The Atlanta Braves opened their 2024 Spring Training schedule on Thursday with a split squad game against the Twins at home starting with Spencer Strider starting on the mound against Dylan Dodd, who was making his debut against the Rays.
While Dodd had an offense behind him that included players vying for a spot on the Opening Day roster aside from Marcell Ozuna, Jarred Kelenic, and Travis d’Arnaud, Strider was supported by a lineup that was largely expected to start.
Since the majority of the regulars were playing against the Twins and the Rays had Zach Eflin on the mound, one may have expected from the lineups that the game would have featured the most offensive.
However, that was untrue. The youthful Braves club was too much for Eflin, who finished sixth in the Cy Young voting the previous season. (Not that he was attempting to, exactly.) First, Forrest Wall launched a flyout, and then Kelenic was called for strikes. Ozuna got a single, but d’Arnaud was called as well.
The fun started after the first inning. After a ball deflected off the shortstop, David Fletcher advanced to first base to start the inning. A pair of outs followed, but that did not avert an impending onslaught. After Fletcher singled, Luis Liberato moved him to third base. Fletcher scored the game’s first run from third base after a double steal. Luke Waddell joined in the fun by walking to first, and the Braves went up 4-0 after Forrest Wall hit a three-run home run.
Not that the Braves slowed down in the third. After doubles from Phillip Evans and Fletcher, Ozuna singled to extend the lead to two. The second innings was then virtually exactly repeated. After advancing to first base once more (by single this time), Waddell drove in Evans and Forrest Wall launched another three-run home run.
Ozuna later added his own longball to the game, presumably wanting to make sure Wall wasn’t the only player to hit a ball over the wall.
Kelenic got his first hit in a Braves uniform in the fifth inning.
Regarding his pitching, Dylan Dodd appeared to be in good shape. He breezed through the first two innings. He struck out two of the six batters he faced, the bare minimum. In the third inning, Ray Kerr, the recent addition to the Braves, came in to replace Dodd after he was hit by two doubles and two singles, scoring two runs. He did, however, appear proficient as he struck out two batters and picked off Yandy Diaz.
During his appearance, Charlie Culberson pitched one inning, giving up one hit and no earned runs. After that, the Braves lost control and allowed up seven more runs, five of which were earned, but by the time the ninth inning was over, they were still ahead.
Just as thrilling was the Twins game in North Port, when we witnessed Spencer Strider expertly use his new curveball.
Strider settled into a groove after allowing the leadoff hitter to reach base for a single. He struck out Matt Wallner and retired the next three batters. Strider carried on from the previous inning by striking out the side in the second, including Trevor Larnach with a newly-acquired curveball. Strider had five strikeouts in three innings of work while allowing only one hit and one walk.
fresh procurement In the fourth inning, Strider was relieved by Aaron Bummer. Bummer recorded a groundout, flyout, and strikeout to face the fewest number of batters possible.
Overall, the Braves pitching staff put up zero runs throughout the game, demonstrating their strong play as a unit.
As usual, the Braves’ offensive line was ignited by Ronald Acuña Jr., who doubled in Eli White to start the third inning. However, he was caught trying to steal third base soon after, and for roughly fifteen seconds, the Twins defense was having a terrible time figuring out how to avoid a rundown.
The offense really began to click in the fourth inning. After Matt Olson walked, Austin Riley singled. Both runners advanced after a wild pitch, and Michael Harris quickly scored Riley on the second ball he saw. Following a pitching change, Jordan Luplow walked to load the bases for Eli White after Orlando Arcia struck out.
After hitting a single off of Ryan Jensen, White joined in on the RBI action, bringing Olson and Harris to base.
The Braves replaced Acuña, Albies, Riley, Olson, and Murphy with J.P. Martinez, Leury Garcia, Alejo Lopez, Bryson Horne, and Tyler Tolve, respectively, in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Reaching on a single, Tolve was knocked in by a double from Harris, one of the few surviving regulars. Not much more happened offensively in this game, but it’s worth noting that in the bottom of the sixth inning, exciting prospect Nacho Alvarez joined the game and went on to draw a walk in the eighth.
Both games were enjoyable, and their prospects of traveling north with the team today were likely enhanced by a few non-locks for the roster.