Article author:
Reuters
Freddie Freeman, a fan favorite who led the Braves to the World Series Championship a year ago, will wear the Los Angeles Dodgers uniform when he returns to Atlanta on Friday night to start the three-game series. Two clubs that played in the National League pennants in 2021.
The Dodgers won two of the three team-to-team games in Los Angeles in April, both of which took place over the weekend. Atlanta has won three of four games against San Francisco and 18 of the last 21 games. Los Angeles won all three games from Cincinnati and dominated the season series with the third Reds in franchise history.
Freeman signed with the Dodgers as a free agent and earned $ 162 million over six years. Atlanta is the organization that led him to the second draft election. Freeman played against the Braves from 2010 to 2021 and was the MVP of the National League in 2020.
Atlanta bought Matt Olson from Auckland A in the spring to replace Freeman and signed a long-term contract. .. The two players, who are first baseman from the left, may be compared to each other for the rest of their careers.
This season, Freeman hit .303 with 23 doubles, 8 home runs and 45 RBIs. He was 4-11 with two home runs and three RBIs in three games against Atlanta in April. Olson hits .247 with 28 RBIs, 10 home runs and 38 RBIs, leading the Major League Baseball. He was 12-4 in two doubles against the Dodgers at his first meeting.
In the pitching match, Atlanta's Ian Anderson (6-3, 4.35 ERA) will appear against Los Angeles left-handed Julio Urías (4-6, 2.56).
Anderson has won three games in a row. He made a recent start with the Chicago Cubs on Sunday with 6 2/3 scoreless innings, enabling 3 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.
"I thought he was really good," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker later said. "He was really efficient and he was good at fastballs. It's good to have him in the 7th inning. When I looked up, his speed could have been 7th."
Anderson's only appearance against the Dodgers was in 2021, when he was defeated after allowing four runs in the 41/3 innings.
Urias suffered three consecutive losses when he defeated the Cleveland Guardians last Saturday. He threw 6 innings and allowed 1 unwinning run with 2 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. He hasn't won since May 20th.
"I don't think we've done a great job of providing Julio's run support this year," said Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes. "It's certainly easier to pitch with a four-run lead. You can seize the opportunity and don't have to worry about one mistake defeating you."
Urias 2-0 So, he has recorded 1.80 ERA in 4 appearances and 2 appearances against Atlanta. Both starts and both wins came last season. But the Braves settled him in the postseason. Urías was tagged with a save that was blown away in the second game and lost in the start of the fifth game in the NLCS.
The Braves need to be well rested. Third baseman Austin Riley, right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr., and left fielder Adam Duvall did not start Thursday with a 7-6 victory over the Giants.
– Field-level media
