The Atlanta Braves return to Truist Park on Wednesday, July 1 for a 7:15 PM ET showdown against the St. Louis Cardinals. Reynaldo López gets the ball for Atlanta against Cardinals right-hander Michael McGreevy in what shapes up as a pivotal mid-summer contest. With the dog days of summer officially here and the playoff race heating up, this is exactly the kind of divisional-adjacent matchup the Braves can't afford to let slip. Catch the game on BravesVision or locally on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan.

Pitching Matchup: Reynaldo López vs. Michael McGreevy

Reynaldo López takes the Truist Park mound as Atlanta's horse for the evening. López has shown the kind of power arm the Braves needed when they brought him aboard — he attacks hitters with heavy velocity and keeps the ball out of the seats when he's locked in. The key for López on Wednesday is early efficiency. If he can work deep into the game and limit the Cardinals' lineup from turning over multiple times, Atlanta's offense should have every opportunity to do damage.

Michael McGreevy is a young arm the Cardinals have been developing carefully, and he's not a guy Atlanta should take lightly. McGreevy works with solid command and doesn't beat himself with walks, which means the Braves will need to be aggressive early in counts rather than waiting him out. St. Louis will want him to keep the Atlanta lineup off-balance and manufacture a quality start against a lineup that can get hot in a hurry.

Atlanta Braves Starting Lineup

• Drake Baldwin — C
• Ozzie Albies — 2B
• Matt Olson — 1B
• Michael Harris II — CF
• Mauricio Dubón — LF
• Dominic Smith — DH
• Austin Riley — 3B
• Mike Yastrzemski — RF
• Jorge Mateo — SS

Keys to Watch for the Braves

Matt Olson and Austin Riley in the Middle of the Order

Olson hits third and Riley slots in at seventh, which is a lineup construction worth watching. Olson is the anchor — he draws walks, hits for power, and punishes mistakes. If he's seeing the ball well early, it opens things up for everyone behind him. Riley batting seventh could actually work in Atlanta's favor if McGreevy tries to cruise through the bottom of the order, only to run into a legitimate power threat.

Drake Baldwin Leading Off

Baldwin at the top of the lineup is an interesting call. The catcher brings athleticism and an ability to work at-bats, and getting him on base ahead of Ozzie Albies gives Atlanta a chance to manufacture runs early before the big boppers in the three and four spots come around. If Baldwin can set the table in the first inning, Truist Park could get loud fast.

López's Pitch Count and Bullpen Depth

How long López can go will define whether Atlanta needs to lean on its bullpen in the late innings. Managing his workload while keeping St. Louis off the board early is the formula for a Braves win.

Prediction

Atlanta wins this one at home. López is the right arm for a mid-week summer game at Truist Park, and the Braves lineup has too many dangerous hitters to be held down by a young starter still finding his footing at the big-league level. Expect a 4-2 Atlanta victory with López delivering six solid innings and the middle of the Braves order doing the heavy lifting.