Atlanta Braves at Chicago White Sox

2026-08-20, 2:10 PM ET, Rate Field. Anthony Kay (L) against Grant Holmes (R). Every number derives from the public Statcast store and the engine's published boards. Charts are code-drawn. Probabilities, not picks. Statcast through 2026-08-19.

What decides tonight

Every number below is a probability this engine published before first pitch and grades that night, or a plain count. No scouting verdicts are ranked here — those live in the panels and carry their own sample sizes.

Grant Holmes (RHP)

1880 pitches, K% 19% vs LHB (298 BF) / 19% vs RHB (209 BF)

24 apps · median 21 BF · reaches the order 3.0× (max 4) · exits at 81 pitches (IQR 73–88, 23 starts) · fastball -0.7 mph late (8 deep starts). Fade is measured inside each start on nights that reached 85 pitches, so it is not flattered by the short outings.

League percentiles, starter pool

K%2919%
BB%2910%
CSW%4527%
Whiff%6925%
Chase%5731%
xwOBA vs28.336
Hard-hit%1843%
GB%5142%
1st-pitch strike%3159%
published K forecast: E[K] 4.7
recent starts, K (n=5)
507/24
BAL
407/30
WSH
508/04
MIA
208/09
NYY
308/15
AZ

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
slider67533%40%85.3-3+2273338%31%40%52%32%.292-0.3
4-seam54429%29%94.2+15-7232412%24%20%27%52%.379-0.0
sinker2215%22%93.0+8-14224814%26%19%2%·.415+0.1
cutter17113%3%92.1+12-1243116%29%21%2%·.426+1.2
curveball14611%3%82.8-7+2277236%25%41%12%26%.264+1.4
changeup1209%3%89.3+3-14159824%14%23%5%16%.234-2.0

RV/100 is run value per 100 pitches from the pitcher's side, so negative is good (a curveball at −1.3 costs the pitcher runs even if it misses bats — a real tension worth reading, not a contradiction). Whiff, chase and xwOBA are computed on this pitcher's own pitches this season; low-usage pitches carry small samples.

Locations, catcher view

slider
4-seam
sinker

Movement

slider: -3 IVB, +2 HB4-seam: +15 IVB, -7 HBsinker: +8 IVB, -14 HBcutter: +12 IVB, -1 HBcurveball: -7 IVB, +2 HBchangeup: +3 IVB, -14 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

How to attack

  • Hunt the 4-seam early: 30% of his first pitches, only 12% whiffs, 55% in-zone on 0-0.
  • Two strikes: expect the slider (52% of 2-strike pitches vs 36% overall).
  • Lay off the slider below the zone: 38% whiffs, only 38% of them are strikes.

Anthony Kay (LHP)

2152 pitches, K% 27% vs LHB (146 BF) / 15% vs RHB (397 BF)

25 apps · median 22 BF · reaches the order 3.0× (max 3) · exits at 89 pitches (IQR 85–92, 23 starts) · fastball -0.8 mph late (13 deep starts). Fade is measured inside each start on nights that reached 85 pitches, so it is not flattered by the short outings.

League percentiles, starter pool

K%2118%
BB%548%
CSW%2425%
Whiff%3922%
Chase%7733%
xwOBA vs20.344
Hard-hit%3740%
GB%6344%
1st-pitch strike%2959%
published K forecast: E[K] 4.4
recent starts, K (n=5)
407/22
TEX
707/28
NYY
308/02
TB
408/08
CLE
408/15
DET

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
4-seam48616%25%95.8+15+7234217%24%32%27%44%.364+0.3
sweeper47632%18%82.7+0-13243335%33%24%17%29%.340+0.8
sinker37534%11%95.2+5+16225115%26%38%14%57%.372+0.1
cutter36511%19%91.5+7-1238519%24%31%10%25%.424-0.3
changeup3110%20%86.1+0+14172926%18%38%17%19%.265+0.9
slider1397%6%86.3-4-4256031%22%43%16%22%.245+0.1

RV/100 is run value per 100 pitches from the pitcher's side, so negative is good (a curveball at −1.3 costs the pitcher runs even if it misses bats — a real tension worth reading, not a contradiction). Whiff, chase and xwOBA are computed on this pitcher's own pitches this season; low-usage pitches carry small samples.

