Astros look to keep Freeman's bat quiet
HOUSTON -- Before Houston's two-game interleague series against Atlanta began, Astros manager A.J. Hinch focused his attention on Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, and rightfully so.
The Astros managed to keep Freeman's bat quiet by holding the first baseman hitless in four at-bats Tuesday, and they will look to do it again Wednesday afternoon.
Freeman entered Tuesday ranked third in the majors in slugging (.755), second in on-base percentage (.469), and eighth in batting (.349). Despite the Braves' struggles, Freeman has emerged as one of the best players in baseball, and with the Astros aiming to maintain their momentum against Atlanta at Minute Maid Park, slowing Freeman qualified as a top priority.
"He's a great player," Hinch said of Freeman. "He's always been a great player. I think he's maturing as a hitter; he's scary. I don't like the fact that he's probably going to play both games.
"He's such a potent bat. There's not a real one way to pitch him. We're going to defensively try to convince him to hit the ball to certain parts of the ballpark, but he covers every pitch. He can hit, he can do damage, he draws walks, and he's getting off to a great start this year."
On Tuesday, Freeman struck out three times. Charlie Morton fanned him out twice, including with two on in the sixth and no outs.
"He's a complete hitter, and you can't just fall behind him and expect to get back into counts," Hinch said. "You also can't challenge him too early because he can get on fastballs early, so it's a tough matchup for any pitcher. He's the guy you circle in the middle of their lineup that you don't want to beat you."
After Morton got the win in the opener, right-hander Joe Musgrove (1-3, 5.40 ERA) will get his shot on Wednesday. It will mark his first appearance against Atlanta.
Left-hander Jaime Garcia (1-1, 3.99 ERA) will get the start for Atlanta (11-19). Garcia was 1-1 with a 6.35 ERA against Houston last season while with the St. Louis Cardinals and is 3-6 with a 6.40 ERA against the Astros in his career.
Garcia will try to reverse some negative trends for Atlanta. The Braves are on a five-game losing streak and are 1-7 in their last eight games after Bartolo Colon allowed home runs to Carlos Correa and Carlos Beltran in the first inning Tuesday.
"It's hard to keep (going) down four, five (runs) after two or three (innings) consistently," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It kind of wears at you. We just keep fighting that uphill battle all the time."
The Braves completed a trade for Minnesota Twins utility man Danny Santana on Sunday. He immediately joined the team on Tuesday night, batting ninth while playing left field and finishing 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
The addition of Santana allowed Snitker a measure of defensive versatility. With the Braves playing in an American League park, Snitker started left fielder Matt Kemp as his designated hitter in the opener and made clear his plans to do the same on Wednesday.
Kemp went 2-for-4 and is hitting .337, but he is a defensive liability, and any opportunity to sit his glove could prove beneficial.
Veteran right fielder Nick Markakis might also gain the occasional breather with Santana now in the fold.
"Throw him right in there," Snitker said of Santana. "He's gassed up and ready to go. He can play all the infield positions, the outfield positions. Run, switch-hit. It's a nice piece to have."
