Bryce Elder returns to the rotation as Braves host Red Sox
The 2023 All-Star is clearly looking to make his comeback to the starting rotation a permanent one.
For the second time this month, the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins are set to lock horns with each other. This time, the series is taking place here in Atlanta as the Braves are looking to get started on winning their fourth series in a row.
Bryce Elder is getting the ball for the Braves tonight and this will be his 2024 debut at the big league level. It’ll also be coming against a team that Elder has plenty of experience against in the form of the Marlins and this is also a chance for Elder to show why he needs to be in the big league rotation going forward. Some of Elder’s best starts so far in his career have come against the Marlins and this start in particular could be conducive for success for Elder.
As of right now, the Marlins are batting .220/.279/.330 with a team wRC+ of 71. That’s the worst number in the National League and the second-worst mark in all of baseball. Miami’s offense is sputtering out of the starting gate this season, as evidenced by the fact that Bryan De La Cruz is currently the only regular on the team with a wRC+ over 100 (109, to be exact). The onus will be on Bryce Elder to keep compounding Miami’s collective woes at the plate. Nobody is expecting six-to-seven shutout innings from Elder tonight but if he can pitch well enough to where the Braves are still competitive then that should be enough to qualify as a solid start for Elder and reason to potentially stick around.
On the other side of things, Ryan Weathers has been tabbed as the starting pitcher for the Marlins this evening. Weathers has been solid for Miami so far this season, as he’s sitting on an ERA- of 64 with a FIP- of 105. Weathers has gotten slightly better with each start he’s made so far this season — he struck out ten and only gave up five hits, a walk and two runs against the Giants in his most recent start. Obviously, we’re all hoping that Atlanta’s lineup will continue to rake and eventually crack the code against Weathers but it’s also distinctly possible that Weathers could just keep his roll going for the Marlins.
Even if Ryan Weathers does deliver another solid start for Miami, they’ll still have to worry about their bullpen keeping Atlanta’s high-powered offense at bay. Marlins relievers have an ERA- of 127 and a FIP- of 110, which is to say that Miami’s been struggling in games this season once the bullpen gets involved. The Braves are well aware of this, as one of their most exciting wins of this season involved the Marlins and a dramatic late rally.
