Padres at Braves
The Atlanta Braves locked up second baseman Ozzie Albies to a seven-year contract extension earlier this month, and the 22-year-old continues to show why entering Tuesday’s home contest against the San Diego Padres. Albies belted his third homer in two days in the Braves' 3-1 series-opening victory Monday, finishing 2-for-4 to give him eight hits (four for extra bases) and six runs scored in 18 at-bats in his past four contests as Atlanta won its second in a row.
The switch-hitting Albies continues to wear out left-handed pitching, improving to .406 with four homers and eight RBIs against southpaw pitchers this season, and the Braves used a strong start from Mike Soroka and three scoreless innings from their struggling bullpen in the opener of the four-game series. San Diego felt the absence of rookie shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who suffered a hamstring injury Sunday, as replacement Greg Garcia recorded one of three errors in Monday’s loss. The Padres had won five of their previous six entering the series, averaging 4.8 runs per game in that span, but finished with only five hits in the opener. Center fielder Manuel Margot collected two of those hits and is batting .341 on the road this season.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Chris Paddack (1-1, 1.67 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (2-3, 5.40)
Paddack, ranked 34th on MLB.com’s prospects list, has lived up to the billing in his first five major-league starts, holding opponents to one run or fewer four times while issuing one walk or fewer in four games. The 23-year-old earned his first major-league victory in his last start Wednesday against Seattle, striking out nine while giving up one hit over seven shutout innings. Paddack, acquired from Miami in exchange for Fernando Rodney in June of 2016, has struck out 30 hitters while posting a 0.67 WHIP in 27 innings.
Teheran rebounded from a rough outing at Cleveland on April 20 but took a loss at Cincinnati on Thursday, striking out seven while surrendering three runs on five hits with three walks in six innings. The 28-year-old had allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings against Cleveland, after giving up three runs or fewer three times in his first four starts. Teheran, who has allowed five homers in 31 2/3 innings while logging a 1.58 WHIP, is 5-3 lifetime against San Diego with a 3.73 ERA in 10 starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Padres are hopeful Tatis, who led San Diego in hits (30) and steals (six) entering Monday and has reached base in 14 of his previous 15 games, will avoid the injured list.
2. Braves CF Ender Inciarte left Monday for precautionary reasons after feeling right hamstring tightness on a third-inning single.
3. Atlanta RHP Jacob Webb, who earned his first major-league victory Sunday against Colorado, got the final two outs Monday for his first big-league save.