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Red-hot Yu Darvish to Lead Padres Against Braves
San Diego’s ace, Yu Darvish, is on fire as he prepares to defend his scoreless-innings streak against the Atlanta Braves this Saturday night. Darvish (3-1, 2.43 ERA) has been unstoppable lately, not giving up a run in his last three starts over 18 innings. On the other side, Braves’ right-hander Bryce Elder (1-1, 4.79 ERA) will try to outduel him.
The Padres snapped their three-game skid with a 3-1 win in the series opener on Friday.
Yu Darvish’s Stellar Performance
Darvish has been absolutely lights out. Since the fourth inning against the Dodgers on April 14, he’s been untouchable. He went five scoreless innings against both the Reds and the Cubs and then dominated the Dodgers again with seven shutout innings.
“I’ve always said he’s the toughest righty I’ve ever faced,” said Padres’ second baseman Xander Bogaerts. “The guy has like seven, eight pitches. To me, he’s the toughest, with all the pitches he has and different speeds.”
In his latest gem against the Dodgers, Darvish allowed just two hits and one walk, racking up seven strikeouts. “The plan was to see how they reacted to the pitches. The fastball was coming out right, working nicely,” Darvish reflected after the game. “They’re a very good team, but taking the series against them boosts our confidence moving forward.”
Historical Performance Against the Braves
Darvish’s track record against the Braves isn’t stellar. In seven career starts, he’s 1-4 with a 5.30 ERA. The last time he faced them in 2022, he posted a 1-0 record with a 4.38 ERA over two starts.
Bryce Elder’s Role for the Braves
Bryce Elder steps up for the Braves in his fifth start since being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett, filling in for the injured Spencer Strider. Elder has had a mixed bag of outings but recently bounced back, allowing just two runs over 5 1/3 innings against the Mets. Before that, he had a rough game against the Dodgers, giving up seven runs in just over three innings.
“We want to give the guys a chance to get it done at the plate and leave the bullpen in a situation where we can get it done,” Elder noted. “As starters, that’s what we’re trying to do week in, week out.”
Elder faced the Padres once before, allowing two runs over 4 1/3 innings in 2022, finishing with a 0-1 record and a 4.15 ERA.
Key Players to Watch
For the Padres, Luis Arraez is on a hot streak, with two hits on Friday extending his on-base streak to 22 games, matching his career best. Jurickson Profar also contributed with two hits, upping his team-leading batting average to .325.
The Braves are dealing with some key injuries. Third baseman Austin Riley missed his fourth consecutive game due to left side soreness. It’s also uncertain if starting catcher Travis d’Arnaud will play on Saturday after leaving Friday’s game with dizziness. If d’Arnaud can’t go, the Braves will have to rely solely on Chadwick Tromp behind the plate.
Conclusion
Yu Darvish’s red-hot form makes him a tough opponent for the Braves. As he aims to extend his scoreless-innings streak, and Bryce Elder looks to build on his recent solid outing, this matchup is set to be thrilling. The Padres are riding high off their recent win, while the Braves must navigate key injuries. This game could be pivotal for both teams as they look to shape their season’s path.
