Braves seek redemption as Acuna Jr. returns for Marlins clash
First-year manager Walt Weiss’s side faces Braxton Garrett, who has struggled against Atlanta in past starts.
The Atlanta Braves travel to loanDepot Park on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, to face the Miami Marlins in the second game of their National League East series. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. The Braves hold the best record in Major League Baseball at 32-16, sitting seven games ahead of second-place Philadelphia, and are the -400 favourite to win the division for the first time since 2023.
Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is expected to return from the injured list for a hamstring issue that has sidelined him since 2 May. Although Acuna was activated ahead of Monday’s 12-0 loss, he did not play, with the original plan being to wait until the team returned home to avoid the turf in Miami. He is now poised to contribute, potentially as the designated hitter, in a lineup that leads the majors in hits (430) and slugging percentage (.439).
The Braves’ pitching staff leads the majors with a collective ERA of 3.14, a streak that had lasted 12 consecutive games without allowing more than three runs until Monday’s defeat. Veteran left-hander Martin Perez starts for Atlanta, having shuffled between the bullpen and rotation this year. Perez, who is 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA, has not faced the Marlins this season, and no Miami hitter has more than three at-bats off him.
Miami’s Braxton Garrett takes the mound for the Marlins, making his season debut after a difficult outing last Thursday against Minnesota where he allowed five runs and walked five batters over 1.1 innings. Garrett is 0-3 with a 6.86 ERA in five career starts against the Braves. Miami shortstop Otto Lopez is having a standout season, batting .337 and leading the majors with 60 hits, the only big-leaguer to reach that mark this year.
First-year manager Walt Weiss is the +260 favourite for NL Manager of the Year at FanDuel. The Braves have won 13 of their 15 series this year and are 28-5 when scoring at least four runs. In contrast, Miami is priced +1100 for extra baseball and is widely expected to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
