Atlanta Braves News: Split Doubleheader, Bryce Elder, More

If I had told Braves fans that Bryce Elder would strike out 9 with just 1 walk in 5.0 innings in his Saturday start, I bet almost everyone would have done that without knowing anything else. Elder obviously struggles to rack up strikeouts and generally finds his success when he avoids walks. However, he did give up 6 earned runs and 2 home runs in that 5.0 inning outing. I’m still going to call it promising, since batted ball luck is the less consistent part of the equation, but it was a pretty strange start for Elder. The most important thing for Bryce is to keep the walks down. I’m pretty skeptical that he’ll suddenly become a true strikeout pitcher, but if he can consistently walk batters at a rate similar to Saturday, he could finally take that step toward becoming a consistently playable major league pitcher.

Braves News

Charlie Morton led the Braves to a 3-2 overtime victory, with the offense doing just enough to pull out the win in the first game of the doubleheader.

Bryce Elder didn’t fare as well in his substitution, as the Braves lost 9-5 to the Cardinals in Game 2, despite the offense showing some strength.

MLB News

Young left-hander Luke Little’s season for the Cubs is likely over due to a shoulder injury he suffered before the All-Star Break.

Rumors are that Bo Bichette has a minor calf injury and will be out for a few weeks, making him unlikely to be considered for a trade.

JT Realmuto returned to the Phillies after a nearly month-long 10-day IL period due to minor knee surgery earlier in the summer.

Mike Trout is beginning his rehabilitation program and is expected to return to the Angels’ lineup soon.

Yandy Diaz will be placed on the restricted list for the Rays as he deals with a personal family matter that is expected to last several days.