Locations and movement (4 charts)
4-seam
sweeper
sinker

Movement

4-seam: +15 IVB, +7 HBsweeper: +0 IVB, -13 HBsinker: +5 IVB, +16 HBcutter: +7 IVB, -1 HBchangeup: +0 IVB, +14 HBslider: -4 IVB, -4 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

Attack plan vs Atlanta Braves

  • Sweeper/slider: top breaking whiffs are Riley (37%), Baldwin (33%).
  • Changeup: top offspeed whiffs are Riley (42%), Baldwin (29%).
  • Careful with Dubón: 88% contact, 11% K rate vs LHP; pitch to contact at the edges.

White Sox bats vs Grant Holmes

Season quality vs tonight's starter hand, percentile-colored vs league: red elite, paper average, blue poor. P columns are the engine's published board numbers for this game. Batting order as posted. 30d contact is the last-30-day contact rate minus the season rate; an arrow is drawn only when the move clears two standard errors of its own noise, and n is the recent swing count.

#BatterPAxwOBAK%Chase%Contact%HH%P(1+ hit)P(1+ HR)30d contact
1Sam Antonacci (L)334.36414%21%87%38%67%12%n191
2Munetaka Murakami (L)272.39931%22%60%59%66%23%n204
3Miguel Vargas (R)378.36918%23%81%42%69%15%▼ -5% n223
4Andrew Benintendi (L)334.32222%31%74%45%52%8%n147
5Braden Montgomery (S)172.32819%28%75%43%64%8%n225
6Colson Montgomery (L)344.30335%33%65%46%65%14%n220
7Chase Meidroth (R)362.28824%27%82%33%68%12%n190
8Brenton Doyle (R)95.23934%31%76%32%··n64
9Jake Rogers (R)107.27028%23%77%35%··n55

Atlanta Braves bats, where our staff attacks

Whiff by pitch group vs our starter's hand. Blue cells are the attack zones. P columns are the published board numbers. Batting order as posted. 30d contact is the last-30-day contact rate minus the season rate; an arrow is drawn only when the move clears two standard errors of its own noise, and n is the recent swing count.

#BatterPAFB whiffBRK whiffOFF whiffxwOBAChase%Contact%1st-pitch swingP(1+ hit)P(1+ HR)30d contact
1Ronald Acuña Jr. (R)10826%17%21%.36022%76%35% n10865%16%n201
2Drake Baldwin (L)17611%33%29%.35833%79%38% n17668%15%n252
3Matt Olson (L)23317%32%28%.35129%77%30% n23369%15%n234
4Ozzie Albies (S)21414%13%19%.29045%85%47% n21466%11%n260
5Lane Thomas (R)14617%29%28%.35519%78%32% n14659%14%n121
6Michael Harris II (L)18017%28%·.32141%78%34% n18068%11%n235
7Mauricio Dubón (R)17510%15%14%.30734%88%34% n17665%6%n197
8Austin Riley (R)15524%37%42%.32432%69%28% n15561%15%n212
9Sean Murphy (R)1231%···45%62%·54%12%n40

Atlanta Braves hitters, one card each

One card per hitter: the published probabilities this engine grades tonight, his whiff shape by pitch group, and his season against this starter's hand with the sample stated. Times-through-order and leverage splits are deliberately absent — at a median 45 plate appearances the third-time-through number carries a standard error roughly three times the effect it would be claiming.

1

Ronald Acuña Jr. (R)

P(1+ hit) 65% · P(1+ HR) 16%

FB26%
BRK17%
OFF21%

vs LHP 0.360 xwOBA, K 26% (108 PA)

2

Drake Baldwin (L)

P(1+ hit) 68% · P(1+ HR) 15%

FB11%
BRK33%
OFF29%

vs LHP 0.358 xwOBA, K 20% (176 PA)

3

Matt Olson (L)

P(1+ hit) 69% · P(1+ HR) 15%

FB17%
BRK32%
OFF28%

vs LHP 0.351 xwOBA, K 25% (233 PA)

4

Ozzie Albies (S)

P(1+ hit) 66% · P(1+ HR) 11%

FB14%
BRK13%
OFF19%

vs LHP 0.290 xwOBA, K 7% (214 PA)

