Joey Wentz Makes First Start for Braves Against Yankees

ATLANTA, GA — Joey Wentz will take the mound for the Atlanta Braves on Saturday as they face the New York Yankees in the second game of their home series. The game is set to begin at 7:15 p.m. EDT at Truist Park.

The Braves are looking to capitalize on their recent victory, having defeated the Yankees 7-3 on Friday. Wentz, who is making his first major league start since 2023, was recently signed by Atlanta after being designated for assignment by Minnesota earlier this month.

In his debut for the Braves, Wentz had a notable performance, pitching three scoreless innings and striking out six batters against the St. Louis Cardinals. “That was pretty good, wasn’t it? I didn’t know what to expect,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “He got us to the guys that we wanted to pitch at the back end of the game.”

Wentz, who holds a career record of 2-1 with a 6.32 ERA, will face Yankees right-hander Will Warren. Warren has been performing well in his young career, boasting a record of 6-5 with a 4.63 ERA and averaging 10.75 strikeouts per nine innings.

Despite their recent struggles, the Yankees are known for their strong offense, leading the league with 151 home runs this season. However, they were held scoreless in the home run department during Friday’s game, ending a streak of 11 consecutive games with a homer.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged Warren’s capacity to navigate games even when he does not have his best command. “That’s what the good ones do,” Boone stated.

As the Braves aim for a series win, Wentz’s performance will be crucial to their success. Both teams are feeling the pressure as the All-Star break approaches, making this matchup a critical battle.