Braves at Indians (Game 1)
The Atlanta Braves' series opener at the Cleveland Indians was rained out Friday, providing them an opportunity to rest a bullpen that has struggled mightily. The Braves and Indians will play a traditional doubleheader Saturday and it’s likely Atlanta’s 26th man will be another arm for a relief corps that began the weekend with a 5.13 ERA, tied for second in the National League in most walks (40) and sagging confidence after ruining three strong outings by the rotation against Arizona.
Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Ronald Acuna Jr. brings a nine-game hitting streak into the series, going 16-for-32 in that span with four homers and 10 RBIs, but the Braves have dropped to .500 after Atlanta relievers surrendered 11 runs (nine earned) against the Diamondbacks with 10 walks in 10 innings. Things are on the upswing in Cleveland, where the Indians shook off a three-game sweep last weekend at Kansas City with three victories at Seattle to move into first place in the American League Central before Thursday’s day off. First baseman Carlos Santana, who missed his first game of the season Wednesday with a tight hamstring that is not considered serious, leads the Indians in batting average (.389) and RBIs (11), while hitting 12-for-22 with runners on base. The best news for the Indians is star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who missed all of spring training and the first 18 games of the season with a strained right calf, went 5-for-12 with two homers during a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus and may be activated off the injured list this weekend.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (2-1, 4.71 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (1-2, 6.16)
The veteran Teheran has helped solidify Atlanta’s rotation through four starts, giving up one run or fewer in two outings, and has won back-to-back starts. After giving up six runs - all in one inning - at Colorado on April 8 to earn his first victory, the 28-year-old scattered six hits with six strikeouts, two walks and one run allowed in a victory over the New York Mets on Sunday. Teheran, who has allowed four homers in 21 innings, has not faced the Indians in his 200 career appearances.
Kluber has battled inconsistency so far, with two starts of six-plus innings and two games where the two-time Cy Young winner has lasted 3 1/3 innings or fewer. The 33-year-old got a no-decision in his last start Sunday at Kansas City, allowing six runs on six hits with five walks in just 2 2/3 innings. Kluber, who gave up just one earned run and struck out eight five days earlier in Detroit, beat the Braves in his only career appearance in 2016, surrendering two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts in eight innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians RHP Nick Wittgren pitched two perfect innings Wednesday to earn his first career save in his 122nd big-league appearance, after closer Brad Hand pitched the previous three games and earned a pair of saves.
2. The Braves look to break out of an offensive funk that saw them score four runs on 17 hits across the past 23 innings. In the final two games of the Arizona series, they went 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 18 runners on base.
3. Atlanta 2B Ozzie Albies, who was moved into the leadoff spot full-time Sunday, went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts Thursday and is hitless in his past 11 at-bats with five strikeouts.