The decision to start two catchers helped ignite the Atlanta offense.
The Braves, who host the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday in the second game of a three-game set, have primarily used catchers Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin in the starting lineup since the All-Star break with one behind the plate and the other at designated hitter.
Over those four games, the duo is 11-for-26 (.423) with four doubles, five walks and one hit by pitch. Baldwin was the DH on Monday and went 3-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs — one shy of the franchise rookie record of seven set by Wes Helms in 2001 — in Atlanta’s 9-5 victory.
The three-game series continues Tuesday in Atlanta.
Over the past six games, the Atlanta offense has averaged 6.7 runs. The Braves average 4.2 runs per game for the season.
“Just more at-bats get you more comfortable,” Baldwin said. “You see the ball more. You don’t have to readjust when you get back in the game or play every other day. The more comfortable you get in the box.”
The pitching matchup for Tuesday features a pair of right-handers in San Francisco’s Landen Roupp (6-6, 3.27 ERA) and Atlanta’s Davis Daniel (0-0, 1.80).
Roupp will make his 20th start and will be asked to help snap San Francisco’s six-game losing streak. He took a loss in his most recent start on July 12 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he pitched six innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits, one walk and eight strikeouts on a season-high 104 pitches. The Braves lost 2-1.
“I just had full control of everything,” Roupp said. “My last outing there at Dodger Stadium (June 14), I really just didn’t have a feel for anything. This was a little different and I was able to get through six.”
Roupp beat the Braves 4-3 on June 8 in San Francisco, allowing three runs on five hits, two walks and two strikeouts in six innings. He has made three career appearances against Atlanta, the other two in relief, going 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA.
“There’s a lot of growing in this game from outing to outing,” said Roupp, who is in his second season in the majors. “Just learning what works and what doesn’t. I feel really good about the season and I’m ready to keep going.”
Daniel is the latest player given a chance to contribute to the Atlanta starting rotation in the wake of the team’s pile of injuries.
He was drafted and signed by the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. He went 1-4 with a 6.23 ERA in 2024 but was designated for assignment in December. He began the season in Triple-A and appeared in 15 games, 14 of them starts, going 5-7 with a 3.52 ERA at Gwinnett.
Daniel made one relief appearance for the Braves in April and was recalled again on July 13 to face the St. Louis Cardinals. He worked four innings and allowed one run on two hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
Daniel will need to deal with the bat of Willy Adames, who continued his hot hitting on Monday, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and a home run. In 16 games in July, Adames is batting .333 (20-for-60) with five doubles, one triple, six homers, 16 RBIs and 12 runs.
–Field Level Media
