MLB Preview: Atlanta Braves (70-39) at Pittsburgh Pirates (50-61)

ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:

Long Homers
Matt Olson opened the scoring for Atlanta yesterday afternoon with a 453-foot homer out to right. The drive was the 21st homer this season to travel at least 450 feet for Atlanta, the most by a team in a single season in the Statcast era (since 2015). No other non-Colorado team has ever had more than 15 in a single season, and no other team this year has more than 10. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley have a majors high-tying six such home runs this year, while Olson has four. Just two other teams have more such homers than those three have individually

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and Pirates tonight open a four-game series in what is the first of seven scheduled meetings between the clubs this season…Pittsburgh is slated to visit Atlanta for a three-game set, September 8-10.

• Atlanta has won eight straight games against Pittsburgh dating to July 7, 2021, outscoring the Pirates, 58-17 (+41) in that span…The winning streak ties the third longest by the franchise all-time versus Pittsburgh…Atlanta won 11 straight over the Pirates from 1980-1981, and the Boston Braves beat Pittsburgh in 10 straight in 1915.
• Atlanta has won the season set with Pittsburgh every year since 2018 in which they have played, going a combined 21-6 (.778) in that span…In addition to last year’s perfect mark, the Braves went 4-3 in 2021, 5-2 in 2019 and 5-1 in 2018 versus the Pirates…The two did not meet in 2020.
• Atlanta won all three games here at PNC Park last season, its first series win here since a sweep in 2018…The Braves are 35-34 (.507) here all-time since the stadium opened in 2021.
• RH Spencer Strider has made one career appearance against Pittsburgh, starting versus the Pirates on June 10 of last season at Truist Park and pitching 5.2 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts…The 6-foot-0, 195-pound right-hander has made 22 starts for Atlanta this season, compiling a 12-3 record and a 3.61 ERA (52 ER/129.2 IP).
• RH Osvaldo Bido is set for just the 10th appearance and eighth start of his major league career, and his first against Atlanta…The 6-foot-3, 175-pound native of Los Hidalgos, DR, is 2-2 with a 5.18 ERA (19 ER/33.0 IP) over his first nine major league appearances, allowing 56 baserunners and fanning 31.

LOSS: Atlanta dropped its second consecutive game to Chicago yesterday afternoon, falling to the Cubs, 6-4… The Braves fell to 9-2 in rubber games this season, And 14-4-0 in series on the road.

• The Braves lost despite scoring the game’s first run, as Matt Olson opened the scoring with a third-inning home run…Atlanta fell to 54-18 (.750) when scoring first, the best record in the National League and third best in baseball…Only Baltimore (40-10, .800) and Tampa Bay (55-18, .753) have been better.
• Five Atlanta pitchers combined to issue eight walks on the afternoon, most in a game this season…The Braves staff had not walked eight batters in a nine-inning game since June 24, 2021 at Cincinnati.
• Atlanta’s two losses in Chicago equaled what the club had lost to the N.L. Central all season entering the series…The Braves are 14-4 (.778) against the Central this season, and have four games against another opponent from the division this series.
• The Braves fell to 26-13 (.667) in day games this season, still the best such record in the N.L.

LAST YEAR VS. PITTSBURGH: The Braves finished off a season sweep of Pittsburgh on August 24, winning, 14-2, to go 7-0 against the Pirates last year.

• Last season marked just the second time in the franchise’s modern era they swept a season series of seven or more games with an opponent…The 1993 Braves went 13-0 against Colorado.
• The club did it three times prior to 1900, first in 1876 as the Boston Red Stockings against Cincinnati, going 10-0 against the Reds, who went
  9-56 for the year…The second time was as the Boston Beaneaters in 1883…They went 14-0 against the 17-81-1 Philadelphia Quakers…The final time was 1892, when the Beaneaters went 13-0 against the Baltimore Orioles.

MATT OLSON: Went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI yesterday afternoon, driving in three of Atlanta’s four runs on the day…The home run was his N.L.-best 39th of the season, and the three RBI give him a majorsmost 97 on the year.

• Olson’s 39 home runs match his career high set in 2021 while with Oakland, and stand one short of the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (40) for the major league lead.
• Since the date of his first career home run, June 24, 2017, Olson’s 215 home runs are the most in baseball…New York’s Aaron Judge ranks second with 211, and they are the only two players in the majors with more than 200 homers since that date.
• Olson is looking to become the fastest Braves player, by team games, to reach 100 RBI franchise history… Wally Berger holds the current mark, reaching 100 RBI in Boston’s 111th game in 1935…Hank Aaron holds the Atlanta-era mark, doing so in 114 games in 1970.
• In the Live-Ball Era (since 1920), nine players (14 instances) have reached both 40 home runs and 100 RBI by their club’s 110th game in a season…Since 1962, that number shrinks to five players; Mark McGwire (1998-99), Sammy Sosa (1998), Luis Gonzalez (2001), David Ortiz (2006) and Chris Davis (2013).
• Olson is on pace for 58 homers and 144 RBI, both of which would stand as single-season franchise records in the modern era (since 1900).

