The Atlanta Braves were slated to host the Arizona Diamondbacks at 7:15 PM ET on Wednesday, June 4, but the game will start in a rain delay as inclement weather passes through the southeast.
Atlanta has officially announced the delay, with no new start time given.
When will Braves-Diamondbacks start on June 4?
UPDATE: The Braves announced the game is now slated to start at 8:20 p.m. ET.
We will update this post as more information becomes available, but right now, there is no listed start time after the delay. Since it's a night game on the east coast, a significant delay could force a doubleheader or a makeup date further down the line. Nothing is set in stone, however.
What is the forecast in Atlanta on June 4?
As of this writing, around the original listed start time of 7:15 PM ET, the AccuWeather forecast for Atlanta predicts "periods of rain" for at least 60 minutes. As a local, I can tell you we've been getting "periods of rain" since the morning, so the ground has been soaking for a while. It's a grey day (transitioning into a grey evening), so this rain delay was an inevitability.
These periods of rain include 7 MPH northeastern winds with gusts up to 20 MPH and a temperature in the low 70s. The night forecast predicts 0.13 inches of rain.
What are the lineups for June 4's Braves-Diamondbacks game?
Atlanta is running out its standard lineup top to bottom, with reigning Cy Young winner Chris Sale on the mound.
The Braves (27-32) are in the middle of a rough patch. So are the D'Backs (29-31), with both teams losing seven of their last 10 games.
Alek Thomas and Pavin Smith will get the night off for Arizona, with Tim Tawa and Randal Grichuk slated to receive starts in centerfield and at designated hitter, respectively.
Arizona won the series opener on Tuesday, 8-3, behind four home runs combined (two a piece) from Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte. Zac Gallen, who has been in the dumps lately, went seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits, throwing some vintage heat on the mound. Spencer Strider, somewhat worryingly, gave up six hits, two walks and four earned runs in five innings, as Atlanta's top ace still does not look quite like himself.
With Gallen spent, the D'backs will turn to another established veteran in Merrill Kelly, who has been one of the few stable options for an injury-ravaged Arizona rotation. Both teams need these wins, but Arizona occupies a much tougher division, with Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco all looking like postseason heavyweights through the first third of the season.