MLB Preview: Atlanta Braves (59-28) at Tampa Bay Rays (57-34)

ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:

Wins Before the Break
Atlanta won its 59th game of the season last night, and with a sweep of Tampa Bay this weekend will match the modern-era franchise record for wins before the All-Star break. The 2003 Braves were 61-32 at the break, playing 93 total games. Atlanta will play just 90 games before the break this year. Since 2000, there have been 10 teams to win at least 60 games before the All-Star break, including the Yankees (64-28) and Dodgers (60-30) just last season. Of the 10 teams to do so, nine won their division, three won their respective pennants, and two won the World Series.

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and Rays are set to continue a three-game series tonight in what is the only scheduled meetings between the two teams this season…Atlanta and Tampa Bay are playing for the first time since 2021.

• The Braves beat the Rays, 2-1, last night to take the series opener.
• This series sets the best record in the National League (Atlanta, 59-28, .678) versus the best record in the American League (Tampa Bay, 57-34, .626)…These are the only two teams in baseball with winning percentages over .600.
• The Braves and Rays have played 40 times since Tampa Bay was awarded a franchise for the 1998 season, with Atlanta going 25-15 (.625) all-time against the Rays…Atlanta has lost the season set in just three of the 12 seasons in which the clubs have met.
• Atlanta last played here at Tropicana Field during the 60-game 2020 season, and last played here with patrons attending in 2018…The Braves are 14-8 (.6369) all-time in this stadium, but were swept in two games here in 2020.
• RH Spencer Strider has never faced the Rays, nor has he ever pitched against a member of Tampa Bays current roster…The 6-foot-0, 195-pound right-hander is 10-2 with a 3.66 ERA (40 ER/98.1 IP) through 17 starts for Atlanta this season, with a majors-most 155 strikeouts…The Braves have won each of his last seven starts, and are 15-2 in his 17 turns this season.
• RH Taj Bradley is set to make the 13th start of his major league career, and his first against Atlanta… The 6-foot-2, 190-pound rookie is 5-4 with a 5.27 ERA (33 ER/56.1 IP) in 12 starts during his debut season, and has combined to allow 12 earned runs over 7.1 innings in his last two starts.

WIN: One game after collecting 19 hits and scoring eight runs, the Braves tallied just two hits and two runs in a win, 2-1, over Tampa Bay last night…Atlanta is 26-4 (.867) over its last 30 games.

• Atlanta was held to two hits for just the second time this season, joining a 3-0 shutout on May 12 at Toronto…Last night was the Braves’ first win in game with two-or-fewer hits since beating the Marlins, 1-0, on July 2, 2021.
• The Braves have tallied no more than two hits 54 times since 2000, and last night was just the sixth such game that Atlanta won…The club entered play just 5-48 (.094) in two-hit games in that span.
• Atlanta moved to 10-5 in series openers on the road with the win, and 21-8 in the first game of a series overall.
• The Braves’ 29-13 (.690) record on the road is easily the best in baseball, and their 29 wins also stand as most…Atlanta’s 3.39 ERA in road games is lowest in the National League.

HOMER STREAK: Both Atlanta runs last night came courtesy of a two-run homer from Sean Murphy, and the Braves have now homered in each of their last 24 games dating to June 10…The club has hit 62 total homers during these 24 games (2.6 per game).

• Atlanta’s run is the longest active homer streak in baseball, and stands as the longest such run this season…Tampa Bay homered in 22 straight to open the season, while Cincinnati has homered in each of its last 21 straight games.
• Atlanta has just one longer homer streak in modern-era franchise history, doing so in 25 straight games in 1998…This is just the fifth 20-game run for the club since 1900…The 2006 club homered also homered in 23 straight, the 1956 Milwaukee Braves had a 22-game run, and the 1973 team did so in 20 consecutive games.
• The Braves have 167 total homers on the season, 23 more than any other team in baseball (Dodgers, 144)…Atlanta is on pace for 311 home runs this season, which would establish a new single-season MLB record.
• Atlanta’s 62 homers during its streak are 16 more than any other club has totaled since June 10, and just 12 teams have as many as half (31) of the Braves’ total in that span…Cleveland has just 60 homers on the entire season.

SEAN MURPHY: Drove home both Atlanta runs last night, and is batting .304/.395/.587 with a .982 OPS in his first year with the club.

