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The Atlanta Braves simply cannot catch a break with their schedule anymore. After playing nearly a month of baseball against teams with records upwards of .500, the club will now welcome in the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks (37-35) for a three-game series at Turner Field.
For the Braves, it's all about finding consistency on the diamond. The lineup has seemingly been boom-or-bust for the entire season, and the starting rotation is now a mess with Brandon Beachy out for the remainder of the year.
The D-backs started off the year very poorly after returning nearly all pieces of a team that won the National League West in 2011, and now they're really starting to hit their stride. The club is 7-3 in their last 10 games, including a sweep of the lowly Cubs this past weekend.
Player To Watch For: Justin Upton has been crushing the ball lately, very similarly to the way he did last season when he was an MVP candidate. Upton is hitting .324/.364/.437 in the month of June, and the Arizona lineup simply flows better when the young right fielder is healthy and swinging the bat with authority.
Rookie Alert: The Diamondbacks will be debuting top-prospect Trevor Bauer on Thursday night. Many D-backs fans have clamored for Bauer's promotion for weeks, and now he'll get his shot in Atlanta. This should be a great night for baseball at Turner Field; seeing a young phenom make his debut is always an enjoyable experience, especially when he's as highly touted as Bauer is.
Pitching Matchups and Start Times:
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. ET - Tim Hudson vs. Daniel Hudson
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. ET - Tommy Hanson vs. TBA
Thursday, 7:10 p.m. ET - Jair Jurrjens vs. Trevor Bauer
For more on the Braves be sure to check out Talking Chop.