A pair of high-profile rookies will face each other on Tuesday when the Atlanta Braves host the Washington Nationals in the second game of a three-game series.
The Braves (74-83) won the opener 11-5 on Monday to extend their winning streak to nine games, the longest active run in the majors.
The pitching matchup features Atlanta’s Hurston Waldrep (5-1, 3.04 ERA) against Washington’s Brad Lord (5-8, 4.18), a pair of talented right-handers. The same two faced off on Wednesday in Washington, and Waldrep led the Braves to a 9-4 win.
Waldrep, 23, has become a mainstay of the rotation since he was recalled on Aug. 2 to make an emergency start against the Cincinnati Reds at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Waldrep pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed one run in relief that day, and he subsequently became a regular starter. He has given up more that two runs only twice in 10 appearances (nine starts) — though those two times were in his latest two outings.
Against the Nationals on Wednesday, Waldrep earned the victory after working five innings and allowing three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
“He was more of just a thrower when he was up here last year,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “He was just kind of launching the ball. Now he’s refined his stuff and is using different pitches.”
In two career starts against Washington (64-93), Waldrep is 1-1 with a 10.38 ERA. He allowed seven runs in 3 2/3 innings when he faced the Nationals on June 9, 2024, in his major league debut.
“I think he’s made some mechanical adjustments,” Snitker said. “He’s just more mature, you know. He’s a very talented guy, but they still have to pitch and get that experience in order to learn who they are. I think he’s figuring that out.”
Lord has split time between the rotation and the bullpen, with 17 of his 46 appearances coming as a starter. He rejoined the rotation in late July and has since gone 3-3 with a 5.01 ERA in 11 starts. Over his past three starts, he has allowed only six runs in 17 innings (3.18 ERA).
“He’s a dog out there,” Washington right fielder Dylan Crews said. “He doesn’t care who you are. He’s going to fill up the strike zone with all of his pitches. He’s awesome up there. He’s got that presence and that mentality that we need here.”
Lord, 25, would become the second Nationals rookie (since the franchise’s move to Washington in 2005) to work 120 innings and have an ERA below 4.00 if he works 5 2/3 scoreless innings. John Lannan had a 3.91 ERA in 2008.
“His fastball has got so much life that you want to work in and get another pitch or make that slider better,” interim Washington manager Miguel Cairo said. “But there’s not too many pitchers that have that life on the fastball.”
On Wednesday against the Braves, Lord gave up two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. In four appearances (one start) against Atlanta this season, he is 0-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.
Atlanta’s Ha-Seong Kim extended his hitting streak to 10 games on Monday. He is batting .309 (21-for-68) in 19 games since joining the Braves.
The Braves will play the rest of the season without second baseman Ozzie Albies, who broke the hamate bone in his left wrist while fouling off a pitch on Monday. Albies broke the same wrist last year and missed two months of action.
The team will have to decide in the offseason whether to pick up Albies’ $7 million contract option for 2026 or pay him a $4 million buyout.
–Field Level Media