• Murphy’s 16 homers stand just two shy of his career high-total of 18 set last season, and his 52 RBI are 14 short of his career-most 66, also set last year…He is on pace for 30 homers and 97 RBI.
• There have been just four 30-homer seasons by a catcher in franchise history, with Javy López (43) doing so last in 2003…López also had such a season in 1998 (34), Earl Williams did so in 1971 (33) and Joe Torre collected 36 in 1966.
• Since 2000, just six catchers have compiled a 30-homer/90-RBI season…Kansas City’s Salvador Perez was the last to do so, hitting 48 homers and driving in 121 in 2021.
• Murphy leads all primary NL catchers in homers (tied, 16), RBI (52), batting average (.304), slugging (.587), OPS (.982) and total bases (135), and his 3.7 fWAR on the season is sixth most in baseball, regardless of position.

STRIDER STARTS: Spencer Strider makes his 18th start of the season tonight, and Atlanta is 15-2 in his first 17 turns…No team has won more games started by a single pitcher this season.

• The Braves are 28-9 (.757) in his 37 career starts dating to last season.
• Atlanta has won each of his last seven starts in total, dating to an 11-4 win over the Phillies on May 28.

Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #99 Spencer Strider RHP
2023 Record: 10-2, 3.66 ERA • 2022 Record: 11-5, 2.67 ERA
vs. RHB: .201 (37-184), 8 HR • vs. LHB: .216 (39-for-181), 5 HR
Home: 4-1, 3.93 ERA (23/52.2) • Away: 6-1, 3.35 ERA (17/45.2)

Tonight’s Game

• Strider is set to make his 18th start this year and first of his career against TB.
• Leads the majors with 155 strikeouts.
• Has one less start than the next two closest pitchers.
• Has struckout at least nine in three consecutive starts.
• Is the only pitcher this season with multiple streaks of at least three consecutive games with nine or more strikeouts.
• Would become the first Braves pitcher to enter the All-Star break leading the National League in Strikeouts since Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz in 1996.
• With his last outing, Strider passed Smoltz (149) for the most strikeouts before the All-Star break.
• Riding a six-game winning streak; tied for the longest active streak in the majors.
• Earned the win in four consecutive outings.
• Struck out nine hitters while allowing six hits, three runs, two earned, and a walk, earning his 10th win of the season against Miami in his last turn.
• Strider’s 10 wins are tied for the second most in the National League.
• Leads all qualified starters with a rate of 14.19 strikeouts per nine innings this season.
• His swing and miss rate of 39.5% is the highest in the majors (among QS).
• Strider’s 53.0% rate of pitches in the zone is the fourth highest in the National League among qualifiers.

2023 Recap

• 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.
• His 136 punchouts are the mosth in Braves franchise history through a pitcher’s first 15 games to start a season…HOF’er John Smoltz struck out 125 in 1996.
• His 10 games of at least 10 strikeouts are third most in MLB history (since 1901) through a player’s first 32 starts.
• 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.

TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:

ON TO THE NEXT — Tampa Bay lost its season-high sixth straight game, dropping last night’s series opener to Atlanta in a 2-1 final…RHP Tyler Glasnow took the loss after working 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk with eight strikeouts… he departed the contest in the sixth inning due to cramping…SS Wander Franco (1-for-4, HR) was responsible for the Rays lone run, a solo homer in the first inning.

Glasnow struck out four Braves hitters in the second inning after DH Marcell Ozuna reached on a wild pitch, marking the fourth instance of a Rays pitcher recording four strikeouts in a frame…Glasnow also accomplished the feat on 4/23/21 vs. Toronto.

Last night’s defeat marked the fifth time in franchise history the Rays lost when allowing two hits or fewer…the last occurrence was a 2-1 loss to New York-AL on 5/29/16, when the Rays allowed only one hit to the Yankees.

The Rays are the first club since the 2001 Seattle Mariners to have a winning streak of 13+ games and a losing streak of 6+ games, each occurring before the All-Star Break…Seattle lost six straight from 3/20-25 and won 15 straight from 5/23-6/8 (Elias).

RECENT TRANSACTIONS — Prior to tonight’s game, the Rays placed OF Josh Lowe on the Family Medical Emergency List and recalled INF Jonathan Aranda from Triple-A Durham…Tampa Bay also recalled RHP Javy Guerra from Durham and designated RHP Elvin Rodriguez for assignment.

In 71 games for Durham, Aranda slashed .342/.455/.589 (90-for-263) with 17 doubles, 16 HR and 56 RBI…he was named the International League Player of the Month for June after leading all minor leaguers in AVG (.448), hits (43), total bases (79), OBP (.531) and OPS (1.354).