5

Lane Thomas (R)

P(1+ hit) 59% · P(1+ HR) 14%

FB17%
BRK29%
OFF28%

vs LHP 0.355 xwOBA, K 23% (146 PA)

6

Michael Harris II (L)

P(1+ hit) 68% · P(1+ HR) 11%

FB17%
BRK28%
OFF·

vs LHP 0.321 xwOBA, K 17% (180 PA)

7

Mauricio Dubón (R)

P(1+ hit) 65% · P(1+ HR) 6%

FB10%
BRK15%
OFF14%

vs LHP 0.307 xwOBA, K 11% (175 PA)

8

Austin Riley (R)

P(1+ hit) 61% · P(1+ HR) 15%

FB24%
BRK37%
OFF42%

vs LHP 0.324 xwOBA, K 32% (155 PA)

9

Sean Murphy (R)

P(1+ hit) 54% · P(1+ HR) 12%

FB31%
BRK·
OFF·

only 12 PA vs LHP — too few to split

Matchups: CWS hitters vs Grant Holmes

Where this starter's actual usage meets each hitter's measured holes and damage, on the same map. An edge is only reported where the pitcher genuinely goes — a hole against a pitch he does not throw is not a matchup — and only where the rate is measurably worse than league for a typical hitter in that same spot. Every line carries its sample size. Batter-versus-pitcher history is shown as trivia and is not used in any of it: the samples that actually occur are far too small to support a conclusion, and most public matchup content is built on them anyway.

1. Sam Antonacci

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle and away — and he puts 7% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.365 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.309 league average in that spot. (13 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 67% to get a hit and 12% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

0 for 2 lifetime. At 2 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

2. Munetaka Murakami

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam off the plate on 13% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 46% of the time there, against 31% for a typical hitter — +15 points. (27 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.640 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.394 league average in that spot. (27 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 66% to get a hit and 23% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

3. Miguel Vargas

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle and in — and he puts 5% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.496 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.333 league average in that spot. (27 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 69% to get a hit and 15% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

1 for 2 lifetime. At 2 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

4. Andrew Benintendi

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam middle-middle on 3% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 25% of the time there, against 11% for a typical hitter — +14 points. (16 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes down and away — and he puts 7% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.303 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.260 league average in that spot. (20 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 52% to get a hit and 8% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

0 for 2 lifetime. At 2 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

5. Braden Montgomery

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam middle-middle on 3% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 22% of the time there, against 11% for a typical hitter — +11 points. (15 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.522 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.394 league average in that spot. (21 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 64% to get a hit and 8% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

1 for 2 lifetime. At 2 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

6. Colson Montgomery

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam off the plate on 13% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 45% of the time there, against 31% for a typical hitter — +15 points. (74 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes down-middle — and he puts 8% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.530 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.355 league average in that spot. (18 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 65% to get a hit and 14% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

7. Chase Meidroth

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle and in — and he puts 5% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.395 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.333 league average in that spot. (21 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 68% to get a hit and 12% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

1 for 2 lifetime. At 2 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

8. Brenton Doyle

Not enough of a track record in the spots this pitcher uses to say anything useful. No verdict rather than a guess.

No published probability for this batter tonight, so the notes above are observations, not predictions.

9. Jake Rogers

Not enough of a track record in the spots this pitcher uses to say anything useful. No verdict rather than a guess.

No published probability for this batter tonight, so the notes above are observations, not predictions.

Atlanta Braves: the running game and the defense

Sprint speed says who can run; attempt rate says who will. Rate is steals of second per time on first, shrunk toward the league’s 5.3% at 22 opportunities, with the raw count beside it. Verdict needs 15+ times on first. Sprint speed and Outs Above Average are Baseball Savant leaderboard metrics — measured from tracking data we do not have and did not compute.

Behind the plate: Jake Rogers — runners went 38-for-48 against him (21% caught). That is mostly the pitcher: measured split-half reliability for a catcher’s own caught-stealing rate is +0.59, and the spread between catchers is smaller than the sampling noise. Read it as what happened, not as a rating.

