ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME: The Braves and Reds today continue a three-game weekend series with the fifth of six scheduled meetings between the two teams this season…Atlanta swept a three-game series at Truist Park, April 10-12.
- The Braves and Reds combined for 21 runs and 25 hits last night, with Cincinnati beating Atlanta, 11-10…The Braves need one win this weekend to claim the season set.
- Atlanta has gone 4-3 against Cincinnati in each of the past two seasons…Prior to 2021, Atlanta had not won the season set with Cincinnati since going 5-2 in 2014…From 2015-2019, the Braves went 15-19 (.441) against Cincinnati.
- The Braves are just 29-41 (.414) here at Great American Ball Park since the facility opened in 2003, and have never swept a series in this ballpark…Atlanta won two-of-three here last season, its first series win in Cincinnati since 2017.
- LH Jared Shuster today makes just the ninth start of his major league career, and his first career appearance against the Reds…The 6-foot-3, 210-pound left-hander has won each of his last four decisions, going 4-0 with a 3.25 ERA (10 ER/27.2 IP) over his last five turns in total dating to May 21.
- RH Graham Ashcraft has made one career start against Atlanta, April 10 earlier this season at Truist Park, and pitched 6.0 two-run innings in a no-decision…The 6-foot-2, 248-pound native of Huntsville, AL, was activated off the 15-day injured list this afternoon and is set to make his 14th start of the season…Over his first six starts of the year, he compiled a 2-0 record and a 2.00 ERA…In his last seven starts dating to May 7, he is 1-5 with a 12.72 ERA.
LOSS: The Reds held off a late Braves rally to beat Atlanta, 11-10, last night…The loss snapped Atlanta’s eight-game winning streak, tying the club’s longest run
of the season. • Atlanta collected 10 runs, 16 hits and five home runs last night, but lost the game…Last night was the 28th time in franchise history the club hit all of those thresholds, but just the second such time they lost…The Braves entered play 26-1 in such games all-time, with their only loss coming in a 16-14
defeat to the Expos on July 15, 1990.
- The Braves collected seven more hits than the Reds last night, totaling 16 base knocks to Cincinnati’s nine…Atlanta lost for just the fourth time this season when outhitting its opponent, falling to 37-4 (.902) in such games.
- Atlanta also fell to just 39-4 (.907) when scoring five-or-more runs in a game, easily the best such record in baseball (San Diego, 30-4, .882 is second).
- Despite the loss, the Braves are a majors-best 24-12 (.667) on the road this season, and their 24 wins away from home are the most in baseball…Atlanta is 9-2-0 in series play away from Truist Park.
OFFENSE: Atlanta has combined to score 75 runs and collect 102 hits in its last nine games, and the Braves are 8-1 during this stretch… Atlanta’s 75 runs are its most through a nine-game span since September 4-11, 2020, when it scored 77 times.
- The Braves’ .898 OPS in the month of June is best in baseball, and Atlanta leads the majors in average (.308), on-base (.371), slugging (.547), home runs (42), runs (132) and runs/game (6.95) for the month.
- Atlanta as a club has combined to produce a majors-best wRC+ of 144 for the month of June, meaning the team as a whole is producing 44 percent above league average this month.
- The Braves have 42 home runs this month, and are on pace for 55 in June…The single-month franchise record for home runs is 56 in June 2019…Had the Braves not been rained out on Wednesday, Atlanta would be on pace for 57 homers for June.
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #45 Jared Shuster LHP
2023 Record: 4-2, 4.57 ERA • 2023 MiLB Record: 2-0, 3.28 ERA
vs. RHB: .246 (29-118), 1 HR • vs. LHB: .188 (6-32), 1 HR
Home: 3-0, 4.79 ERA (12/26.1) • Away: 1-2, 5.40 ERA (9/15.0)
Tonight’s Game
- Set to make his ninth career start and first against Cincinnati.
- Earned his fourth win of the season while scattering five hits over 5.2 innings of one-run ball against Colorado in his last start.
- Riding a four-game winning streak after beating the Rockies in his last start.
- Tied with Spencer Strider and Nick Anderson for the longest winning streaks for the Braves this season.
- His four wins are tid for the second most among rookies in the NL.
- Owns a 3.74 ERA over his last four games after pitching to a 5.49 ERA in his first four
- Pitching to a 3.54 ERA through six starts since being recalled on May 16.
- Owned a 8.31 ERA in his first two outings before being optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on April 17.
- Has a 1.10 WHIP in his last five starts and a 2.42 WHIP in his first two.
- Is 2-0 with a 3.28 ERA and 23 strikeouts in five starts with the Stripers.
- Averaging 8.39 strikeouts per nine innings with Gwinnett while having a 5.01 rate with Atlanta.
