Braves head to South Beach for three-game series against the Marlins

After a series win in New York, the Atlanta Braves will continue their road trip with a three-game series against the Miami Marlins. Atlanta scored a series win in a rain-shortened series against the Mets in New York with a doubleheader split on Monday. The Braves are 19-10 on the season and currently hold a three-game lead over the Marlins and Mets in the NL East standings.

After a rash of injuries to start the season, the Braves are slowly starting to get healthy. Kyle Wright and Max Fried are both back, as is Michael Harris II, who missed over two weeks with a lower back strain. Travis d’Arnaud is traveling with the team, but remains on the 7-day Concussion Injured List. Raisel Iglesias is currently on a rehab assignment with Gwinnett and could be nearing a return as well.

Atlanta got a bit of a scare Monday when Ronald Acuña Jr. left the second game of the doubleheader after he was hit in his left shoulder by a fastball from Mets starter Tylor Megill. The Braves later announced that it was a left shoulder contusion for Acuña. X-rays came back negative, but he was sent to a local hospital for additional imaging.

The Braves took three of four from the Marlins in Atlanta last week. Atlanta outscored Miami 24-8 over the first three games of the series and led 4-0 entering the ninth in the fourth before a bullpen-and-defense implosion sent them to a 5-4 loss. The Marlins returned home and swept the Cubs and enter the series riding a four-game winning streak.

Tuesday, May 2, 6:40 p.m. ET (Bally Sports South)

Bryce Elder (5 GS, 29.0 IP, 21.8 K%, 7.6 BB%, 54.9 GB%, 2.17 ERA, 4.07 FIP)

Elder was originally scheduled to start the series finale in New York, but was pushed back after two straight rainouts. He will open the series in Miami and will be facing the Marlins for the second straight time. He allowed a season-high four runs and three homers over 5 1/3 innings against Miami on April 26 at Truist Park. Those homers were the first that he has allowed all season.

Sandy Alcantara (5 GS, 30.1 IP, 20.8 K%, 7.2 BB%, 43.8 GB%, 5.04 ERA, 3.85 FIP)

It has been an uncharacteristically slow start for Sandy Alcantaram who will make his second straight appearance against the Braves in Tuesday’s opener. He looked more like himself for the first five innings against Atlanta back at Truist Park before running into trouble in the sixth. He allowed just four hits, but walked three and allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings. Alcantara has allowed 20 hits and 14 runs over his last 15 2/3 innings spanning three starts.

Wednesday, May 3, 6:40 p.m. ET (Bally Sports South)

Kyle Wright (4 GS, 16.2 IP, 21.5 K%, 11.4 BB%, 64.0 GB%, 4.86 ERA, 4.88 FIP)

Kyle Wright will make his fifth start of the season on Wednesday and is still trying to put it all together after a delayed start to the season. He looked like he was on his way, tossing three scoreless innings against the Marlins back in Atlanta before a three-hour rain delay ended his afternoon. Wright allowed the leadoff man to reach in all three innings, but tied a season high with six strikeouts.

Braxton Garrett (5 G, 4 GS, 22.0 IP, 20.4 K%, 3.2 BB%, 54.3 GB%, 2.45 ERA, 2.79 FIP)

Garrett matched up against Wright last Thursday and was equally effective, allowing just one hit over three scoreless innings before the delay. He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any start this season and has allowed just two combined runs over his last three starts.

Thursday, May 4, 4:10 p.m. ET (Bally Sports South, MLB Network)

Max Fried (4 GS, 20.0 IP, 24.3 K%, 5.4 BB%, 64.7 GB%, 0.45 ERA, 2.18 FIP)

Fried will make his fifth start of the season in Wednesday’s finale. He started Friday’s opener in New York and despite pitching in a downpour, allowed just three hits and struck out a season-high seven over five scoreless innings. Fried has a 3.58 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings in his career at Marlins Park.

Jesus Luzardo (6 GS, 33.2 IP, 27.0 K%, 7.8 BB%, 38.2 GB%, 3.48 ERA, 3.74 FIP)

Lefty Jesus Luzardo will close out the series for the Marlins. He allowed five hits and two runs over 6 1/3 innings in his last start against the Cubs. That snapped a streak of two straight starts where he failed to make it out of the fifth inning. Luzardo has faced the Braves four times in his career and has a 4.26 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 19 innings.