In 15 relief appearances for the Bulls since 5/21, Guerra has pitched to a 5.94 ERA (16.2IP, 11ER)…he was acquired from Milwaukee on 4/29 and posted a 3.60 ERA (5.0IP, 2ER) across six appearances (two starts) for the Rays prior to his outright assignment to Durham on 5/17.

UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY — Tampa Bay is on its first losing streak of 6+ games since a seven-game skid from 6/15-22, 2021…the Rays have lost nine of 14, 10 of 16, and 12 of their last 18 games…their 6-12 (.333) record since 6/17 is tied with Oakland for fourth worst in the majors in the span, ahead of only Los Angeles-AL (5-13, .278), Colorado (5-12, .294) and Pittsburgh (6-14, .300).

After winning 30 of its first 36 games at Tropicana Field to open the season, Tampa Bay has gone just 4-8 over its last 12 home games dating back to 6/10.

NUKE RALEY — Luke Raley has reached base safely in 35 of his last 39 starts since 5/6, slashing .308/.396/.600 (40-for-130) with 10 doubles, two triples, 8 HR and 20 RBI…his .986 OPS overall in that span ranks fourth in the AL (min. 150PA) behind LAA Shohei Ohtani (1.113), TEX Corey Seager (1.060) and CWS Luis Robert Jr. (.993)…he has recorded an RBI in six of his last seven games, going .333/.448/.792 (8-for-24) in that span with two doubles, three homers and 8 RBI.

RUNNING WILD — Tampa Bay has stolen an MLB-best 110 bases, ahead of Cincinnati (107SB) and Arizona (90SB)…the Rays join the Diamondbacks as the only clubs in the majors with two players with 20+ steals (Wander Franco – 28SB and Taylor Walls – 20SB).

Franco is one of nine players at the age of 22 or younger in the Wild Card Era (since 1995) to steal at least 25 bases before the All-Star break, joining Carl Crawford (38SB in 2004), Jimmy Rollins (28SB in 2001), Edgar Renteria (28SB in 1998), Corbin Carroll (26SB in 2023), Mike Trout (26SB in 2012), Elvis Andrus (26SB in 2011), Hanley Ramirez (26SB in 2006) and José Reyes (26SB in 2005).

Walls is one of seven players in the majors to have five or more games with 2+ steals, joining ATL Ronald Acuña Jr. (7), ARI Corbin Carroll (7), OAK Esteury Ruiz (7), PIT Ji Hwan Bae (5), BAL Jorge Mateo (5) and ARI Jake McCarthy (5).

BATS AT THE TROP — In their last six home games since 6/24, Rays batters are slashing .196/.256/.314 (38-for-194) with five doubles, 6 HR and 14 runs scored (13RBI)…in their previous six games at Tropicana Field from 6/10-23, Rays batters slashed .313/.383/.457 (65-for-208) with 12 doubles, 6 HR and 40 runs scored (39RBI).

Tampa Bay has homered in 41 of its 48 home games this season, including in nine straight (10HR overall) since 6/21…it is the longest active such streak in the AL and tied with Cincinnati for the second-longest active run in the majors behind Atlanta (12G).

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS — Tampa Bay is 34-14 (.708) at Tropicana Field this year, the best home winning pct. in MLB ahead of Atlanta (30-15, .667) and Los Angeles-NL (28-16, .636).

Since becoming the Rays in 2008, Tampa Bay is 714-500 (.588) at Tropicana Field, the third-best home winning pct. in the majors during that span, trailing only Los Angeles-NL (755-454, .624) and New York-AL (755-459, .622).

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING — The Rays concluded June with the most home runs (128) and stolen bases (102) in the AL…they became the 10th team all-time to lead the AL in both categories at the end of June, including the first since the 2015 Houston Astros (Elias).

Tampa Bay is now looking to become just the sixth team in AL history to lead the league in homers and steals at the All-Star break since the Midsummer Classic’s inception in 1933…they would join the 2015 Astros, 1984 Oakland Athletics, 1962 Detroit Tigers and both the 1955 and 1956 New York Yankees.

BRING ON THE BRAVOS — The Rays and Braves continue a three-game set tonight at Tropicana Field…the two clubs last met in 2021, with Tampa Bay taking two of three from Atlanta at Truist Park from 7/16-18.

TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP TAJ BRADLEY (5-4, 5.27)
TONIGHT’S START — The 22-year-old rookie makes his final start before the All-Star break this evening, his 13th overall and his sixth at home… will mark his first career start against Atlanta — Bradley grew up rooting for the Braves and attended Redan (GA) High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, 20 miles east of Atlanta…ranks among MLB’s rookie leaders (min. 50.0IP) in SO rate (1st, 30.8%), SO/BB ratio (2nd, 4.47) and strikeouts (3rd, 76).

