There was a lot of speculation regarding who the Braves would start in Game 4. Would they go with Charlie Morton, who performed spectacularly in his Game 1 start, on short rest, or would they go with Ynoa and a bullpen game of sorts? We now have our answer, and I expect most of Braves Country to be pleased.
Your Game 4 starting pitcher:#BattleATL pic.twitter.com/5GNVqmTKi2
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 12, 2021
We will see how much of a leash Snitker has on Morton. I imagine they aren’t expecting more than 3-5 innings out of him today. If he can provide that, the Braves will be very happy.
Morton has been Mr. Consistent all season for the Braves and his track record of success in the postseason makes him the obvious choice in a series-clinching opportunity. This will be his sixth career start in a Divisional Series, in which he’s posted a sub-three ERA. It will also be his 15th career postseason appearance (14 starts), in which he’s recorded a 3.34 ERA. Ironically enough, that’s the exact same ERA he posted for the 2021 season.
The Braves should feel fantastic about their chances tonight with Morton on the mound; however, pitching on short rest isn’t something he has a lot of experience doing. The last time he did, it was Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, which saw him pitching innings 6-9 and close out the Los Angeles Dodgers. So, with both Ynoa and Smyly available to relieve him, expect Snitker to have a quick hook if things begin to look shaky.
On the other side, the Brewers will start Eric Lauer. Lauer has yet to pitch in this series, but he’s another Brewers starter that was lights out for most of the season, boasting a 3.19 ERA over 118.2 innings. Once again, things won’t be easy for the Braves’ offense, and they should be feeling some pressure tonight because if they don’t clinch the deal today, they know they have Corbin Burnes waiting for them on Thursday.
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