Atlanta was the NL East’s whipping boy last season, finishing 2016 with a 68-93 record—worst in the division. Some changes on the team, however, could see the Braves avoid losing as many games this season. They will look to get their first win of the season later today, as they send Julio Teheran on the mound.
Teheran is coming off an All-Star season, reeling in a 7-10 record and a 3.21 ERA. Teheran could’ve won more than seven games last year if he was only able to get some more run support. There’s a chance he could get better run cushion this season with Brandon Phillips arriving to the team over the offseason and Matt Kemp’s looking at making a difference in his first full season with the Braves.
Teheran, however, might not need as much from the offense today if he could recreate his brilliance against the Mets last season. Teheran went 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA and .146 opponents’ batting average in four starts against the Mets in 2016. He was 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in two starts in Citi Field that year.
Noah Syndergaard’s long locks and nasty arm will make a return to the mound later tonight as he makes his season debut.
Syndergaard was electrifying on the hill last year, when he recorded a 23-16 record to go with a 2.89 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He wasn’t as effective, however, in his lone appearance against the Braves last season, allowing five runs on eight hits in just 3.2 innings of action during a 7-3 loss back in Sept. 19.
That’s just one start though and too small a sample size to conclude that the Braves are Syndergaard’s kryptonite.
Backing Syndergaard is the Mets’ offense that was just 11th in the NL in runs but second in the league in home runs and seventh in on-base percentage plus slugging.
Asdrubal Herrera, who led the Mets’ last season in batting average (.208) is 4-for-12 in his career against Teheran. Lucas Duda, meanwhile, has a 7-for-23 line lifetime with a couple of doubles opposite the Braves’ right hander.
