MLB series of the week: Braves vs. Diamondbacks

The 2024 MLB season is underway; one of the first big matchups of the year is between the reigning National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks and the NL East champion Atlanta Braves.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks took their biggest weaknesses from a team that made it to the World Series and lost and put it into full gear this offseason, looking to take down the Dodgers in the NL West.

Wrapping up a series loss against the Yankees and its first home stand, the Diamondbacks come into Atlanta at 4-3.

The Diamondbacks are starting off the season as one of the league’s hottest offenses. They rank first in batting average (.305), third in RBI (39) and tied for third in hits (61).

Christian Walker and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. are tied for the most home runs with three apiece.

Gurriel has also been one of the hottest hitters to start the season off, batting .267 with a .967 OPS and 10 RBI, and was named NL Player of the Week on April 1.

Ketel Marte is another bat to watch out for; his contact abilities at the leadoff spot have brought him to a .379 average with a .412 OBP to start the season.

As for pitching, Arizona will be without newly acquired starters Eduardo Rodriguez due to injury, and Jordan Montgomery who is getting ready to start the season. Arizona will leave it up to Tommy Henry on the bump for game one after going four innings in his first start, giving up five runs.

Game 2 starter Brandon Pfaadt has one start so far in which he went five innings with six strikeouts and an ERA of 1.80.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves are coming off a 2023 season in which they had a historically good offense and are already off to a hot start this season.

After only five games, the Braves are currently first in the NL East and with a 3-2 record after winning a series against the Phillies and tying a series against the White Sox.

The Braves rank second in the league in batting average (.304) behind Arizona, fourth for home runs (eight) and fifth in RBI (34).

Marcell Ozuna is leading the team in home runs (three) with a .864 OPS through five games, and Orlando Arcia is leading the team in average (.450) and OBP (.476), also leading with nine hits.

The Braves’ pitching staff was 15th in ERA (4.14) in 2023; they now rank eighth in ERA at 3.21 after bolstering its rotation this offseason by trading for veteran Chris Sale.

Sale will start game two, going in with a 3.38 ERA in 5.1 innings and seven strikeouts so far.

Spencer Strider led MLB in strikeouts last season with 281. This season through one start he has eight strikeouts in five innings pitched with a 3.60 ERA.

The first game of the series is on Friday, April 5 at Truist Park at 7:20 p.m., with Strider set to take the mound against Henry.

Caitlyn Brooks is a first-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email crb6283@psu.edu.