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Alex Verdugo is absent from Atlanta’s lineup Wednesday for the first time since being called up last week.
The Braves have Eli White in left field and Michael Harris II leading off against the Cardinals. Verdugo has hit .273/.304/.409 with four runs scored in five games as the Braves’ leadoff man.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after Wednesday’s win over the Athletics that Matt Sauer will start Thursday against the A’s.
Sauer will be capable of working multiple innings, but the 26-year-old won’t be able to go deep enough to qualify for a victory unless the Athletics are incredibly aggressive against the right-hander. He won’t be a quality streaming option for Thursday’s bullpen game against the Athletics.
Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer and went 2-for-4 in a win over the Athletics on Wedneday.
Ohtani hit a no-doubter to lead off the game for the Dodgers and it bumps his homer total to 13. He’s been remarkably — and surprisingly — good in the month of May, and he’s now slashing .341/.442/.818 over those 48 at-bats in that timeframe. There’s a long way to go, but a back-to-back MVP season is well within reason, even if he doesn’t return to the mound in 2025.
Andy Pages went 3-for-4 with a homer in a win over the Athletics on Wednesday.
Max Muncy hit a three-run homer in a win over the Athletics on Wednesday.
Tyler Soderstrom went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in a loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Hyeseong Kim went 2-for-2 with a homer to help the Dodgers to a 9-3 win over the Athletics on Wednesday.