The Braves start a three-game series in the Steel City tonight, and will look to put a gnarly four-game sweep behind them. After being largely manhandled by the Rockies over the weekend, the Braves will turn to hard throwing righty prospect Bryse Wilson to start tonight against the Pirates, as he was called up from AAA today to make his first Major League start. He joins Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard as the third 20-year-old Braves pitcher to make his Major League debut in 2018.
If Wilson and the Braves are going to reverse their losing ways and post a W on Monday night, they will be doing it behind the strength of the following lineup:
.@BryseWilson makes his big-league debut tonight in Pittsburgh! #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/Hp6iTvfBh6
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 20, 2018
There is a bit of a different feel for tonight’s order, as Ender Inciarte jumps up into the two-slot, and Ozzie Albies drops to 6th. Dansby Swanson returns from his day off and goes back to his normal spot at 8.
As Pirates starter Chris Archer spent the majority of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays and had limited exposure to the Braves, only three Braves have ever faced him. Only two of them - Nick Markakis and Kurt Suzuki - are in the starting lineup. Neither Markakis nor Suzuki have fared particularly well against him, with Kakes slashing .182/.250/.182/.432 over 11 plate appearances, and Suzuki going 0-for-1 with a walk.
In Wilson’s first start, the Pirates will line up against him accordingly:
Here's our lineup for tonight, presented by Honda.#LetsGoBucs
— Pirates (@Pirates) August 20, 2018
@ATTSportsNetPIT
@937theFan
https://t.co/Swy5xDqm5X
https://t.co/rwNWAdkIGc pic.twitter.com/s291jBIuxa
As Wilson’s first pitch tonight will be his first at the big league level, he has obviously never faced any of these Pirates professionally.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm ET.