#Batter Sprint Steal rate Threat OAA
1Ronald Acuña Jr. (R)27.3 ft/s7.1% (21/289)occasional-4 RF
2Drake Baldwin (L)26.0 ft/s1.1% (3/346)holds·
3Matt Olson (L)25.4 ft/s0.9% (3/429)holds+4 1B
4Ozzie Albies (S)27.0 ft/s4.8% (20/423)holds+2 2B
5Lane Thomas (R)29.1 ft/s5.8% (9/154)holds-5 CF
6Michael Harris II (L)27.6 ft/s8.5% (27/308)occasional+8 CF
7Mauricio Dubón (R)26.9 ft/s3.0% (8/283)holds+5 LF
8Austin Riley (R)27.8 ft/s3.2% (9/296)holds-1 3B
9Sean Murphy (R)·1.0% (0/94)holds·

Chicago White Sox: the running game and the defense

Sprint speed says who can run; attempt rate says who will. Rate is steals of second per time on first, shrunk toward the league’s 5.3% at 22 opportunities, with the raw count beside it. Verdict needs 15+ times on first. Sprint speed and Outs Above Average are Baseball Savant leaderboard metrics — measured from tracking data we do not have and did not compute.

#Batter Sprint Steal rate Threat OAA
1Sam Antonacci (L)28.2 ft/s8.8% (16/174)occasional-5 LF
2Munetaka Murakami (L)27.1 ft/s2.3% (3/161)holds+0 1B
3Miguel Vargas (R)28.3 ft/s4.0% (14/356)holds-2 3B
4Andrew Benintendi (L)26.6 ft/s0.8% (1/253)holds·
5Braden Montgomery (S)28.5 ft/s2.0% (1/83)holds·
6Colson Montgomery (L)26.6 ft/s0.9% (1/213)holds+6 SS
7Chase Meidroth (R)27.2 ft/s3.3% (13/413)holds+4 2B
8Brenton Doyle (R)28.7 ft/s13.1% (30/216)occasional·
9Jake Rogers (R)26.3 ft/s2.1% (1/82)holds·

Bullpens

Sorted by 30-day workload. Day cells show pitches on the three most recent league game dates; dark means heavy recent use. Season rates percentile-colored vs all pitchers with 150+ pitches.

White Sox bullpen 8 arms
Reliever08/1708/1808/19 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
Trevor Richards (R)1930·1322p/14g22%23%.3084-seam 92 (62%) · changeup 80 (27%)
Grant Taylor (R)·1712today B2B244p/11g32%25%.2464-seam 98 (41%) · curveball 83 (27%)
Jordan Hicks (R)34··2207p/11g27%24%.278sinker 100 (39%) · 4-seam 100 (29%)
Erick Fedde (R)·78·1 heavy204p/5g16%18%.332sweeper 82 (36%) · sinker 94 (32%)
Sean Newcomb (L)···3187p/9g23%22%.3104-seam 94 (43%) · slurve 83 (36%)
Tyler Schweitzer (L)28··2185p/5g13%20%.3604-seam 94 (45%) · slider 88 (31%)
Bryan Hudson (L)···4160p/11g23%21%.2904-seam 92 (68%) · sweeper 79 (30%)
Chris Murphy (L)···12142p/8g22%27%.2944-seam 96 (37%) · slider 90 (31%)
Atlanta Braves bullpen 8 arms
Reliever08/1708/1808/19 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
Victor Mederos (R)10·22today258p/12g22%27%.294cutter 92 (48%) · 4-seam 97 (24%)
Didier Fuentes (R)·15·1232p/12g31%27%.2774-seam 98 (70%) · slider 84 (20%)
Dylan Lee (L)··17today210p/13g33%34%.239slider 83 (50%) · 4-seam 93 (33%)
Raisel Iglesias (R)···3205p/12g26%27%.285changeup 88 (38%) · 4-seam 94 (34%)
Dylan Dodd (L)·912today B2B190p/13g27%24%.270sinker 94 (66%) · cutter 87 (32%)
Danny Young (L)···4183p/10g23%24%.397sweeper 83 (49%) · sinker 94 (45%)
Tyler Kinley (R)18··2149p/10g23%26%.298slider 88 (60%) · 4-seam 94 (15%)
Brent Suter (L)···4 heavy133p/3g20%20%.323sinker 89 (46%) · 4-seam 88 (27%)