Hurston Waldrep Faces Paul Skenes as Braves Battle Pirates in Pittsburgh

The Atlanta Braves are looking to bounce back from two consecutive tough losses as they head to PNC Park to face the Pittsburgh Pirates. This Tuesday night matchup features a compelling pitching duel between Atlanta's newly returned Hurston Waldrep and Pittsburgh's reigning Cy Young Award winner, Paul Skenes. With both starters looking to find their footing after recent struggles, this game presents a critical opportunity for the Braves to gain ground. It is a high-stakes battle that could shape the momentum for both clubs as the midsummer stretch intensifies.

What happened

The Atlanta Braves enter tonight's game searching for momentum after dropping two straight contests. They will hand the ball to Hurston Waldrep, who is making his third appearance and second start of the season. In his last outing, Waldrep settled down after a rocky three-run first inning to pitch 5.1 innings, allowing five hits, one home run, and one walk while striking out four. He also has a relief appearance under his belt this year where he struggled with command, walking four batters in two scoreless innings.

Opposing Waldrep is Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who has uncharacteristically struggled of late. Skenes carries a 3.62 ERA into the game, a notable jump from his previous two seasons where he maintained ERAs of 1.96 and 1.97. He is coming off the worst start of his career, having surrendered seven earned runs in four innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, which followed a four-earned-run performance in his prior start.

Why it matters

This matchup serves as a vital test for both starting pitchers and their respective teams. For Waldrep, it is a chance to prove his command issues are behind him and establish himself as a reliable asset in the Braves' rotation. For Skenes, the game is about correcting a downward trend; his average fastball velocity has declined every month this season, dropping from 97.4 MPH in April to 96.3 MPH in July. Additionally, his strand rate has plummeted to 65.8 percent this year compared to over 82 percent in previous seasons, making him far more vulnerable when runners get on base. Meanwhile, the Pirates offense has been surging, scoring the fourth-most runs in Major League Baseball since the start of June, meaning Waldrep will have little room for error.

How to think about it

When evaluating this game, look closely at the early innings. Waldrep's ability to establish his command early will dictate the Braves' success, especially since his only previous matchup against a current Pirate resulted in a home run by Brandon Lowe. On the other side, watch Skenes' fastball velocity in the opening frame. If his velocity continues to hover around the 96 MPH mark rather than his historical high-90s average, the Braves' hitters can afford to be more aggressive. This game is less about season-long statistics and more about catching an elite pitcher during a rare vulnerable stretch.

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