LAST TIME OUT — Allowed five earned runs on a career-high-tying nine hits in the shortest start of his career, but did not factor into the decision of the Rays 7-6 loss at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park on 7/2 (3.1IP, 9H, 5ER, BB, 3SO, HR)…worked around a lead-off double to hold the Mariners scoreless in the opening frame, but yielded a solo homer to Eugenio Suárez in the second inning before Seattle pushed across four runs in the third frame, including a pair of RBI-doubles…departed in the fourth after tossing just 73 pitches, his fewest in any outing this season.

INTERLEAGUE INTEL — Bradley will be making his first career start against the Braves…he has gone 1-2 and turned in a 4.05 ERA (20.0IP, 9ER) in four Interleague starts, all of which have come on the road; this includes a 1.13 ERA (16.0IP, 2ER) across his first three starts opposite NL opponents before permitting a career-high 7 ER in 4.0 innings on 6/27 at Arizona. Ê Tonight’s outing marks his second career start against an NL East club — he did not factor into the decision on 5/18 at New York-NL (5.0IP, 3H, 2ER, 2BB, 4SO, HR).

TROP TALK — After tossing 5.0 or fewer innings and allowing 3+ ER in each of his first four home starts, Bradley registered his first quality start in his most recent outing at Tropicana Field on 6/21 vs. Baltimore (6.0IP, 3H, ER, 8SO, HR)…he became the first Rays rookie to collect 8+ strikeouts without walking a batter in a quality start since Shane McClanahan on 8/7/21 at Baltimore (7.0IP, 3ER, 0BB, 8SO).

Since 6/1, he has recorded a 4.66 ERA (9.2IP, 5ER) in two home starts compared to an 8.64 ERA (16.2IP, 16ER) in four road starts.

STRIKEOUT SAVANT — Despite recording only five strikeouts in his last two starts, Bradley’s 76 punchouts are the second most through a pitcher’s first 12 starts with the Rays in franchise history, trailing only Charlie Morton (83SO: 3/29-5/30, 2019)…marks the most strikeouts by a Rays rookie through 12 starts in club history, outpacing Jake Faria (74SO) in 2017.

Since his debut on 4/12, Bradley’s 30.8 pct. strikeout rate is third highest among AL starters (min. 10GS), behind TOR Kevin Gausman (33.4%) and LAA Shohei Ohtani (32.5%).

On 6/15 at Oakland, Bradley recorded each of his first nine outs via the strikeout…his 11 punchouts on the day were tied with six other pitchers for the second most by a Rays rookie in club history, trailing only Dan Wheeler (12SO) on 9/12/99 vs. OAK …the last Tampa Bay rookie to record 11+ K’s was Jake Odorizzi (11SO) on 5/9/14.

TROUBLE WITH THE LONG BALL — Bradley permitted only four homers in his first nine career starts from 4/12-6/15 — his 0.84 HR/9.0 IP in that span was 12th lowest in the AL (min. 40.0IP)…over his last three starts since 6/21, he has yielded six homers, good for 4.05 HR/9.0 IP, the highest mark in the AL in that span (min. 10.0IP), trailing only COL Chase Anderson (5.23) among all major league pitchers.

ABOVE THE CURVE — Bradley has held opponents to a .158 (6-for-38) average and a .263 slugging pct. on his curveball…he has allowed just two extra-base hits on the pitch (2B, HR)…marks the sixth-lowest opp. AVG and sixth-lowest opp. SLG on any AL starter’s curve (min. 35AB).

THIS AND THAT — He has held opponents to a .179 (5-for-28) batting average in full counts…opposing 6-9 hitters are just 16-for-83 (.193) with 3 HR against him compared to .317 (45-for-142) with 7 HR vs. the first five spots in the order…opponents are slashing .340/.386/.620 (17-for-50) against Bradley in the first inning and .251/.300/.434 (44-for-175) in all other frames.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW — Bradley’s eight strikeouts on 4/12 vs. Boston were the second most by a Rays player in his major league debut in club history, trailing only Wade Davis’ nine punchouts on 9/6/09 vs. Detroit… since the beginning of 2020, only CLE Triston McKenzie (10SO, 8/22/20 vs. DET) and WSH Joan Adon (9SO, 10/3/21 vs. BOS) have fanned more batters in their debuts.