A good start to big week of baseball for the Braves.

Darius Vines would put in a tough spot on Monday.

The Braves pitching staff as a whole had been struggling since Spencer Strider was lost for the season, and now Vines was called up to face a dangerous Houston Astros lineup (despite their early record.)

Fortunately, Vines and the rest of the Braves pitching staff was ready for the challenge in a 6-1 victory over the Astros. Vines did his job over the first 4 ²⁄₃ innings, and then the Braves bullpen kept the Astros scoreless the rest of the way. Braves manager Brian Snitker did a great job of making pitching changes at the right time, and each of the Braves relievers go the job done.

After a weekend of struggles in Miami, this is the exact performance the Braves needed to hopefully right the ship. Furthermore, the Braves best starter so far this year, Reynaldo Lopez, will take the mound on Tuesday.

Braves News

A big reason for Vines success on Monday was the utilization of his very effective changeup. Stephen Tolbert dived into the details of the pitch for Battery Power.

While a few years have passed since the Braves won the 2021 World Series, Monday was the first time the team had played in Houston since their Game 6 series clinching victory. Justin Toscano of the AJC discussed the memories with several Braves.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com looks at how Darius Vines performance was extra special due to it occurring on Jackie Robinson Day.

David O’Brien of the Athletic looks at several topics for the Braves, including the performance from Vines and the early success of Reynaldo Lopez.

O’Brien added that catcher Sean Murphy continues to progress in baseball activities as he recovers from an oblique injury. Murphy did some warmups on the field before Monday’s game.

MLB News

Mike Trout continued his hot start to the season. He delivered a clutch home run in the Angels win over the Rays.

After 36 years, long-time Yankees play-by-play voice John Sterling retired on Monday. Sterling called the action for the Yankees in over 5,000 games.

It was an eventful Monday for the Marlins. Infielder Jake Burger was placed on the injured list, Max Meyer was optioned to Triple A, and Edward Cabrera returned to deliver a big start in their win on Monday.

Robert Stephenson, a significant offseason addition for the Angels, is the latest notable arm that is being evaluated for elbow soreness.

Cubs Outfielder Seiya Suzuki was placed on the injured list due to an oblique strain.

The Dodgers continue to deal with their own pitching injuries. However, Walker Buehler is expected to make another rehab start this week.

Add Ozzie Albies to the list of Braves dealing with an injury

The Braves second baseman finished the game without any noticeable problems, but afterward, he was sore and limping. They’ll see how he feels today before determining what’s next.

The Braves have enough talent to overcome the loss of several key pieces, and they’ve shown it early on, but three critical injuries in the first three weeks of a season is enough to affect the best of teams.

Atlanta’s ace, Spencer Strider, is done for the season. Sean Murphy is working his way back, but oblique injuries are tricky and take a long time to properly heal. He may be a month away from returning. Hopefully, Ozzie Albies can avoid an IL stint, but this early in the season, the Braves aren’t going to take any chances.

We’ll keep you updated as more information regarding Albies’ injury is revealed.