Carlos Santana is expected to make his debut with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night when they play the Atlanta Braves in the second contest of their three-game series.
The Brewers acquired Santana, a first baseman, from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday for 18-year-old prospect Jhonny Severino.
“I think we’re really happy to get just a proven player in this league,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Santana. “Very experienced, great reputation in the league and obviously somebody on both sides of the ball who (can) be very effective and very helpful for this team.”
Santana is batting .235 to go along with 12 homers and 53 RBIs in 94 games this season. The 37-year-old switch hitter welcomed the change from elevating from the cellar-dwelling Pirates to the National League Central-leading Brewers.
“I feel good and happy for it,” Santana said. “They’re playing good. They have a lot of good players. They play to win. They’re fighting to make the playoffs.”
Milwaukee recorded its best offensive performance since the All-Star break by scoring seven runs on Friday. Unfortunately for the Brewers, they also received their worst pitching effort in that stretch in a 10-7 setback to NL East-leading Atlanta.
Marcell Ozuna homered to lead off the fourth inning and Austin Riley and Matt Olson added solo shots in the seventh as the Braves banged out 15 hits.
“Everybody is always one swing away. Whether it’s going the best for them or not the best for them,” Olson said.
It’s certainly going well for Riley, who has seven homers in his last nine games.
“Not surprised,” Olson said. “He’s one of the best third basemen in baseball. He’s a very professional hitter. He stays even keel. It’s fun to watch right now.”
Milwaukee’s Julio Teheran (2-4, 3.75 ERA) will be tasked with keeping Atlanta in check on Saturday when he squares off against Bryce Elder (7-2, 3.30) in a battle of right-handers.
Teheran, 32, saw his winless stretch extend to five outings Sunday despite allowing one run on three hits in six innings of a no-decision against Atlanta. That marked his lone career meeting with the Braves, for whom he pitched from 2011-19.
Teheran said he didn’t feel it was strange to pitch against the team with which he began his major league career.
“To be honest, I was focused more on my job,” he said. “I was focused on where I am right now. It’s a lot of memories, but I was focused on being a Brewer and getting my job done for my team.”
Elder, 24, received his second straight no-decision in that Sunday game despite allowing only two runs on four hits in six innings against Milwaukee. That marked his lone career encounter with the Brewers.
Milwaukee’s Abraham Toro, who was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday, highlighted a three-hit, four-RBI performance with a three-run homer in the eighth inning on Friday. He is 8-for-15 with two homers and nine RBIs in seven games this season for the Brewers.
–Field Level Media
