BRAVES NEWS
Foltynewicz shines, Tucker homers again in 7-1 win over Nationals
The Braves jumped on the Nationals early in Wednesday afternoon’s contest, as Preston Tucker drove a three-run homer into the bullpen in right center to give Mike Foltynewicz a comfortable cushion with which to work. The right-hander did just that, out-dueling perennial Cy Young candidate Max Scherzer to give Atlanta an impressive series victory. Foltynewicz allowed just one run over 5.1 innings, striking out eight batters.
Braves call up Luke Jackson, designate Chris Stewart for assignment
In a somewhat surprising move, the Braves called up right-handed reliever Luke Jackson on Wednesday, designating catcher Chris Stewart to make room on the major league roster. Jackson has been inconsistent throughout his career, though he does possess a high-90’s fastball that could play well if he is able to harness it.
Where Braves’ Top 30 prospects are starting season
If you missed it on Wednesday, it was revealed where each of the Braves’ top prospects would begin the season by MLB Pipeline. The players outside the top 30 prospects should be announced on Thursday, so keep an eye out for where to find your favorite sleeper prospects this season.
MLB NEWS
Rockies ink Blackmon to 6-year deal
The Rockies locked up a key member of their potent offense on Wednesday, signing Charlie Blackmon to a six-year deal beginning in 2019. The deal takes a potentially intriguing piece off the market for Atlanta this offseason. Blackmon played at nearby Georgia Tech, and while he could have been a boost to the Braves offense, his home/road splits would have made even his biggest fans in Atlanta wary.
The hype is real: Ohtani has been outstanding
Shohei Ohtani hit another home run on Wednesday, his second in as many games, this time taking Corey Kluber deep to left-center. Ohtani has been incredible in his first week of action, touching 99 MPH on the mound on Sunday, then blasting two home runs in the games that followed. The Angels’ phenom has certainly lived up to the hype thus far.