2023 Recap
- On June 16 against Colorado, Shuster became the seventh Atlanta pitcher to toss at least 5.0 frames without recording a strikeout or issuing a walk while earning a win and first since Tim Hudson on September 17, 2012.
- On May 21 Shuster became just the second pitcher in Braves franchise history (dating to 1901) to hold an opponent to one hit or less while pitching at least 6.0
innings and recording seven or more strikeouts in one of his first five career starts… Ian Anderson became the first pitcher in the organization to do so on September 9, 2020. - Held Seattle to one hit, a solo home run, with seven strikeouts over 6.0 innings of one-run ball.
- Recalled to Atlanta on May 16.
- Was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after last start against San Diego on April 7.
- Made his major league debut against Washington on April 2.
- Allowed six hits, four runs and five walks through 4.2 innings pitched.
- Was the third player from the Braves’ 2020 First-Year Player Draft to debut with the club.
- Joined Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder as the other hurlers from the ‘20 draft class to play for Atlanta.
- Became the eighth Braves pitcher to debut with a start against the Nationals/ Expos.
- Pitched to a 1.74 ERA in six appearances, four starts, with 19 strikeouts through 20.2 innings pitched in Spring Training.
- Began the Spring without allowing a run in his first four outings (12.2 IP).
- Made his firs Opening Day Roster.
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TRANSACTIONS
- Today the Reds are expected to reinstate from the 15-day injured list RHP Graham Ashcraft (#51, left calf contusion)…the corresponding roster move will be announced.
TODAY’S GAME
- Is Game 2 (1-0) of a 3-game series vs Jared Burleyson’s Braves and Game 5 (4-0) of a 7-day homestand that included a 3-0 series sweep vs the Rockies and Thu’s off day.
- Following tomorrow’s game the Reds travel to Baltimore for a brief 3-game series vs the Orioles before returning to Great American Ball Park for a 3-game series against the Padres, Cin’s last home series of the first half.
SERIES NOTES
- The Braves lead this season’s series, 3-1, including their series sweep from 4/10-4/12 at Truist Park…was their first series sweep win over the Reds during the regular season since 4/25-4/27, 2014, also at Truist (3g). • The Reds are 26-26 vs Atl in the last 52 regular season games and went 4-3-1 in the previous 8 season series.
RED HOTS
- The Reds’ 12-game winning streak is the longest active winning streak in the Major Leagues and and ties their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
- The Reds are the first team in Major League history to move into first place alone in 9 games or fewer after falling 5 or more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least 5 games…on 6/9 were 29-35 and trailed the first-place Pirates by 5.0 games…beginning 6/10 won 9 straight games to move into first place alone on 6/19…courtesy @OptaSTATS and @EliasSports.
- Reds baserunners in 65 attempts have scored 64 runs from second base on singles…both lead the Major Leagues.
ORIOLES UP NEXT
- The Reds are 6-9 all-time vs the Orioles, including 5-4 at Great American Ball Park and 1-5 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
- The Reds’ 15 regular season games vs Bal are their fewest against any other Major League team.
- The Reds beginning Monday will play in Camden Yards for the third time, including a 2-1 series loss there in 2011 and a 3-0 series sweep loss in their most recent meeting in 2014.
- In 2011 the Reds played in Baltimore for the first time since the 1970 World Series.
- Baltimore was the last city the Reds visited during interleague play.
Today’s Pitcher – #51 Graham Ashcraft, RHP
- Today is expected to come off the 15-day injured list to make his first appearance since 6/8 vs LAD, when he was hit on the left calf on a comebacker…the next day went on the IL with a contusion.
- Will be his second career appearance and start vs the Braves.
- In his first 6 starts through 5/2 went 2-0, 2.00 (36ip, 8er, .202baa)…in his last 7 starts beginning 5/7 went 1-5, 12.72 (29ip, 41er, .374baa).
- Became the first Reds pitcher to begin a season with 6 starts without allowing more than 2 earned runs in any of those starts since Luis Castillo began the 2019 campaign by allowing 2 ER or fewer in each of his first 7 starts.
- In his first 3 starts (19ip, 3er) became the eighth Reds pitcher, since 1901 and including Nick Lodolo in 2023, to begin a season with at least 17.0 innings while allowing 4 earned runs or fewer.
- Between a solo HR by Pit’s Bryan Reynolds in his season debut and a 2-run HR by WSox’ Hanser Alberto’s on 5/7 in his seventh start, Ashcraft recorded a career-high homerless streak of 33.0 innings.
- In the 17-4 loss on 5/7 vs WSox allowed a career-high 8 runs in 1.2 innings…was the shortest start of his career and the shortest start by a Reds pitcher to that point in the season…was charged with all 8 runs in the second inning after throwing a perfect first…entered that 5/7 start leading all National League pitchers in bWAR (2.1), the third-best bWAR among all players in the Major Leagues (Gerrit Cole 2.5, Ronald Acuña Jr. 2.2).
