Atlanta Braves Probable Pitchers and Starting Lineups vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, May 25

The Atlanta Braves will look to bounce back after being routed last night by a prolific Pirates offense. There weren’t many positives for Braves fans last night, but superstar Ronald Acuna Jr.’s home run is a bright spot from last night’s game.

The fifth spot in Atlanta’s rotation continues to be a black hole for the club. Things seemed to be going better after AJ Smith-Shawver’s excellent start in Chicago. However, Smith-Shawver will now miss time with a grade two oblique strain, so the Braves are still looking for an answer in the back end of the rotation.

The good news for Braves fans today is that they are sending one of their brightest stars this season as they look for their first win in Pittsburgh. Let’s take a look at the pitching matchup and starting lineups for this afternoon’s game.

Reynaldo Lopez (2-1, 1.54 ERA) easily exceeded expectations through the first two months of the season. His sub-2.00 ERA is good for third in baseball behind Shota Imanaga of the Cubs and Ranger Suarez of the Phillies. This will be Lopez’s first start against the Pirates since 2018, so most players will see him for the first time.

Mitch Keller (5-3, 3.84 ERA) has been the anchor of the Pirates’ rotation over the past two seasons. While he may no longer be the ace of the staff now that top prospect Paul Skenes is in town, Keller is still a very effective pitcher in the big leagues. He has great movement on his braking stuff and does an above average job of limiting walks. Keller can sometimes get into trouble with his four-seam game, as hitters have a .451xSLG against its radiator.