The visiting San Diego Padres will try to cool off the Atlanta Braves’ revived offense when they open a four-game series on Monday.
The Braves, fresh off a series win against Texas, have scored at least five runs in nine straight home games dating back to July 1, its longest stretch since a 10-game streak in June 2019. Atlanta scored a combined 29 runs in taking two-of-three from the Rangers over the weekend, including Sunday’s 8-5 win.
The Padres, who swept a three-game series against Atlanta in June, avoided being swept at Kansas City on Sunday by beating the Royals 19-2. The win pulled San Diego to within one game of .500.
“This close to a series win, which is what our goal is anytime we play somebody,” San Diego manager Craig Stammen said. “Now it’s on to the Braves and try to win that series somehow against a good team, which we played good against at home. Hopefully we can keep those good feelings going against them and play our best baseball.”
Heating up for Atlanta are catcher Drake Baldwin and third baseman Austin Riley.
Baldwin was 5-for-5 on Sunday – becoming the first Atlanta catcher with a five-hit game since Johnny Estrada in 2004 — and was 10-for-14 with three homers and eight RBIs in the Texas series.
“After a couple of days off, coming back and I was kind of a little recharged,” Baldwin said. “It’s nice to see that we’re firing on all cylinders with the offense, so it’s just kind of carrying that momentum forward.”
Riley, who had gone 4-for-21 on the road trip prior to the All-Star Game, was 6-for-12 with three homers, five RBIs and five runs scored in the Texas series. He hit two homers and drove in four runs in the series finale, reaching four homers this month after he didn’t have any in June.
“The first half beat me up pretty good,” Riley said. “Just needed to clear my head.”
The starting pitchers for the series opener will be Atlanta right-hander Bryce Elder (5-6, 4.12 ERA) vs. San Diego southpaw JP Sears (2-2, 5.03).
Sears will be making his fifth start of the season. In his last outing on July 10 against Toronto, he pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on six hits and one walk, striking out three.
Sears has made four career starts against the Braves, going 1-1 with a 3.80 ERA. He beat the Braves on June 24 in San Diego after throwing 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs in a 5-2 victory.
Elder has struggled of late. He was 5-3 with a 2.66 ERA through June 7, but over the last four starts has gone 0-3 with an 11.00 ERA. In his last outing on July 9 against Pittsburgh, he allowed four runs (three earned) in four innings. He has worked exactly four innings in three of the last four starts after throwing six-plus in 10 of his first 14.
Elder has had no luck against the Padres. In two career starts, he’s 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA, although he has not faced them since 2024.
San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. was 2-for-5 with four RBIs on Sunday. He has reached base safely in 18 of his last 19 road games and is hitting .333 (26-for-78) with 15 RBIs during that stretch.
Ty France homered twice on Sunday and is batting .417 (5-for-12) with two doubles, three homers and six RBIs since the break.
–Field Level Media
