GDB 143.0: Jose Berrios, Blue Jays look to bounce back against Braves

Photo credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
By Zach Laing
Sep 7, 2024, 13:54 EDT
After dropping Game 1 of their weekend series against the Atlanta Braves, the Toronto Blue Jays will look to bounce back Saturday night.
Jose Berrios, who has been red hot for the team, will look to lead the charge, but the Braves’ starting pitcher could prove to be another challenge. 24-year-old Spencer Schwellenbach took a huge leap this season, starting the year in High-A and Double-A ball, before the Braves called him up in late May.
He’s made 16 starts this season, posting a 3.69 ERA and 3.12 FIP, striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings. He has six pitches, a four-seam fastball, slider, cutter, curveball, split-finger and a sinker. He utilizes his fastball 27 percent of thee time, averaging 96 MPH, while using his sinker just seven percent of the time. The other pitches get mixed in between 14 and 19 percent. He’s rarely had a poor start, allowing six earned runs once, and four just three times.
The last five starts for Berrios have seen him regain early-season form, posting a 1.56 ERA and 3.04 FIP, allowing a .565 OPS to opposing hitters. He’s struggled against many of the Braves’ batters in the past, but will look to buck that trend.
First pitch: 7:20 p.m. EST.
TV & Radio: Sportsnet, SN590, TVA Sports.
Odds via Bet365:
Moneyline: TOR +140; ATL -165.
Spread: TOR +1.5 -155; ATL -1.5 +130.
Over/Under: o8 -105; u8 -115.
Spread: TOR +1.5 -155; ATL -1.5 +130.
Over/Under: o8 -105; u8 -115.
*Odds at the time of publishing. Odds subject to change.
Starting pitchers:
| Name | Team | GS | W | L | IP | ERA | xERA | ERA- | FIP | WHIP | K/9 | BB/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
José Berríos | TOR | 28 | 14 | 9 | 170.1 | 3.59 | 4.91 | 89 | 4.80 | 1.15 | 7.08 | 2.48 |
Spencer Schwellenbach | ATL | 16 | 5 | 6 | 92.2 | 3.69 | 3.06 | 88 | 3.12 | 1.07 | 10.10 | 1.85 |
Lineups:
BLUE JAYS:
- TBA
BRAVES:
- TBA
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Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
