more or less and add them to your prize picks entry today. Download the app and use the code locked on MLB for a first deposit match of up to $100. That's locked on MLB ORG in the prize picks app.

Speaker 01367.14s - 1400.02s

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Speaker 11401.86s - 1433.46s

Well, Jake, let's talk a little bit about what's coming up for the Braves here as they wrap up a quick two-game stay at Truis Park FAC. They get back out on the road for a three-game set against a New York GPE Mets Club that is playing much better after what was a very slow start to the season, though it's kind of been up and down. They went 0 and 5, then they went 12 and 3. Now the wins are a little bit harder to come by, but about a 500 club here lately, that is quite the improvement over a team that kind of stumbled out of the gate, and you had to really wonder with the pitching questions they had if they were ever going to get on track.

Speaker 31434.62s - 1502.08s

Braves ORG, unfortunately, were the team that kind of helped him get going, is they won that series in Atlanta, and honestly kind of took it to the Braves ORG a little bit in that series, but they have been playing much better baseball. They just caught up the top pitching prospect, Christian Scott PERSON, who's going to pitch in this series, and he looked really, really good in his debut, the offense has gotten going a little bit more.Brandon Nimmo PERSON is heating up, and he's, you know, we look at his stat cast numbers, and they look absolutely incredible. So it is still a good team. It is still a good team of players. It's a team that I think with the expanded postseason can still get into a wildcard birth.It is a team that the Braves ORG should beat and need to be quite honestly, especially within your own division. But it's going to be a tough series, no doubt with the Mets ORG, the way that they've, again, have been playing for most of the part. I know they got swept by the race over the weekend, but a couple of those games were really, really close.And they won two against the Cardinals before it ran out on Wednesday, so they're going to have two off days coming into this series, but they came back from behind to win both of those games against the Cardinals ORG. So they're playing with a lot of energy right now, a lot of enthusiasm. Some young kids, like I said, are coming up and contributing for them. Some of their veterans are getting going. It's going to be a tough series for the Braves ORG.

Speaker 11502.48s - 1573.76s

Yeah, it's a little bit of everything for them. I mean, clearly you're going to need Francisco Linder PERSON to wake up some. I mean, he was off to a dreadful start of the season, but he's shown that he is still capable of being an impact player. I mean, he's a 30, 30 guy a year ago. So you get somebody like that going, Brandon Nimmo. I don't know, you know, Pete Alonzo's final year, potentially in New York GPE, how much of a storyline that'll be as a season wears on, but they certainly need all the power they can get from Pete Alonzo PERSON as they continuethis as well. And, you know, maybe they're going to get some of these guys healthy in their rotation and be able to put some things together and just make it, what I think is looking like a bit of a more competitive National League East ORG in some respects than I thought it would be. I mean, the Phillies obviously are just playing extremely well right now and have moved into first place. The Braves ORG are right in there. Then you've got both the Mets and the Nationals super competitive. The Marlins ORG are proving to be once again the Marlins. They just can't help themselves. They had a good thing last year anddoggone it. They just didn't want to keep it. So whatever the case, you know, this is a division that I think could be more competitive in some ways than we expected it to be, even if maybe the Marlins were a team you thought would be based on a year ago. Maybe the Nationals ORG have kind of taken that over from them.

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Yeah, it's been a little bit more competitive. I think most people would have assumed it would be a two-team race between the Phillies and the Braves ORG, and it may end up being that. Again, we're still just a month and a half in. But Nationals playing really good baseball right now. They're giving the Orioles ORG everything that they could want right now in that series. And like I said, the Mets ORG playing better baseball and the Marlins. Again, don't know what to say about our friends down there and Miami GPE, but therest of the division, looking really, really good at the moment, could be a lot more competitive

