The Atlanta Braves have made a pair of lineup adjustments for Game 2 of their series against the St. Louis Cardinals, inserting Dominic Smith as the designated hitter and Mike Yastrzemski in right field, while keeping most of the batting order intact from the series opener.
Following a disappointing June, the Braves are hoping a fresh month brings a fresh start as they look to regain momentum and return to the form that made them one of baseball’s top teams. Atlanta enters July eager to put its recent struggles behind and begin building positive momentum in the second half of the season.
Manager Walt Weiss has opted for continuity in the lineup, retaining most of the same hitters and batting order from Game 1. One encouraging sign came from rookie catcher Drake Baldwin, who snapped a lengthy hitless stretch with a single in the seventh inning of the previous game. Baldwin will once again be behind the plate and is expected to catch starting pitcher Reynaldo López.
Smith slots into the designated hitter role and will bat sixth, while Yastrzemski replaces Eli White in right field and takes the eighth spot in the lineup. Jorge Mateo remains at shortstop and will hit ninth.
Atlanta hopes the slight lineup tweaks can help spark an offense that struggled throughout June. The Braves are looking for more consistent run production after relying heavily on isolated moments and defensive miscues from opponents during recent games.
On the mound, López gets the start against St. Louis as Atlanta continues its search for stability. Interestingly, only three current Cardinals hitters have previously faced López, and they have yet to record a hit against him in limited opportunities.
The Cardinals will counter with Michael McGreevy, while Alec Burleson moves into the starting lineup at first base and Jordan Walker shifts into the cleanup spot. Catcher Jimmy Crooks is also set to make another appearance behind the plate for St. Louis.
With a new month underway and a chance to reset their season, the Braves will be hoping these lineup adjustments provide the spark needed to begin a much-needed turnaround.
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