Braves Set Lineup for Home Opener With Spencer Strider on the Mound

The Atlanta Braves are finally getting to play in Truist Park this season with the Arizona Diamondbacks in town for three games

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider is starting for the home opener after Wednesday's game was rained out. / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Finally, the Atlanta Braves have returned home.

After opening the season on the road...again, at Philadelphia...again, the Atlanta Braves get to bring the show to Truist Park for six games, starting with a weekend series against the defending National League champs in the Arizona Dimaondbacks.

Wednesday's rainout in Chicago means that Braves starter Spencer Strider gets to take the ball today, with lefties Max Fried and Chris Sale behind him.

Lineups for the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, April 5th

Here's how Atlanta will line up for the contest:

RF Ronald Acuña Jr
2B Ozzie Albies
3B Austin Riley
1B Matt Olson
DH Marcell Ozuna
LF Adam Duvall
CF Michael Harris II
SS Orlando Arcia
C Travis d'Arnaud

Spencer Strider's back on the bump today, making his second start of the season. He went five innings against the Phillies last week, striking out eight and allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. No Diamondbacks hitter has a long and successful track record against Strider, although 2B Ketel Marte is 2-6 with a 1.167 OPS.

Here's Arizona's lineup today:

2B Ketel Marte
CF Corbin Carroll
LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
1B Christian Walker
DH Joc Pederson
3B Eugenio Suárez
C Gabriel Moreno
SS Jace Peterson
RF Jake McCarthy

Nobody in Atlanta's lineup has faced Arizona lefty Tommy Henry before, but he's exactly the type of pitcher they excel against: a lower velocity lefty with a sinker, curveball, and changeup that he throws about equally because they're all not that great. Henry got torched by the Colorado Rockies in his first start of the year, going only four innings with five runs allowed on six hits and two walks, albeit it with four strikeouts.

How to Watch the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, April 5th

Today's game one is scheduled for a 7:20 PM ET first pitch with a full suite of broadcast options. In-market, the Braves broadcast is on Bally Sports South, with out-of-market fans being able to watch that or the Diamondbacks self-distributed feed on MLB.tv. For audio, the Arizona broadcast is available on ESPN Phoenix 620 & KQMR Latino Mix 100.3 FM, while the Atlanta Braves Radio Network has the standard broadcast on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan and affiliates across Braves Country.