STRIDER STARTS: Spencer Strider starts tonight for Atlanta, and the Braves are 18-4 (.818) in his 22 starts this season…The Braves beat the Angels, 5-1, in his last turn.

• No team has won more games when a pitcher starts this season than Atlanta has in Strider’s turns… Philadelphia has 17 wins in Taijuan Walker’s starts, and Baltimore has 17 wins in starts by Dean Kremer.
• Strider has compiled a 12-3 record in his turns, and a win tonight would tie him for the major league lead…Since moving into the rotation on May 30 of last season, his 22 wins are tied for most in the majors.

Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #99 Spencer Strider RHP
2023 Record: 12-3, 3.61 ERA • 2022 Record: 11-5, 2.67 ERA
vs. RHB: .213 (51-239), 10 HR • vs. LHB: .212 (52-for-245), 8 HR
Home: 5-2, 4.45 ERA (33/71.1) • Away: 7-1, 2.93 ERA (19/58.1)

Tonight’s Game

• Strider is set to make his second career start against Pittsburgh, 23rd on the year.
• Strider truck out Shohei Ohtani for his 200th strikeout of the season.
• Broke his own record – becoming the fastest pitcher, by innings pitched (123.1) to reach the 200 strikeout plateau within a single season since the mound moved to its current distance in 1893.
• Last year, he recorded 200 strikeouts in 130.0 innings…Prior to last season, Hall-of-Famer LHP Randy Johnson held the record, reaching 200 strikeouts in 130.2 innings in 2001.
• Strider is the fifth pitcher since 1893 to collect at least 200 strikeouts in his first two full major league seasons, joining: Cleveland’s Herb Score (1955-56), New York’s (NL) Dwight Gooden (1984-85), Los Angeles’ (NL) Hideo Nomo (1995-96) and Texas’ Yu Darvish (2012-13).
• He’s the fourth Braves pitcher, over the same span, with multiple 200-strikeout seasons, alongside teammate Charlie Morton (2021-22) and Hall-of-Famers John Smoltz, (5 times, 1992-93, ’96-97, ‘06) and Phil Niekro, (three times, 1977-79).
• Leads the majors with 208 strikeouts (TOR Kevin Gausman ranks second with 177).
• Has struckout at least nine in eight consecutive starts, the longest streak in the majors this season.
• Strider’s two seperate five and eight-game streaks of at least nine strikeouts are the longest in baseball this year.
• Strider has nine double-digit strikeout effort this season; only Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz (12) has more in a single season in franchise history.
• Strider’s 12 wins are tied for the third most in the majors.
• Leads all qualified starters with a rate of 14.44 strikeouts per nine innings this season.
• His swing and miss rate of 40.4% is the highest in the majors (among QS).
• Strider is sporting a 52.2% rate of pitches in the zone..
• His 15 games with at least 10 strikeouts are the second most in MLB history (1901) through a player’s first 41 starts; trails only Dwight Gooden (17).

2023 Recap

• His streak of four consecutive games with at least 10 strikeouts was tied with San Diego’s Blake Snell for the longest in the Majors..
• Passed Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz’ (3) for the longest such streak in franchise history.
• Strider’s 354 strikeouts through his first 40 career starts are the most by any pitcher since the mound was set to it’s current distance in 1893, credit ESPN Stats.
• Became the first Braves pitcher to enter the All-Star break leading the National League in Strikeouts with 166 since Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz in 1996.
• Strider passed Smoltz (149) for the most strikeouts before the All-Star break.
• Strider joined Cy Young award winner, Dwight Gooden as the only pitchers in the modern era to reach 300 strikeouts in their first 35 career starts.
• Through the 35 starts, Gooden recorded 302 strikeouts in 248.0 innings pitched while Strider logged 301 punchouts in 192.0 frames.
• Struckout Nick Castellanos in the fourth inning on May 28 to become the fastest starting pitcher, by innings pitched (61.0), to reach 100 strikeouts in a season, since the mound was moved to its current distance in 1893…Strider bested his own franchise record, set last season in 64.2 innings. (Research courtesy of Elias)
• Struckout J.T. Realmuto to reach 300 on his career.
• Strider became the 13th player in major league history to record at least 300 strikeouts in 44 career appearances or less and first since Shane Bieber in 2018.
• Of the other 12 pitchers, Strider is the only one to have more than two relief appearances in his first 44 outings.
• Snapped a streak of 12 consecutive games with at least eight strikeouts on May 17.
• Tied Hall-of-Famers Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson for the seventh longest such streak in the live ball era.
• Only Hall-of-Famers Ryan, Johnson, Pedro Martínez and active pitchers Corey Kluber and Shane Bieber have longer streaks.
• Struck out 12 hitters on May 12 at Toronto, giving Strider nine games of at least 10 strikeouts; the most through a player’s first 41 appearances in franchise history(1901).
• The next closest were Brandon Beachy, Tommy Hanson, and Julio Teheran with three each in their first 41 outings.
• Tied with Noah Syndergaard, Kerry Wood, and Al Downing for seventh most in MLB history (dating to 1901) through a player’s first 41 games.
• Recorded a streak of nine consecutive games with at least nine strikeouts between 9/1/22-5/1/23; it is tied for third-longest such streak in the modern era (1900).
• Passed Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz for the longest streak in franchise history.
• Carried a perfect game into the seventh inning on April 24against Miami until he lost his bid on a Matt Olson error.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:

