Lineup, how to watch the "Legends Booth" call the series finale between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets
OOH this is going to be a fun one tonight.
For the second time this season, Bally Sports is mixing up the normal broadcast with the "Legends Booth", featuring three MLB Hall of Famers from the Atlanta Braves in Chipper Jones, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz joining former Braves and current color commentator Jeff Francoeur for the broadcast.
The first game this booth called was Atlanta's last walk-off victory of the 2023 season, a WILD 13-10 victory over the Mets on Thursday, June 8th. This one has the potential to be just as fun, with a scorching hot Braves offense ready to tee off on Mets LHP José Quintana and crafty veteran pitcher Charlie Morton on the bump for the Braves.
And while this isn't a battle between two teams duking it out for the division or playoff positioning, it's still meaningful not only because it's the decider in who wins the series, but also because it's the New York Mets. Atlanta's owned this season, to the tune of a 9-3 record and a +45 run differential (89 for, 54 against). With this being the last meeting between these teams until 2024, the last thing the Braves want to do is let the Mets have the final say in the series record.
Lineup for the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, August 23rd
Here's how the Braves will line up for the series finale:
As is customary when there's a lefty on the mound, Atlanta's changing leftfielders and starting Kevin Pillar in place of Eddie Rosario, but he's batting in the #2 spot for his first time as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Sean Murphy gets behind the plate, batting 6th, while Vaughn Grissom gets a start at second base in place of an injured Ozzie Albies, batting 9th.
Pitching Matchup for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets on Wednesday, August 23rd
Starting for Atlanta is veteran Charlie Morton. The righty is 12-10 with a 3.54 ERA in his 24 starts this season, striking out 146 (9.8 K/9) in his 134.2 innings pitched. Morton's outings against New York this season have run the gamut - he's 1-1 with a 4.80 ERA in three starts against the Mets in 2023. Two of them have been bad, with a loss in May after 5.1 innings of six hit, four run ball with three walks and six strikeouts followed by a no-decision in June after allowing four hits and four runs in just 4.2 innings of an eventual 7-5 Braves victory. Morton's most recent start against New York, last weekend in Citi Field, was.,..weird. Five innings of scoreless baseball, but the seven walks and three hits meant Morton was navigating multiple baserunners in almost every inning.
Opposing Atlanta is José Quintana. The lefty is 1-4 with a 3.03 ERA in his six starts this season, striking out only 25 in his 35.2 innings of work. His season was significantly delayed due to rib surgery in March, and he wasn't activated until mid-July. He took one of his four losses in game two of last Saturday's doubleheader in New York, where the Braves eked out a single run out of four hits on him in six full innings, with three walks to four strikeouts. He's made three consecutive quality starts in August and five of his six have met that mark, with only his first game of the season against the White Sox being less than six full innings. Marcell Ozuna is the only hitter with a noteworthy record against Quintana, batting .421 in 19 at-bats with a home run and five RBIs.
How to Watch the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets on Wednesday, August 23rd
Tonight's a Bally Sports South broadcast, with the coverage starting at 6:30 PM ET and the "Legends Booth coming on air a few minutes before the scheduled 7:20 PM ET first pitch.
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