Braves Don The Friday Night Reds for Series Opener Versus Guardians

The Atlanta Braves are getting tested this weekend with MLB's winningest team, the Cleveland Guardians, in town for a three-game set.

Pitcher Chris Sale takes the mound for the Atlanta Braves tonight against the Cleveland Guardians / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves have their work cut out for them.

After four series against bad teams with a combined .207 winning percentage (Chicago White Sox, the Miami Marlins twice, and the Houston Astros), the Braves are welcoming the Cleveland Guardians and their MLB-best 18 wins to Truist Park for a three-game set.  

The Braves are prepping for a lefty duel tonight, with veteran Chris Sale (2-1, 4.38 ERA) set to take the mound against Cleveland’s Logan Allen (3-0, 5.06 ERA). 

Lineups for the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians on Friday, April 26th 

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
C Travis d’Arnaud
CF Michael Harris II
SS Orlando Arcia
LF Adam Duvall

Sale’s showing the improved health that he told us about when he joined the team, completing seven innings in both of his most recent starts. He’s made one start against Cleveland in the last four years, coming last April 30th, where he went 6.1 innings with one run allowed on three hits in a 7-1 Boston Red Sox victory. Sale walked no one and struck out five while holding José Ramírez to an 0-3. (The Guardians starter in that game, coincidentally? Logan Allen.) 

Here's the Guardians lineup:

LF Steven Kwan
CF Tyler Freeman
3B José Ramírez
DH Josh Naylor
1B David Fry
RF Ramon Laureano
2B Gabriel Arias
C Austin Hedges
SS Brayan Rocchio

Logan Allen’s made five starts this season and has yet to lose any of them, going 3-0 with a 5.06 ERA. He tends to not go very deep in his outings, with the exception of 6.2 scoreless against the Mariners on April 3rd, having failed to get out of the sixth in two starts and past the 5th in two others. The 25-year-old has never faced Atlanta in his two-year major league career and no Braves hitter has recorded an at-bat off of the young lefty. 

How to Watch the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians on Friday, April 26th

Today's series opener is scheduled for a 7:20 PM ET first pitch and is being aired by Bally Sports, with the Braves broadcast on Bally Sports South and the Guardians broadcast on Bally Sports Great Lakes.  

If you’d rather just listen, the Guardians radio broadcast is available on WTAM 1100 and WMMS 100.7, while the Atlanta Braves Radio Network has the standard broadcast on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan and affiliates across Braves Country.