The Braves face a left-handed starter for the fourth time in five games, following a stretch that began after five straight lefties. With Drake Baldwin still injured, Jorge Mateo is assigned the DH role. Mateo has a 124 wRC+ overall driven by outperforming xwOBA, but his results against lefties are lower, with a 66 wRC+ this year. His career splits show stronger production versus right-handed pitching and weaker production versus left-handed pitching, though he has a modest platoon difference. This is his first DH start since 2020, with prior DH appearances mostly limited to pinch-running. The Red Sox use the same lineup as the previous day, and several Braves hitters have recent exposure to Connelly Early.
"In tonight's contest, the Braves will be taking aim at a lefty starter for the fourth time in five games. You have to go back to May 4, the start of a streak where the Braves faced four righty starters in a row, to create a span where the Braves have faced more righties than lefties. The kicker? Immediately before that four-game stretch, they had to face five straight lefties. (But, there were six straight righties immediately preceding that.)"
"So, with Drake Baldwin still out with injury, the Braves are turning the DH slot tonight over to... Jorge Mateo. Now, Mateo isn't exactly eating gravel down in an alley, as he has a 124 wRC+ that's the result of massively outhitting his xwOBA. Against lefties, it's only a 66 wRC+, but he does have a decently-sized platoon split for his career. Actual useful full disclosure:"
"Mateo, vs. RHP: .403 wOBA /.325 xwOBA this year in 40 PAs | .268 wOBA / .269 xwOBA in 933 career PAs Mateo, vs. LHP: .266 wOBA / .281 xwOBA this year in 24 PAs | .292 wOBA / .295 xwOBA in 542 career PAs."
"This will be Mateo's first time starting at DH since his rookie season in 2020, when he did it all of one time. He's actually "appeared" at DH a bunch due to pinch-running for slow-footed actual DHes here and there quite a bit, but he's not really carried for his bat."
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