The Atlanta Braves make the trip to Minneapolis for a Monday night regular season showdown against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, with first pitch scheduled for 7:40 PM ET on August 17, 2026. Atlanta sends left-hander Martín Pérez to the hill to face Twins right-hander Bailey Ober in a pitching matchup that gives both clubs a capable starter to build around. With the dog days of August in full swing and playoff positioning still very much in play across the American and National Leagues, this is exactly the kind of road game the Braves need to steal.

Braves at Twins Pitching Matchup: Martín Pérez vs. Bailey Ober

Martín Pérez gets the ball for Atlanta. The veteran left-hander is a known commodity — a soft-tosser who works with movement and command rather than overpowering hitters. When Pérez is locating his fastball and mixing in his cutter effectively, he can grind through lineups and keep the offense in the game. He will need to be at his best against a Minnesota lineup that can put together quality at-bats.

On the other side, Bailey Ober has shown the ability to miss bats and work deep into games for the Twins. He is a big right-hander who uses his height to generate tough angles, particularly against right-handed hitters. The Braves will need to be disciplined and patient at the plate to get into the Twins bullpen early.

Minnesota Twins Starting Lineup

• Luke Keaschall — RF
• Byron Buxton — CF
• Ryan Jeffers — C
• Josh Bell — DH
• Royce Lewis — 1B
• Kody Clemens — 2B
• Brooks Lee — 3B
• Kaelen Culpepper — SS
• Alan Roden — LF

Keys to Watch for the Atlanta Braves

Pérez's Command Early

The Twins lineup features Byron Buxton at the top and Royce Lewis hitting fifth — athletes who can do damage in a hurry. If Pérez falls behind in counts and starts leaving pitches over the middle of the plate, Minnesota has the firepower to make him pay. Keeping the ball down and getting ahead of hitters will be the difference between a quality start and a short night.

Handling Buxton

Byron Buxton is one of the more dynamic players in the American League when healthy. Atlanta's pitchers and defense need a plan for him every time he steps in the box. A Buxton barrel in a big spot can swing a game quickly.

Braves Bats Against Ober

The Atlanta lineup will need to generate traffic against Ober and avoid the big inning lulls that can define a road loss. Working deep counts, using the whole field, and getting runners on base early will be critical to keeping this game manageable before the Braves bullpen takes over.

Prediction

This is a winnable road game for Atlanta, but Pérez will need to be efficient. The Braves grab a narrow victory, 4-2, with the offense doing just enough against Ober and the bullpen closing it out cleanly in Minneapolis.

Catch the action on BravesVision or radio on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan.