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Fresh off a four-game sweep of the San Diego Padres, the Atlanta Braves are back to the .500 mark and will face the Washington Nationals for the first time this season. The series will feature some elite starting pitching with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg both scheduled to start for Washington along with Julio Teheran for Atlanta. The Braves could have an edge if they can find a way to get to the Nationals’ bullpen which has amassed a 6.25 ERA over the first 12 games of the season.
Tuesday, April 18, 7:35 p.m. ET (Fox Sports South)
Mike Foltynewicz will make just his second start of the season on Tuesday thanks to a pair of off days built into the early schedule. He lasted just 3 2⁄3 innings in his first start in Pittsburgh allowing six hits and two runs while walking three. He made a relief appearance in Miami last week and allowed two more runs including a home run but struck out four over two innings.
Foltynewicz has faced the Nationals twice in his career and is 1-0 after allowing five runs over 11 2⁄3 innings.
The Braves will have their work cut out for them against Nationals’ starter Max Scherzer who is off to another terrific start. Scherzer enters Tuesday start with a 1-1 record and a 2.13 ERA. He has struck out 17 over his first 12 2⁄3 innings. He struck out 10 but took the loss in his last outing against the Cardinals allowing three runs (1 earned) over six innings.
Scherzer has faced the Braves 12 times in his career and is 5-3 with a 3.70 ERA. He was a perfect 4-0 in five starts last season with a 3.78 ERA.
Wednesday, April 19, 7:35 p.m. ET (Fox Sports South)
Julio Teheran will make his fourth start of the season for the Braves on Wednesday and will be looking to add to his early success. Teheran has allowed just two earned runs and has struck out 15 over his first 19 innings this season. He allowed five hits and two runs over six innings while picking up his first victory of the season last time out against the Padres. Teheran is 3-3 with a 4.04 ERA in 14 career starts against the Nationals.
Washington has not yet announced who will make Wednesday’s start opposite of Teheran.
Thursday, April 20, 7:35 p.m. ET (MLB Network, Fox Sports South)
R.A. Dickey will be looking to build off a solid outing last time out when he wraps up Atlanta’s three-game set against Washington on Thursday. Dickey allowed seven hits and two runs while striking out six over six innings while picking up his first victory of the season in his last start against the Padres. He is 1-1 on the season with a 3.86 ERA allowing 16 hits and five earned runs over 11 2⁄3 innings in his first two starts.
The Nationals will counter with Stephen Strasburg who is off to a good start in 2017 pitching at least seven innings while allowing three runs or less in each of his first three starts. Strasburgh picked up a no-decision in his last start against the Phillies allowing five hits and two runs over seven innings. He was 2-1 with a 4.22 ERA in four starts against Atlanta last season.