Braves name Smith at DH and Dubón at shortstop for Misiorowski matchup
Atlanta Braves confirm starting lineup against Milwaukee Brewers, with Dominic Smith set to bat as designated hitter while the team seeks a win to halt the Philadelphia Phillies’ rise in the standings.
The Atlanta Braves have confirmed their starting lineup for their Major League Baseball match against the Milwaukee Brewers, with Dominic Smith named as the designated hitter and Dubón taking the shortstop position. The decision to place Dubón at shortstop marks a change from recent selections, as he replaces Jarvis in the starting order.
The lineup announcement comes as the Braves face Jacob Misiorowski, who is currently described as being in peak form and considered one of the best pitchers in the league. The game is scheduled to begin at 4:10 EDT, with the Braves looking to break through an offensive slump that has defined their August campaign.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Braves have struggled significantly on the offensive front this month, with only eight teams in Major League Baseball scoring fewer runs. The team has had just three players with a weighted on-base plus slugging (wRC+) over the league average for August: Matt Olson, Mike Yastrzemski, and Austin Riley.
Despite his recent struggles, Smith has been retained in the lineup, a decision that has drawn scrutiny from fans given his wRC+ is 36.0 percent below the league average this month. He is one of only four Braves players to have recorded a single against Misiorowski, alongside Ozzie Albies, Dubón, and Riley.
The matchup presents a significant challenge for the Braves, as no player in their current lineup has faced Misiorowski in more than three at-bats, and none possess an on-base plus slugging (OPS) higher than .666 against him. The team is under pressure to score early, as the Milwaukee Brewers’ bullpen has recorded the best earned run average in the league since the start of the month.
A victory is crucial for the Braves to prevent the Philadelphia Phillies from narrowing the gap in the standings. The Brewers are expected to field a strong lineup, with players such as Chourio, Contreras, Ortiz, and Vaughn posing significant threats, all of whom have OPS figures north of .803 in recent at-bats against the Braves’ pitching staff.
