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Braves Hope to Revive Offense vs. Red Sox
The Atlanta Braves will attempt to jump-start their slumping offense when they visit the Boston Red Sox for the opener of a two-game series Tuesday night.
Braves’ Offensive Struggles in May
The Braves have been struggling offensively, averaging only 3.4 runs per game in May, placing them near the bottom of the league. Despite a high-scoring 11-9 loss to Oakland on Saturday, they managed just seven hits in a 3-1 victory over the A’s on Sunday.
Manager Brian Snitker’s Perspective
Despite the struggles, Braves manager Brian Snitker remains optimistic. He highlights the positives in individual performances and maintains confidence in their overall game.
“I look through individually and see a lot of positives, quite honestly, with some guys offensively, which is what we’ve been trying to do,” Snitker said. “We haven’t been playing bad baseball — we’ve been playing good baseball — we just haven’t hit. I see light at the end of the tunnel with a bunch of those guys.”
Snitker emphasizes the team’s strong defensive play, suggesting that the hitting slump will eventually pass. “I see a lot of really good things out of the offense, and the good thing is these guys have been struggling offensively and they’ve just been playing the heck out of defense. … From my seat the hitting thing is going to come. I can’t go in there and blow anything up because we’re not playing bad baseball. We’re playing good baseball, we’re just not hitting.”
Red Sox Seek Positive Momentum
The Boston Red Sox are also looking to gain momentum. They have had a mixed performance recently, losing two out of three games against both Milwaukee and Baltimore before splitting a four-game series with Detroit.
Boston manager Alex Cora is maintaining a realistic outlook. “We know where we’re at. We were playing five rookies today. We got to be realistic. We’re playing good baseball, that’s the thing. We had a chance to win three out of four. It didn’t happen, but for some reason with this group we don’t get frustrated. Just keep teaching them the game and help them to be better.”
Key Players to Watch
Boston’s Rafael Devers is one player to keep an eye on. In Sunday’s loss, Devers went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a triple, and a game-tying home run in the eighth inning. He enters Tuesday’s game batting .283 with 11 home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .924 OPS. “He keeps getting better and he understands who he is, not only on this team but in the industry,” Cora said. “He’s one of the best players in the league.”
Probable Starters for Tuesday’s Game
Atlanta’s probable starter for Tuesday is left-hander Max Fried, who has a 5-2 record with a 2.97 ERA. Fried pitched eight innings in a 2-0 victory over Washington last Tuesday, allowing seven hits, striking out six, and walking one. In his only career start against Boston, Fried is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA.
Boston will counter with right-hander Kutter Crawford, who has a 2-4 record with a 3.29 ERA. In his only career appearance against Atlanta on May 7, Crawford gave up two runs on five hits in six innings, striking out six and walking two in a 4-2 loss.
