Braves open series with 5-2 win over Mets

With just six games remaining in the 2022 regular season, the Atlanta Braves will begin their most crucial series yet when they begin a three-game set against the New York Mets Friday night. The Braves enter play Friday one game back in the NL East standings and need to sweep the three-game series in order to claim the tie breaker advantage should the two teams tie at the end of the season.

We will be updating this article with pregame and postgame coverage so be sure to check back throughout the day.

• Series Preview and Pitching Matchups

Friday’s series opener will feature a marquee pitching matchup between Atlanta’s Max Fried and New York’s Jacob deGrom. Fried was originally scheduled to pitch in Washington earlier this week, but the Braves opted to give him a few extra days of rest. Starting him Friday also gives them the option of pitching him next Wednesday in Miami in the regular season finale should that game be important. The Mets also juggled their rotation to line up deGrom for Friday night’s game.

• NL Playoff picture still unsettled going into the weekend

The playoff picture for the National League is still unsettled going into the weekend. In addition to the Braves and Mets battling it out for the NL East crown, the Padres currently hold a 2.5 game lead over the Phillies for the second wild card. Philadelphia enters Friday with a just a half game lead over the Brewers for the final wild card spot. The Phillies are scheduled to play a doubleheader in Washington Friday although the weather forecast isn’t good. The Brewers will host the Marlins Friday in a game that will feature a good pitching matchup between Sandy Alcantara and Corbin Burnes.

• Mets calling up top prospect Francisco Alvarez

The Mets are adding catcher Francisco Alvarez to their active roster in time for Friday’s series opener in Atlanta. Alvarez just wrapped up his Triple A season where he hit .234/.382/.443 with nine home runs and a 121 wRC+.

• Weather update for Friday’s game

There were initially fears that this weekend’s series in Atlanta would be severely impacted by Hurricane Ian. It appears that they may have dodged that scenario as Ian pushed further east. The forecast for Truist Park is calling for a temperature around 70 for first pitch with a slight chance of rain late in the evening.

• Cory McCartney and Grant McAuley set the stage for this weekend’s series against the Mets

Where to watch tonight’s Braves/Mets matchup

The Braves need a playoff caliber performance from Max Fried and might they be catching Jacob deGrom at the right time. He’s allowed at least three runs in three straight starts. However, there is still this:

• Mets officially add Francisco Alvarez to the active roster

To make room on the active roster, New York placed Darin Ruf on the 10-day injured list and designated left-handed pitcher Alex Claudio for assignment.

• Michael Harris hitting third again for Atlanta. Francisco Alvarez will make major league debut for New York

Michael Harris has been steadily moving up the Braves’ batting order and will slot into the third spot for Friday’s series opener. William Contreras sticks in the lineup as the DH while Orlando Arcia gets another start at second.

• Brian Snitker discussed the playoff feel for this weekend’s series against the Mets and also provided injury updates on the status of Spencer Strider and Ozzie Albies.

• Prior to Friday’s game, Austin Riley talked about his recent slump and what it will take to get him going again.

“I like my cage work. I like my BP work,” he said. “It’s just a matter of going out there and executing a plan. It takes one barrel to click and get going again. Just looking forward to that.”

• The Braves also announced Friday that they have signed Charlie Morton to a one-year, $20 million deal for the 2023 season. The deal includes a $20 million club option for 2024.

• Max Fried held the Mets to just one run over five innings and retired the last 10 hitters he faced. However, he did not come back out for the sixth as he was replaced by Collin McHugh despite throwing just 71 pitches. Bally Sports Cameras caught Fried throwing up between innings which led to his exit.

• The Braves homered three times off of Jacob deGrom and then held on at the end as Kenley Jansen pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth for a 5-2 win. With the victory, Atlanta pulls back into a tie with the Mets for the division lead with five games remaining in the regular season.
• Austin Riley on homering off Jacob deGrom, Max Fried’s gutty performance.

• Brian Snitker on when he first found out Max Fried was sick and the importance of winning the first game of this weekend’s series.