Diamondbacks vs Braves Pregame — June 3, 2023

The Atlanta Braves taking batting practice before their game with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field June 3, 2023.

Photo by Evan Thompson/Sport Relay

June 3, 2023

Diamondbacks vs Braves Pregame — June 3, 2023

PHOENIX, June 3 — It is Game Two of a three-game interdivision series between the host Arizona Diamondbacks and the visiting Atlanta Braves, which is the ninth game of a ten-game homestand for the Diamondbacks. For the Braves, this is the fifth game of a six-game road trip that began with a three-game series at the Oakland Athletics.

There was no media availability for Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo or any of his coaching staff, but we have some interesting pregame notes. Braves manager Brian Snitker did meet with assembled press before the game. Highlights are below.

Diamondbacks Pregame Notes

The Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers have identical 35–23 records, sharing first place. Since the Diamondbacks lead the head-to-head series, they hold the tiebreaker.

The Diamondbacks and Dodgers have the best record in the National League and fourth-best in the majors behind the AL East’s Tampa Bay Rays (41–19), AL West’s Texas Rangers (37–20), and AL East’s Baltimore Orioles (36–21).

Along with the Houston Astros, the Diamondbacks are tied for the best record in the majors since May 12 at 16–5. The Diamondbacks also are riding a six-game winning streak, doing so for the first time since August 12–18, 2020. If they make it seven straight, that would be the first time since the team won 13 straight between August 24 and September 6, 2017.

They are also 12 or more games above .500 for the first time since September 1, 2018 (74–62).

Braves Manager Brian Snitker

The Braves are counting on their ace, Spencer Strider, to turn things around for them Saturday. Snitker said, “We’re in a bit of a rut right now. Our bats have kind of cooled down a little bit. Just got to keep fighting through it. We always feel good when Spence is out there, and he’s toeing that rubber.”

Often in baseball, teams that are in a rut seem to have every little break go wrong for them, while teams that are playing well seem to have luck on their side. Braves third baseman Austin Riley told some of the reporters prior to this session that he had to shake his head at some of the stuff that had been happening. Snitker agreed with Riley. “It’s part of it,” he said. “We’ve been through it every year that I’ve been here. …It happened every year I was the third-base coach here. (No matter how good) a team we had, you have to get through situations like that. Just keep working. It’s a long season. We have four months of baseball left. We’re not going to win the division this week or next, so we have to keep grinding through the whole thing.”

Snitker reminded everyone present that the Braves were 10 1/2 games out of first one year ago today. That team ultimately won the division in a tiebreaker with the New York Mets.

Diamondbacks Are Playing Well

Snitker marveled at how well the Diamondbacks have been playing in recent days. “They’re on a good run right now,” he said, adding that sometimes what matters most is when you play a team. Later he described how unbelievable it was that Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. made the off-balance throw to the relay man while moving backwards on the play that retired first baseman Matt Olson, who took too big a turn around third base.

Main Photo Credits:

PHOENIX (June 3) — Members of the Atlanta Braves take batting practice in front of a throng of fans before their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. (Photo by Evan Thompson/Sport Relay)