Atlanta Braves Looking to Keep the Mets Down and Out
The Atlanta Braves should know very well you can't get complacent at the top of the NL East in June. That's why they can't let up against the New York Mets this week.
This time a year ago, the New York Mets were 37-19 with an 8.5 game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the NL East who were 28-27.
As the Braves and Mets gear up for a three-game series this week, it's the Braves who are on top of the division at 35-24 with the Mets 5.5 games back at 30-30.
Both teams know there is a lot of baseball left, but for the Braves, this is an opportunity to create a little more breathing room.
The Braves enters this series on a high note and it looks like the offense is coming around, while the Mets enter after having been swept by the Blue Jays -- something Atlanta can relate to.
Both teams will mostly have their best starters lined up in this one. The Braves will avoid Kodai Senga who has 73 strikeouts in 57.2 innings.
But they will face the big-money guys in Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
Scherzer has been great lately allowing 1 earned runs or less in his last four outings, while it's been up-and-down for Verlander who was good in his last start.
As for the Braves, they'll send there best three to the mound in Bryce Elder, Charlie Morton, and Spencer Strider.
On the offensive side, Pete Alonso has been their best hitter all year with a .862 OPS and 21 home runs. and Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil continue to get on base at a high clip.
Their stud catcher, Francisco Alvarez, is starting to come around as well with a .816 OPS over the last two weeks.
Veterans Mark Canha and Starling Marte are heating up as well.
These two teams are very familiar with each other. The Braves know that the Mets' offense feasts on walks, hit pitches, and just putting the ball in play.
Atlanta's pitchers have to be aggressive in the zone and make them string some hits together to score.
This series won't determine the division, but it's a chance for the Braves to kick the Mets while they're down and work towards gaining a potential tie-breaker advantage.
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