The Toronto Blue Jays will try to cool off the bat of Braves slugger Ronald Acuna Jr. when they open a three-game series in Atlanta on Tuesday.
Acuna has homered in four straight games, with five homers during that time, and appears to be regaining the form that was slowed by an early-season injury. Acuna missed 14 games with a strained left hamstring and returned to the lineup on May 18.
Until connecting for a grand slam in Boston on Thursday, Acuna had not homered since April 24.
Acuna led off Sunday’s game against Cincinnati with a home run, his 39th career leadoff blast. It was the fourth time in his career that he’s gone deep in four straight games, the first since May 14-17, 2023.
“I’m feeling better and better every day,” Acuna said. “Baseball is the process. Sometimes you feel good, but you don’t have the results. Now I see the results.”
Toronto will turn to veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman to slow down Acuna. Gausman (4-3, 3.13) will be opposed by Atlanta righty Bryce Elder (4-3, 2.50).
Gausman has been hard to touch in his last three games, pitching to a 1.02 ERA with 18 strikeouts and just three walks during that stretch. In his last appearance on Wednesday, he allowed one run over five innings but did not receive a decision against Miami in a Toronto win.
Gausman, who pitched for Atlanta from 2018-19, is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA against Braves in four career starts.
Elder, a right-hander, is coming off his worst start of the season. On Wednesday at Boston, he worked a season-low 3 1/3 innings and allowed a season-high six runs (five earned) and nine hits. The poor outing raised his ERA from 1.97 to 2.50, still sixth-best in the National League entering Monday.
“I have all the confidence in the world in Bryce,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “That’s the first really tough one he’s had in a really long time.”
Elder has made one career start against Toronto, in 2023, and did not receive a decision after allowing two runs over five innings.
The Blue Jays aren’t certain whether outfielder Jesus Sanchez will be able to play on Tuesday. He had to leave the game in the sixth inning when a young fan, approximately 12 to 13, tossed a ball from the stands toward Sanchez, striking him in the wrist and causing enough discomfort for manager John Schneider to remove him. X-rays were negative and Sanchez will be re-evaluated before the game.
“I’m sure the kid feels bad. I’m assuming there’s no ill intent there,” Schneider said. “Not ideal. Balls should not be coming into the field of play.”
Sanchez has been a steady bat in the Toronto lineup, hitting .287 with six homers and 28 RBIs.
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been heating up. He is hitting .394 (13-for-33) over the last 10 games to lift his average to .298. Guerrero is hitting .269 with two homers in 21 career games against the Braves.
The Blue Jays won two of three against the Braves last season in Toronto. The Jays lead the all-time interleague series 41-35, including the postseason, but Atlanta leads 22-19 at home.
–Field Level Media
