Padres at Braves
The San Diego Padres enter Wednesday’s third game of a four-game set at the Atlanta Braves having lost one of their bright young stars, but saw another key piece of their future step up in a big way in Tuesday’s 4-3 victory. Right fielder Franmil Reyes slugged two homers and added a double in finishing 3-for-4 with three RBIs, helping to take away some of the sting from the team placing shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. on the injured list with a hamstring injury.
The future is now in San Diego, which has invested heavily in its young talent to go with free-agent acquisition Manny Machado – who will man shortstop while Tatis is out – and first baseman Eric Hosmer, who finished 2-for-4 with a homer Tuesday as the Padres won for the sixth time in eight games. Atlanta lost for the ninth time in its past 14 games and played shorthanded as third baseman Josh Donaldson (right calf strain) did not play and center fielder Ender Inciarte (right hamstring tightness) did not start. Left fielder Matt Joyce started and finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Right fielder Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to seven games and is batting .333 with three doubles and four walks in that span.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Cal Quantrill (NR) vs. Braves LH Max Fried (3-1, 2.30)
Quantrill, the Padres top pick in the 2016 draft and the organization’s No. 12 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, makes his major-league debut after five starts at Triple-A El Paso. The 24-year-old son of former major-league pitcher Paul Quantrill surrendered six earned runs (eight total) in his first start, but pitched to a 2.86 ERA and held opponents to a .215 average in his next four outings. Quantrill went 9-6 with a 4.80 ERA in 28 starts between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A last season.
Fried suffered his first loss of the season in his fifth start Friday against Colorado despite a season-high eight strikeouts, giving up four runs on seven hits with no walks in 5 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old, who entered Tuesday fifth in the NL in ERA, has solidified a spot in Atlanta’s rotation by allowing two runs or fewer in his first four starts, walking more than one hitter just once while posting a 1.085 WHIP. In 14 career starts, Fried is 5-4 with a 2.71 ERA, a 1.292 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta C Brian McCann finished 2-for-3, raising his average to .325 on the season after hitting .212 with Houston in 2018.
2. San Diego rookie pitchers have posted a 2.50 ERA this season, allowing 16 earned runs in 57 2/3 innings after rookie Chris Paddack gave up two earned runs in six innings Tuesday.
3. Tuesday’s victory was San Diego’s second in its past 13 games at Atlanta dating back to 2016.