Atlanta Braves vs. Tampa Bay Rays Pick & Prediction APRIL 13th 2025
Preview and Prediction
Struggling at the start of their season, the Atlanta Braves could benefit from a more impressive performance from pitcher Chris Sale, who has not lived up to expectations in his first three starts of 2025.
On Sunday afternoon, Sale and the Braves will attempt to secure a win in their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The underwhelming performance from Sale may simply be a slow start, or there could be an underlying issue preventing him from replicating his outstanding 2024 season, which earned him the National League Cy Young Award after his first year with the Braves.
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During that impressive campaign, the 36-year-old, who grew up in nearby Lakeland, Fla., recorded an 18-3 record with a 2.38 ERA in 29 starts, helping the Braves reach the playoffs.
In 177 2/3 innings, Sale struck out 225 batters, allowed just 141 hits, and posted a 1.01 WHIP, with opposing batters hitting only .216 with nine home runs.
However, his numbers this season are a far cry from those impressive stats.
Through 14 2/3 innings, Sale has a 0-1 record with a 6.75 ERA, giving up 11 runs and 19 hits, with opposing batters improving their average by almost 100 points to .306.
One noticeable difference is the decrease in speed on Sale's four-seam fastball, which was in the mid-90s last season but has dropped significantly this year.
"It just hasn't clicked yet," Sale expressed his frustration.
In his 25 career appearances (23 starts) against the Rays, Sale has a record of 11-7 with a 3.04 ERA and one save, as the team has only managed a .203 batting average against him. He also holds an impressive 1.06 WHIP.
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On Saturday, the Braves hit four home runs, including a game-winning shot by Michael Harris II in the ninth inning, to overcome a two-run deficit and win 5-4.
Sean Murphy hit two solo homers, and Ozzie Albies added one, contributing to the team's victory.
Despite the slow start, Sale remains confident that his team can turn their season around, as they did on Saturday.
"Luckily, at this point of the season, we have time," Sale said of his team, who lost their first seven road games of the 2025 season. "We don't want to lean on that too hard. We want to get it going eventually. But we have confidence in this clubhouse in who we have and what we can do."
The Rays had a strong performance from Jonathan Aranda, who went 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs, and two walks, reaching base all five times.
"I'd like to think our guys could put some crooked numbers up here, but we just haven't," said manager Kevin Cash, as the team only managed to score one run after loading the bases twice with less than two outs.
Rays right-handed pitcher Shane Baz has had a strong start to the season, with a 1-0 record and a 1.38 ERA in his first two starts.
The Houston native impressed with his high-90s fastball and sharp curveball in his home games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels, particularly in his first start.
Baz recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts without giving up a walk in his debut on April 1, earning him a win.
He will make his first appearance against the Braves, facing a team that entered Saturday's game with one of the lowest batting averages in the league at .219.
However, the Braves managed to produce 15 hits in their victory, evening the series.
Atlanta Braves vs. Tampa Bay Rays Recap APR 13TH 2025
Junior Caminero went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, Joe Boyle threw five no-hit innings and the Tampa Bay Rays posted an 8-3 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves on Sunday.
Boyle (1-0) retired the first 13 Atlanta hitters of the game, and allowed two runs -- both unearned -- while striking out seven and walking two. Yandy Diaz also homered for Tampa Bay, which took two of three from Atlanta.
Chris Sale (0-2) allowed six hits on four runs (three earned) over 4 1/3 innings, while striking out seven and walking three. Ozzie Albies tallied a pair of hits and an RBI for Atlanta, which dropped its 11th game in 15 tries to begin the season.
Diaz began the game's scoring with a 392-foot solo homer in the bottom of the first, his second of the season. After Caminero singled in the same inning, Jose Caballero doubled Tampa Bay's lead with an RBI single to center.
Caballero walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth, before stealing second and scoring on Coco Montes' single to right field.
Atlanta got its first base runner in the fifth, when Albies worked a one-out walk. After stealing second, Albies was stranded as Jarred Kelenic's flyout ended the inning.
Diaz walked and Curtis Mead was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the fifth, and Christopher Morel's RBI single two batters later extended the Rays' lead to 4-0 and chased Sale from the game.
To open the sixth inning, Boyle hit Nick Allen, who stole second and advanced to third on Tampa Bay catcher Danny Jansen's throwing error. Boyle's day then came to a close after walking Eli White. From there, Michael Harris II's forceout scored Atlanta's first run.
Rays reliever Mason Montgomery struck out Austin Riley, but Marcell Ozuna then reached on Caminero's fielding error and Matt Olson followed with an RBI single, cutting the Braves' deficit to 4-2 on the club's first hit of the game.
Albies tacked on another run-scoring single, before Montgomery retired Sean Murphy to end the frame.
Jake Mangum singled and stole second against Atlanta reliever Pierce Johnson, before Taylor Walls walked and Johnson was replaced by Enyel De Los Santos. After Jonathan Aranda singled in Mangum, Caminero launched his third homer of the season -- a three-run shot to push Tampa Bay's lead to 8-3.