Lineup, how to watch the Braves series opener in Toronto against the Blue Jays

The Braves send Spencer Strider to Canada to face off against Toronto's Chris Bassitt

After two off days this week, Atlanta gets back into the grind with six games in six days, starting tonight in Toronto. 

Spencer Strider takes the ball as his strikeout prowess (and this quick-strike offense) look to create an international incident tonight against a Blue Jays team that sits 21-16 but also in 4th place, 8 games back, in what is currently the best division in baseball, the AL East.

Lineup

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

Tonight we’re #ForTheEh. pic.twitter.com/0hbJXmazmX

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 12, 2023

Now that every position player is healthy, the lineup is rather consistent: The top four remain Ronald Acuña Jr, Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Sean Murphy. Eddie Rosario is the primary option in left field, while Ozzie Albies bats after him. Travis d'Arnaud is tonight's DH, batting 7th, and Michael Harris II and Orlando Arcia bat 8th and 9th, respectively.  

Pitching Matchup

Starting for the Braves is Spencer Strider. Currently functioning as the ace of this rotation in the absence of an injured Max Fried, Strider is 4-0 on the year across his seven starts, with a 2.70 ERA, sixty-seven strikeouts at 15.1 K/9 (both of which lead all of baseball), and fourteen walks in his forty innings. He's gotten nine or more strikeouts in all but one of his outings this year, and gotten into double-digits twice. He's never faced Toronto, and the only two rostered players for the Blue Jays that have faced him are outfielder Daulton Varsho (0-2, formerly of the Diamondbacks) and 1B/DH Brandon Belt (1-2, formerly of the Giants)

Facing off against Atlanta is Chris Bassitt. He's 4-2 this year across his seven starts for Toronto, with a 4.27 ERA and 33 strikeouts in his 40 innings. He's a known quantity to the Braves, having faced Atlanta three times during his Mets career and going 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA in those outings. Several Braves have great success against him, with SS Orlando Arcia being 3-3, Austin Riley being 3-7 with a home run and a RBI, and Travis d'Arnaud being 3-5 with three RBIs against him.  

How to Watch

The game broadcast, with Voice of the Braves Brandon Gaudin, is available inside Braves Country on Bally Sports South/Bally Sports Southeast/ESPN/Apple TV/Fox/TBS, and is available on MLB.TV outside of the broadcast area. The radio call, with Ben Ingram, is available locally on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan or outside the Atlanta market on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network or MLB.com.

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