The Boston Red Sox will travel to the capital of Georgia to kick off a two-game series against the World Series Champion Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, May 10. The matchup will feature a pair of franchises originally from Boston. The Braves began in Boston before departing to Milwaukee and finally ending up in Atlanta.
The 2022 season has not been kind to either team. Both entered the campaign with incredibly high expectations but find themselves in the middle of their division standings due to a rough April.
They will now square off with their best pitchers taking the mound. Garrett Whitlock will take the ball for the Boston Red Sox and Kyle Wright will oppose him on behalf of the Braves.
Match Details
Fixture: Boston Red Sox vs Atlanta Braves | MLB 2022 Regular Season.
Date & Time: Wednesday, May 10, 7:20 p.m. EDT.
Venue: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia.
Boston Red Sox Preview
The Red Sox are about to be in panic mode after a horrid month in April. The team ranks in the bottom five of Major League Baseball in runs per game and are currently dead last in the American League East.
They're even behind the pitiful Baltimore Orioles, with a record of 10-19, which is almost the inverse of the New York Yankees.
If the Boston Red Sox are unable to turn their performance around, their manager Alex Cora may be on the brink of being fired by the club. The Red Sox also invested so heavily in bringing shortstop Trevor Story to town and switching to second base, but the move hasn't worked out so far.
Key Player - Garrett Whitlock
The tall, 25-year-old right-hander has gotten off to a stellar start for the Boston Red Sox. Garrett Whitlock is pitching to an earned run average of 1.25 through just over 20 innings this season.
He will be the Red Sox's best hope at keeping sluggers like Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Ozzie Albies off the board and giving his team the best chance to win.
This will be a homecoming of sorts for Whitlock, who was born 30 minutes outside of Atlanta in Snellville, Georgia.
Predicted Boston Red Sox Lineup:
Starting Pitcher: Garrett Whitlock.
Atlanta Braves Preview
It has been a rough 2022 season for the defending World Series champion, the Atlanta Braves.
The return of superstar right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has helped the Atlanta Braves refocus and regroup. However, the club still finds itself six games behind the New York Mets for first place in the National League East.
On the positive side, they seem to be heading in the right direction in May. The 2021 defending champions have scored 36 runs over their first eight games of the month.
Key Player - Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright has been a pleasant surprise for the Atlanta Braves this season. The 2017 first-round pick was trending towards being labeled as a bust after failing to pitch to an earned run average below 5.00 in his first four seasons with Atlanta.
However, something seems to have clicked for the right-hander from Vanderbilt University, who has pitched to a sparkling 1.74 earned run average. He has also struck out 37 batters over 31 innings.
"Kyle Wright had allowed just three runs in four starts (24 innings) and one run in his past two starts (13 innings) before giving up two in the first inning tonight on three hits including Dom's Smith two-out double."- David O'Brien
Wright is living his childhood dream as he grew up rooting for John Smoltz and Chipper Jones as a Braves fan growing up.
Atlanta Braves Predicted Lineup
Starting Pitcher: Kyle Wright.
Boston Red Sox vs Atlanta Braves Preview
While it's only May and there is still plenty of baseball left, both teams have a sense of urgency entering this matchup.
The Red Sox's offense in a nosedive and Kyle Wright is pitching at a dominant level. Consequently, expect the Braves to utilize their home field advantage and hold the Red Sox to less than three runs in this matchup.
While Garrett Whitlock will perform admirably, the Red Sox bullpen will cave to the powerful lineup the Braves are prepared to unleash.
Where to Watch Boston Red Sox vs Atlanta Braves
Red Sox: NESN.
Braves: Bally Sports South.