Previewing This Week's Braves-Pirates Series in Pittsburgh

The Atlanta Braves (32-27) bounced back nicely on their recent homestand, winning the final two games of a series with the Detroit Tigers. Now they head on the road to Pittsburgh, where they'll face a middling Pirates (28-30) team that just lost three out of four at home to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Here's a look at the pitching matchups for this upcoming three-game set.

June 4: LHP Max Fried vs. LHP Steven Brault

Left-hander Max Fried is putting together a very nice season, going 7-3 with a 3.19 ERA over 13 appearances, but he's struggled a bit over his last two starts, where he's allowed a combined six runs on 13 hits and five walks over 11.2 innings. This is the first time Fried has ever faced the Pirates, so there's an unknown factor that could benefit the young southpaw.

Fellow left-hander Steven Brault has been a spot starter for the Pirates again this year, and in nine appearances (three starts) he's posted a 5.87 ERA with 18 walks and 26 strikeouts over 30.2 innings. Brault is coming off a nice start in Cincinnati, where he tossed 5.1 shutout innings with five strikeouts.

June 5: RHP Kevin Gausman vs. RHP Joe Musgrove

Kevin Gausman is coming off arguably his worst start of his career, where he gave up eight runs on eight hits in just one inning of work. He can only improve this time out, but it's been a rough year for power right-hander, who in 11 starts is 2-4 with a 5.56 ERA. Atlanta might end up changing his role down the road, especially if they bring aboard another starter, but for now he's being run out there every fifth day.

Joe Musgrove has the stuff to be a top-of-the-rotation starter, but he's been hit around thus far in 2019, including over his last two starts, where he's allowed 11 runs on 21 hits over his last 11 innings. Musgrove and the Pirates hope that a calendar change to the month of June will help the right-hander, and that he'll be more like the guy from April (1.64 ERA over five starts) than he was in May (8.10 ERA over six starts).

June 6: RHP Mike Foltynewicz vs. RHP Chris Archer

Mike Foltynewicz is starting to round into form, and even though he gave up five runs against the Tigers in his last start, he was better in that game then his stat line showed, striking out eight over five innings with zero walks. For whatever reason, Foltynewicz has struggled against the Pirates over his career, as he owns a 1-3 record with a 6.88 ERA over four starts, including a 9.45 ERA in two starts at PNC Park.

Chris Archer was supposed to be the staff ace for the Pirates when they acquired him last year, but in nine starts this year, he's just 2-5 with a 5.66 ERA. Archer went seven innings and earned the win last time out against the Brewers, but he did give up four runs on five hits and two walks.