Two pitchers looking to rebound from miserable starts will square off Thursday when the Atlanta Braves host the Los Angeles Angels in the rubber match of their three-game series.
The Angels recorded a 4-0 win in the series opener on Tuesday, but the Braves rebounded for an 8-3 victory on Wednesday.
Los Angeles’ Jose Soriano (5-5, 3.99 ERA) will get the start on Thursday against Atlanta’s Bryce Elder (2-5, 5.82) in a battle of right-handers.
Soriano took no decision in his most recent appearance on Friday against the Washington Nationals after enduring one of his worst starts of the season. He allowed a season-high eight runs on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts in four innings of a 15-9 loss.
That was an outlier for Soriano, who had pitched to a 0.87 ERA (two earned runs in 20 2/3 innings) in his three previous starts, two of those with double-digit strikeouts.
“I have cleaned up my mechanics and I think that’s a big part of the results I’ve been having,” Soriano said prior to the outing against Washington.
Soriano will make his third career appearance and second start against the Braves, pitching to a 3.86 ERA. He received no decision in his most recent appearance against Atlanta on Aug. 16, 2024.
Elder was hammered for 10 runs (nine earned) on eight hits — three of them homers — four walks and two strikeouts in two innings in a 13-0 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. Elder had warmed up and was ready to take the field when the game was delayed by rain for two-plus hours.
“Obviously, it’s not the easiest, but I have no excuse,” Elder said. “I’ve got to get the job done. I’ve at least got to sneak out five innings there. I’ve just got to make better pitches early in there and got to live with that one.”
Over his past three starts, Elder has given up 18 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings. His season ERA has risen from 4.08 to 5.82 during that stretch.
He has yet to face the Angels in his career.
The Atlanta lineup, which had suffered through a 21-inning scoreless streak, showed a little life on Wednesday.
Matt Olson went 3-for-5 and extended his on-base streak to 32 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the major leagues.
Jurickson Profar returned after serving an 80-game suspension for violating the league’s banned substance policy and belted a 413-foot homer to right field.
Los Angeles’ Jo Adell singled on Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.
Jorge Soler hit the 200th home run of his career, a 448-foot shot, in the ninth inning.
Christian Moore, the Angels’ second baseman, injured his thumb in the sixth inning and had to leave the game.
The Braves’ playoff chances took another blow when Spencer Schwellenbach was placed on the injured list with a fractured right elbow. Schwellenbach had been the team’s most consistent starter in the rotation, going 7-4 with a 3.09 in 17 starts.
Schwellenbach said he felt sore the day after he pitched against the Phillies on Saturday. He was diagnosed with a small fracture and won’t be able to throw for at least four weeks. The team is hopeful he can return in September.
“It was a rough day. We went through a lot,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s nice to come back and win a game like that.”