Luis Arraez, Padres Look to End Half on Positive Note vs. Braves

You wouldn’t have guessed it by watching Luis Arraez knock three hits around the park during the San Diego Padres’ 4-0 home win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. But the Padres’ first baseman has been playing through a thumb injury that might keep him out of Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.

Luis Arraez’s Injuries and Performance

Arraez, despite his injuries, plans to play Sunday when San Diego and Atlanta wrap up their weekend series and head into the break. “I don’t need to take a day,” Arraez said. “I don’t want to. I come here every day to play baseball.” His 3-for-4 performance on Saturday snapped a 1-for-15 slump for Arraez, who had been hitting just .275 since June 25, when he hurt his thumb sliding into third against the Washington Nationals. He’s also been dealing with a shoulder injury from a June 2 game against the Kansas City Royals. Despite the pain, Arraez confirmed that imaging tests showed no fracture.

Team Injuries and Challenges

Injuries have been a major issue for the Padres this season. They’re currently missing their top two starting pitchers (Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove) and All-Star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. Second baseman Xander Bogaerts has also been out for nearly two months. Even with these setbacks, they can still secure a series win before the All-Star break if right-hander Randy Vasquez (2-4, 4.66 ERA) delivers a solid performance on Sunday.

Pitching Matchup: Vasquez vs. Sale

Vasquez last pitched on July 5, allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He didn’t get a decision in San Diego’s 10-8 win after the Padres’ bullpen blew a 7-2 lead in the ninth inning. The second-year pitcher is 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA in his career against the Braves.

On the other side, Atlanta will send All-Star Chris Sale (12-3, 2.74 ERA) to the mound. Sale last pitched Tuesday night, leading the Braves to a 6-2 win over Arizona in Phoenix, striking out nine over 5 1/3 innings and throwing 100 pitches. He’s 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three starts against San Diego, including a 3-0 win on May 20. This season is shaping up to be Sale’s best since 2018, when he went 12-4 and struck out 237 batters in 158 innings for the Boston Red Sox, who won the World Series that year. Despite battling injuries and inconsistency over the last four seasons, Sale has looked like a true ace from the get-go this year.

Quotes and Personal Insights

“It’s fun watching him compete,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker about Sale. “It’s just his stuff and the whole shooting match.” Sale won’t be pitching in the All-Star Game due to his start on Sunday, but he’s perfectly okay with that. He prefers to focus on pushing his team into the break on a positive note and perhaps earning his MLB-high 13th win. “I like to stay focused and keep my eyes on what’s important and take the ball when I need to,” Sale said.

All-Star Game Context

Sale will still travel to Texas for the Midsummer Classic with teammate and fellow left-hander Max Fried, who was named as a replacement for the Philadelphia Phillies’ Ranger Suarez. Fried has been solid this season, posting a 7-5 record with a 3.08 ERA across 18 starts.

Conclusion

As Luis Arraez continues to battle through injuries, the Padres aim to finish the first half of the season on a high note against the Braves. With Randy Vasquez and Chris Sale set to pitch, fans can expect an exciting and competitive matchup. Both teams are making strategic changes to their lineups and bullpens, adding to the intrigue of this crucial game.