THE PIRATES:..ended their brief four-game road trip with a 4-1 win yesterday afternoon at Milwaukee…Have gone 9-7 in their last 16 games since losing each of their first five games following the All-Star break…Are in a stretch that has the team playing 16 straight days until their next scheduled off day on August 17…Have gone 2-0-2 in their last four series.

COMING INTO HIS OWN: Johan Oviedo helped the Pirates gain a split of their four-game series in Milwaukee after tossing 7.0 scoreless innings while earning the win yesterday…Oviedo has made 11 starts this year allowing one or no runs…According to StatsPerform, that ranks second in the National League behind San Diego’s Blake Snell (12).

TAKING A STAND: Tonight the Pirates will begin a four-game series against the Braves as part of a seven-game homestand…The homestand will conclude with a weekend series against the Reds beginning Friday…The Braves are the only National League team the Pirates have yet to face this season…This upcoming weekend will also be the first time the Pirates host the Reds since sweeping a four-game series from April 20-23.

CATCH THIS: Endy Rodríguez recorded the first three-hit game of his career yesterday in Milwaukee, highlighted by his home run off Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff in the third inning… Rodríguez, who made his big league debut on July 17, is currently rated as the No. 4 prospect among all catchers according to MLB Pipeline.

REYNOLDS ON A ROLL: Bryan Reynolds is hitting .385 (15-for-39) with a double, four home runs, seven RBI and 1.133 OPS in his last 10 games… Yesterday, Reynolds hit the second pinch-hit home run of his career and the first by the Pirates in 2023.

ANDREW ON THE BASES: Andrew McCutchen enters today with an 11-game on-base streak…McCutchen has the team’s longest on-base streak (20 games) this season and comes into today ranked ninth in the National League with a .381 OBP.

ABOUT TONIGHT’S STARTER: Osvaldo Bido gets the start tonight in the opener of this four-game series against the Braves…Bido was charged with his second loss of the season after allowing four runs in 3.0 innings in his last start Wednesday against Detroit here at PNC Park.

STAYING IN THE PARK: Pittsburgh’s starting rotation has surrendered a total of 74 home runs this year…That’s the fifth-fewest in all of MLB behind the Rays (64), Cardinals (68), Guardians (70) and Giants (71).

ON A SERIES NOTE: Since dropping two of three games against the Angels from July 21-23, the Pirates have gone 2-0-2 in their last four series…Pittsburgh took two of three games at San Diego from July 24-26, won two of three vs. Philadelphia from July 28-30, split a two-game series against the Tigers from August 1-2 and split a four-game series on the road at Milwaukee.

THE NEW GUY: Alfonso Rivas made his Pirates debut Thursday after being one of three players acquired from the Padres at the trade deadline last Tuesday…Rivas has reached base safely in each of his first four games with the Pirates, highlighted by Friday when he fell a double shy of hitting for the cycle…Rivas has also hit safely in seven of his eight career games here at PNC Park, going 8-for-25 with a home run and seven RBI.

LIKES FOR ALIKA: Alika Williams extended his hitting streak to six games after going 1-for-1 with three walks on Saturday…Since going 0-for-5 in his first three games with the Pirates, Williams is 8-for-19 (.421) in his last eight contests…Prior to his promotion to the big leagues, Williams hit at a .358 clip (34-for-95) with seven doubles, seven home runs and 18 RBI in his last 26 games with Triple-A Indianapolis.

THE BRIDGE TO BEDNAR: Colin Holderman struck out one of the four batters he faced in his last appearance Sunday afternoon… Holderman has recorded 30 strikeouts in 29.2 innings of work in the eighth inning…Holderman’s 30 punchouts in the eighth inning are tied for the fourth-most in MLB behind Houston’s Bryan Abreu (50), Texas’ Aroldis Chapman (44) and San Diego’s Nick Martinez (32)…Holderman has made nine straight scoreless appearances (9.0ip/3h/2bb/11so) since being scored upon for the last time on July 14.

STARTING PITCHER – 70 – RHP OSVALDO BIDO
OSVALDO BIDO: The 27-year-old righthander will make his 10th appearance (eighth start) tonight…He allowed four runs in 3.0 innings and lost a 6-3 decision in his last start Wednesday against Detroit…He earned his first career win (1.1ip/0r) on 7/9 while pitching in relief in Arizona…He went 3-4 with a 4.55 ERA in 12 appearances (10 starts) this season at Indianapolis…Was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent on 3/15/17.

VS. ATLANTA: Has never faced the Braves.