Braves lineup goes for jugular, sweep on Sunday

Brian Snitker wants a sweep. Look at this Sunday lineup, after the series has already been secured. Gaze upon it. Behold.

It’s the same lineup that paid dividends for the Braves late yesterday, and the Braves will be looking to sweep away the Nationals in D.C. for the first time since 2013. The Nationals throw Howie Kendrick and Brian Dozier into the fray against the southpaw Fried, using a defensive arrangement they’ve used eight times before, and a lineup they’ve deployed six times in this same order.

Basically every member of Atlanta’s roster is familiar with Anibal Sanchez at this point, and as an opposing hitter in addition to a teammate. Brian McCann and Tyler Flowers have both taken him deep twice; Josh Donaldson and Adam Duvall have added a dinger apiece. Billy Hamilton and Charlie Culberson (the sole roster member never to face Sanchez, get well soon!) are the only two current Braves position players to be hitless in their careers against Sanchez. The Nationals are far less familiar with Max Fried, though they still have faced him twice already this season, and once during his dominant September start against them. No member of their roster has taken Fried deep.

First pitch is at 1:38 pm EDT. The Braves will be playing, but they don’t seem to be playing around with this lineup.