Braves Trying to Avoid Sweep in Game Two of Doubleheader

The Atlanta Braves are playing two against the San Diego Padres today before flying to Chicago tonight for tomorrow's series opener with the Cubs. Here's the game one lineups and how to watch

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves are playing two today. 

After inclement weather forced the postponement of Saturday’s scheduled game two, the Braves will play a split doubleheader today...yes, on getaway day. Game one will be at 12:20 as scheduled and game two will start at 6:20 PM, with the Braves boarding a plane immediately afterward to fly to Chicago for tomorrow night’s matchup with the Cubs. 

The Braves are sending up offseason acquisitions Reynaldo López (2-1, 1.34) and Chris Sale (6-1, 2.54), while the Padres are countering with Dylan Cease (5-3, 2.45) and Randy Vásquez (0-2, 6.32).  

Lineups for the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres on Monday, May 20th 

Here's how Atlanta will line up for game one:

RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
2B Ozzie Albies
DH Marcell Ozuna
1B Matt Olson
SS Orlando Arcia
CF Michael Harris II
3B Zack Short
LF Jarred Kelenic
C Chadwick Tromp

As expected, Austin Riley continues to be held out of the lineup after being removed from Sunday’s game with “left side tightness”, later diagnosed as “inflammation” via MRI. Zack Short will get his sixth consecutive start at third base for Atlanta. As expected, Travis d’Arnaud is also being held out of game one’s lineup after being removed from Friday’s game with “dizziness”. He’s reportedly feeling much better and the plan is for him to return to action for game two. 

López is making his eighth start of the season but is looking for his first win since April 16th; he’s taken a loss and three no-decisions since then. He’s struck out 40 in his 40.1 innings with only two homers allowed, while no active Padres hitter has a career homer off of him in 52 combined at-bats.  

Here's the Padres lineup:

DH Luis Arraez
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
LF Jurickson Profar
1B Jake Cronenworth
3B Manny Machado
2B Xander Bogaerts
CF Jackson Merrill
C Luis Campusano
SS Ha-Seong Kim

Cease has been masterful since joining the Padres right before their season-opening series in Korea against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s second in ERA only to Yu Darvish (2.08) and is the team’s innings leader with 55 across his first nine starts, averaging just over six innings per start. 

There’s not a lot of historic success for the Braves against Cease - Ronald Acuña Jr, is 1-1 with a double, Michael Harris II is 1-2, Matt Olson is 1-6 with an RBI, and both Zack Short and Travis d’Arnaud (who is not expected to appear in game one) are 1-4. 

Game two lineups and pitching matchup to come after game one

Here's how Atlanta will line up for game two:

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

Travis d’Arnaud makes his return to the lineup for the first time since being removed from Friday night’s game for dizziness following a foul tip to the catcher’s mask, batting 5th.

Sale’s looking to continue his hot start in this one - he’s allowed a total of two runs across his last four outings, a span of twenty-five innings where he’s walked only two and struck out thirty-four. He faced San Diego once last season while with Boston: On May 20th, he went seven innings with two runs allowed on three hits, walking one and striking out eight. Both runs came off of solo homers, by Juan Soto (now with the New York Yankees) and Fernando Tatis Jr. 

Here's the Padres lineup:

2B Luis Arraez
RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
LF Jurickson Profar
1B Jake Cronenworth
DH Manny Machado
3B Donovan Solano
SS Ha-Seong Kim
CF José Azocar
C Kyle Higashioka

Vasquez is making his fifth start of the season and is coming off of the worst one of the bunch: Five runs on eight hits in just 3.2 innings against the Colorado Rockies last week. He made one start against the Braves in his career, coming as a member of the New York Yankees last season, and it wasn’t that great, giving up two runs on two hits with three walks in just 3.1 innings of a 2-0 Atlanta victory.

How to Watch the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres on Monday, May 20th 

This afternoon’s doubleheader is being broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast with game one set for 12:20 PM and game two at 6:20 PM ET.  

If you’d rather just listen, the Padres radio broadcast is available on KWFN 97.3 & XEMO 860 while the Atlanta Braves Radio Network has the standard broadcast on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan and affiliates across Braves Country.