Braves vs. Padres Preview: Atlanta hopes for series win in Reylando Lopez’s last start before the All-Star break

After winning Game 1 comfortably, the Braves will look to secure the series victory in a primetime matchup on FOX in San Diego with the help of Reynaldo Lopez.

Lopez has probably been more “pretty good” than All-Star level this season, but even that is pretty valuable and much better than anyone expected when he was signed and reported to start. His ERA so far has been a spectacular 1.71, with his FIP, xFIP and xERA being anywhere from 3.1-4.2, which is still pretty useful. Walks seem to have increased recently, something to keep an eye on as he gets further into the season as a starter, which he hasn’t done in recent years. He’s had a ton of success with his slider, which he’s pitched well and has added some depth this season. This isn’t a Bryce Elder level All-Star mirage, so while some decline is to be expected, hopefully he’ll return to more of a mid-rotation arm rather than the really tough second half we saw from Elder last year.

On the other hand, the Padres will send Dylan Cease to the mound. Cease was a big deal in the offseason and was once considered a big target for the Braves, but the Padres pulled off another big trade under AJ Preller. Cease has been the polar opposite of Reynaldo this season, as he has a similar FIP to Lopez and better xFIP and xERA numbers, but he was unlucky in that his ERA was significantly higher than his peripherals. They were roughly equal level pitchers overall this season, perhaps with a slight plus point for Cease, but they had completely different results in preventing runs. Much like Lopez, he is primarily a two-pitch pitcher who uses his four-seamer and slider about 90% of the time. Cease’s slider is a fantastic pitch and has been very effective, but his fastball has been absolutely destroyed this season, despite producing less bad results last season. He will occasionally throw in a knuckle curve that is also pretty hittable. Braves hitters should definitely try to do damage with the fastball, but watch out for the nasty slider.

Marcell Ozuna already set the Atlanta record for RBIs before the All-Star break. Let’s see how many more he can add in these final two games. That’s really incredible considering the Braves have been a mediocre team in the league in terms of scoring runs this season.

Game Information

Date/time of the game: Saturday, July 12, 7:15 p.m. ET

Location: Petco Park, San Diego, California

TV: FOX

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM