The Atlanta Braves head to Pittsburgh for a 6:40 PM ET Tuesday night clash against the Pirates at PNC Park, with right-hander Hurston Waldrep drawing the start opposite one of baseball's most electric young arms in Paul Skenes. This is a regular-season game with genuine stakes — the Braves are on the road, facing a Pirates lineup that has Bryan Reynolds hitting third and Henry Davis behind the plate, while Atlanta will lean on a lineup that notably slots Austin Riley at seven and Drake Baldwin fourth. How Waldrep handles Skenes's shadow and whether Atlanta's offense can do enough damage early will define the evening.

Pitching Matchup: Waldrep vs. Skenes

Hurston Waldrep gets the ball for Atlanta. The 24-year-old righty has shown flashes of the stuff that made him a first-round pick in 2023 — a hard fastball and a swing-and-miss breaking ball — and outings like this one, on the road against a capable lineup, are exactly the kind of tests that will shape his role going forward. What he does against the top of Pittsburgh's order will be worth watching closely.

On the other side, Paul Skenes is the challenge every opposing manager circles on the schedule. The Pirates' young starter has established himself as one of the game's premier pitchers, and PNC Park will be loud behind him on a Tuesday night in July. Atlanta's lineup will need plate discipline and situational hitting to manufacture runs. Giving away at-bats early against Skenes is a recipe for a quiet night on the scoreboard.

Keys to Watch for the Atlanta Braves

• Michael Harris II leading off: Harris sets the table from the top. His ability to get on base and use his speed puts immediate pressure on Pittsburgh's defense and gives Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson a chance to do damage with a runner moving.
• Matt Olson in the three hole: Olson is the middle-of-the-order anchor Atlanta counts on. Getting him into hitter's counts against Skenes is critical — if he can work a walk or punish a mistake pitch, it changes the complexion of the inning.
• Austin Riley's bat off the bench rhythm: Riley is slotted seventh in this lineup, an unusual spot for him. Regardless of lineup order, his production in whatever opportunities he gets matters. The Braves need him engaged and locked in.
• Drake Baldwin behind the plate: Baldwin hits cleanup here, which tells you Atlanta is leaning on him offensively tonight. How he manages Waldrep's game-plan against a tough Pittsburgh order is just as important as what he does at the plate.
• Waldrep's command in the first two innings: Getting through the Pirates' lineup once cleanly — Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez, Ryan O'Hearn — without a big inning will be the first benchmark. Falling behind early at PNC Park is tough to overcome.

Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup to Watch

Pittsburgh sends out a balanced lineup with Bryan Reynolds at three and Henry Davis catching in the nine hole. Brandon Lowe slots in as the DH hitting second, and Nick Gonzales holds down the six spot at third base. The Pirates have enough offensive pieces that Waldrep cannot afford to cruise on autopilot through any part of the order.

Prediction

Skenes is going to make Atlanta work for every run, and this figures to be a low-scoring, tightly contested game. The Braves need Waldrep to give them five or six quality innings and keep the Pirates off the board long enough for the lineup to find a crack in Skenes's armor. If Harris gets on early and Olson comes through in a big spot, Atlanta has a path. But Skenes at home in July is a steep hill. Expect a close game with the Braves needing late-inning production to pull it out. Braves 3, Pirates 2.