The Atlanta Braves return home tonight after a dismal 6-game road trip to open a 3-game set with the St. Louis Cardinals. Both of these teams have been struggling, with Atlanta going 1-6 over their last 7 and St. Louis is 1-4 in their last 5. The Braves once had a 10.5 game lead in the NL East but that has shrunk to just 3 games over the Philadelphia Phillies. The good news is the Braves return home tonight to Truist Park where they boast a 24-14 record. Two southpaws are expected to get the nod with Martín Pérez for the Braves and Matthew Liberatore for the Cards. Pérez has been a steady fixture in the rotation with a record of 6-4, a 3.00 ERA, and 1.11 WHIP. That can’t be said for Liberatore who is 3-5 with a 5.56 ERA, a 1.58 WHIP, and it gets worse. Over his last 3 turns, Liberatore is 0-2 with an ERA in the stratosphere at 11.91 and a 2.03 WHIP. If the Braves are going to turn things around it will be tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES