Cleveland Indians-Atlanta Braves Series Preview

Cleveland Indians-Atlanta Braves Series Preview 6/27-6/29

The Cleveland Indians (43-30) head to Georgia to take on the Atlanta Braves (26-49) in a three-game interleague series. The Indians enter the series with a five-game lead in the American Central over the Kansas City Royals. The Brave, meanwhile, are owner’s of the second-worst record in all of baseball ahead of only the Minnesota Twins. This is the first and only time the two clubs will meet in 2016. The Indians last played the Braves was also at Turner Field back in August of 2013 when Atlanta swept the Indians in the three-game series.

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The pitching probables for the series are:

"Monday (6/27): RHP Trevor Bauer (5-2, 3.20 ERA) vs RHP John Gant (1-2, 4.45)Tuesday (6/28): RHP Corey Kluber (7-7, 3.59) vs RHP Matt Wisler (3-7, 4.22)Wednesday (6/29): RHP Danny Salazar (9-3, 2.40) vs TBD"

Bauer is coming off his best start of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays in which he threw a complete game allowing just one run. He gets the start Monday in place of Kluber due to Corey throwing his own complete game (and 115 pitches). The Indians have bumped Kluber back to Tuesday to give him an extra day off (will actually get two extra days off thanks to the off day on Thursday). Salazar will be making his second career start at Turner Field, having started back on August 27th, 2013. He’ll look to last a bit longer than the four innings he went in that one (though he only allowed two runs).

The Braves have yet to announce who their Wednesday starter will be. They currently have a nine-man bullpen and only a four-man rotation so some move will likely be made before the series finale.

The Indians will be without their designated hitter for the series as the games will be played in a National League park by National League rules. This almost certainly means one of the Tribe’s home run leaders (Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana) will be on the bench although manager Terry Francona did hint back in April that Santana could maybe see some time in the outfield…

It would be an interesting move, especially with the Braves throwing at least two right-handed starters at the Indians. An outfield of Santana, Tyler Naquin, and Lonnie Chisenhall maybe could happen if Jose Ramirez is at third base. If the Indians were going to try it, this would be the series considering the Braves struggles to this point.

The Indians, of course, have been red-hot so keeping their leadoff man in the lineup and putting the best hitters on the field is a plus. If Santana does sit look for Rajai Davis to get more looks in the leadoff spot and possibly Michael Martinez getting a start in the outfield again (assuming Jason Kipnis is healthy and ready to go).

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The Cleveland Indians will look to extend their nine-game winning streak but will have to do it against a Braves team that has won eight of their last 11 games. This will also mark the final trip the Indians will ever make to Turner Field as the Braves are set to open their new ballpark in 2017. Following their three-game set in Atlanta, the Indians will head north of the border to take on the Toronto Blue Jays in a four-game set to close out this long ten-game road trip.

Here are the lineups for the opener tonight: