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    Takeaways from Atlanta's series opening loss to the Miami Marlins

    The Braves dropped the first game of the opener and hopefully didn't lose Ronald Acuña Jr to a calf injury

    The Atlanta Braves dropped game one of their weekend series with the Miami Marlins, 9-6, on Friday night from LoanDepot Park in Miami. Here's what you need to know from the opener: 

    Miami jumped on Atlanta early

    Sep 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez (3) hits a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at loanDepot Park.

    The Braves have punished opposing pitchers this season, especially in the first inning. 

    Tonight was a little payback. 

    Miami struck for three runs in the first inning, with Luis Arraez setting the tone with a leadoff home run, one of TWO homers on the night for the soft-swatting Arraez. After the homer, Miami hitters doubles, singled, and tripled against Bryce Elder to start Atlanta in an early hole. 

    The Braves pitching staff didn't have answers tonight

    Sep 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder (55) and catcher Travis d'Arnaud (16) stand on the mound between batters against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park.

    Atlanta pitchers gave up nine runs on thirteen hits in this one, with seven of the thirteen going for extra bases. 

    Bryce Elder and Brad Hand took the brunt of the damage in this one, with each pitcher getting tagged for four runs in their outings. (The big difference being, obviously, that Elder's was over five innings and Hand's was 1/3rd of an inning, with three hits and a walk). 

    As we get closer to the postseason, there's going to be lots of evaluation happening about which pitchers deserve postseason roster spots and what roles they'll play. Tonight didn't help, but the book's not closed on either pitcher.  

    Ronald Acuña Jr left the game early

    Sep 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr.(13) blows a bubblegum in the dugout during the fifth inning at loanDepot Park.

    Ronald Acuña Jr was lifted from the game to begin the bottom of the 7th inning as a precautionary measure, with calf tightness. 

    Yes, Ronald's close to 40 homeruns and 70 steals, but I think we can all agree that potentially losing him to an injury isn't worth whatever accolades would come with hitting an arbitrary statistical production mark. 

    Hopefully Ronald's okay and this was just an abundance of caution.  

    What's next for the Braves? 

    Atlanta's back in the saddle on Saturday afternoon, with Jared Shuster the expected starter. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PM ET, and the game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southeast. 

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    Ronald Acuna Jr.

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