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than we initially thought. Yeah, I mean, you just feel for anybody that tries to hitch their wagon to what the Marlins ORG are doing because they're in a perpetual state of rebuilding. But we can talk about them some other time, perhaps when the Braves and Marlins ORG meet again. And that's enough talking about the Marlins ORG. Meanwhile, the probabilities for this series, it's going to be Charlie Morton in the opener than Max Reed and Bryce Elder, also pitching in the series for Atlanta ORG. Jose Cantana, you mentioned Christian Scott in game two, Luis Severino, the probable for game three. And it'll be Charlie PERSON in that opener looking to keep what has been a nice run for him of late going.He's 2 and 0 with a 350 ERA. I feel like Charlie is, as you've said, maybe pitching a little bit differently this year, but he's been effective lately. Whatever he's doing seems to be working. Jose Cantana PERSON, meanwhile, has kind of had a few rough ones. He's one and three with a 520 ERA. The Braves ORG have typically been pretty good against lefty starters. At least they were when they were at their best a year ago. Maybe seeing somebody like Kentana PERSON will help the offense kickstart things a little bit because you get toswitch Ozzy Albies over to the right side of the plate, which is always something that he enjoys. Yeah, it is. Lovie PERSON always loved seeing him from that side.

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But Kentana, you just, it feels like you never really know what you're going to get from him when he faces the Braves ORG. Last time out, he was really, really good against them. Or I guess I'd just say he was good, five and a third three earned in that start that he had against him back on April 11th. But, you know, he's given up five earned in a start this year. But then he has three outings this year where he's given up just one earned. So it's kind of been up and down for him this season. And like you said, Braves have generally hit lefties well. I know to begin the season, they were struggling a lot against left-handed pitchers. But hopefully that comes around.They can get to Kenton. Like I said, he's going to be on extra rest because he was supposed to pitch on Wednesday. That game got rained out. They don't have a game on Thursday. So he'll be on extra rest for that one. As for Charlie Morton PERSON, it is a different Charlie Morton, but you look at it,33 strikeouts and 36 innings. We're not used to seeing the K rate down like it is for him, just 22.9% right now on the strikeout percentages, 25.6 last year, 28.2 the year before that. But we have seen them limit the strikeout or limit the walks a little bit more. His whip is down to

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1.14. It was 1.43 last year. So again, it's maybe a little bit different version of Charlie Morton that we're not used to seeing, but it's one that's definitely been effective, especially over his last handful of starts where he's been really, really good. And with the top of the rotation doing what they're doing, Max Fried PERSON looks like an ace again, one of the best pitchers in baseball. We talked about Chris Sale PERSON and how great he's looked.Ronald Lopez PERSON obviously has been fantastic. Now you get Charlie Morton going out there, his last three stars. He's gone at least six innings, giving up two earned or less. You're getting that out of your number three, four starter, wherever you want to put them.

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I mean, it's, again, whatever, however he wants to get it done, as long as he keeps producing results like that, and Braves ORG are going to be fine.

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Yeah, as they say, that'll play. Now, what I heard there was that Jose Cantana PERSON is the box of chocolates type pitcher, and that you really are just not sure once you're going to get there. I had to sit on that for a minute while we went through the Charlie Morton PERSON part. But either way, yeah, I mean, what Charlie PERSON's been doing here lately, I think if he can continue that, just quality starts, honestly, for this rotation.If that trend stays going over the course of the season, the long haul, I know there'll be some hiccups here and there, more times than not. The Braves ORG are going to be in a pretty good place, particularly once the offense gets going, and these particular players that we're looking at could get going like a Ron Lucuna Jr. And Austin Riley PERSON, who has been showing some signs lately, and Matt Olson PERSON, who's really been fighting it the last three,almost four weeks. Friday night at City Field, it will be the Braves ORG and Mets with the first of three, Charlie Morton and Jose Cantana PERSON, and the weekend will play out before the Braves ORG get home and get to actually maybe unpack their bags at Truest Park FAC the next time. This will bring us to the end of this edition of the Braves ORG podcast.Make sure that you like this video and subscribe to Lockdown Sports Atlanta right here on YouTube ORG. Leave us those comments as well. Share the show with a friend. We appreciate all of that and subscribe to Lockdown Braves ORG, wherever you get your podcast. Once again, the Braves with a 5-0-0 win, a quick shutout, or excuse me, sweep of the Boston Red Sox in a two-game stay at Truis Park back in action on Friday.For Jake Masteriani, I'm Grant McCauley. We will catch you this weekend. And until then, so long, everyone.

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