Fresh off another highly frustrating series loss, the Atlanta Braves will look to bounce back with a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels come into the series with a 41-42 record but pretty awful -49 run differential. For comparison (and pain), the Braves are 38-45 with a +12 run differential, an astounding 61 runs better for a team with three fewer wins. It’s been that kind of season.
Didier Fuentes was originally supposed to start on Tuesday, but the club flipped him and Grant Holmes in the pecking order presumably to give Fuentes another day of rest.
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Holmes has pitched well all season long and especially so in recent weeks. Dating back to May 12, the veteran righty has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his nine starts. Holmes’ ERA in that stretch is a superb 3.02 with strong supporting 3.56 FIP and 3.44 xFIP. A big part of why Holmes has been successful is he’s done a good job of limiting the two things that were crushing him earlier in the year; walks and homers. He’s walked 22 over the past nine starts and 50.2 innings while surrendering just six homers. Mix in nearly a 30 percent strikeout rate with that wicked slider and it’s not hard to see why he’s been effective in his first full season in the majors.
The Angels will counter with veteran lefty Tyler Anderson, who has been pretty bad in 2025 with a 4.41 ERA and even worse 4.99 FIP and 4.92 xFIP. Anderson is coming off a solid start of 4 2⁄3 innings against the Red Sox in which he allowed just one run, although his ERA in the month of June was 6.93. On paper, the Braves should be able to get to Anderson. Will they? Probably not, but it’s fun to dream.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.
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