Braves @ Athletics GameThread: 5/29/2023

Happy Michael Soroka Day. He’s making his 2023 debut and return to the majors after close to three years away, and is facing another 2023 debutee in Paul Blackburn. The Athletics are also taking this chance to grant a 2023 debut to another player, Jonah Bride, who is hitting ninth and playing third base today.

Here’s the Statcast graphic for tonight.

Again, that’s not a happy set of xwOBAs for the Athletics. For the Braves, it’s nice to see Austin Riley’s xwOBA keep creeping up into solidly above average territory. I do wonder if, or perhaps (hopefully?) when the Braves will begin the transition away from Eddie Rosario, who is rapidly approaching the same levels of futility he showed with an eye issue in 2021... except he presumably doesn’t have the eye condition to explain his lack of success anymore.

First pitch is scheduled for 8:07 pm ET.