The Atlanta Braves return to Truist Park on Wednesday, September 9 to host the Tampa Bay Rays at 7:15 PM ET. Tampa Bay will send Griffin Jax to the mound, while Atlanta's starting pitcher has not yet been announced. With the regular season winding into its final weeks, every game carries real weight in the standings — and this mid-week home date gives the Braves a chance to cash in on their own turf in front of the Cobb County faithful. The game airs on BravesVision, MLB Network, and 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan locally, with Spanish-language coverage available on Los Bravos.

Tampa Bay Sends Griffin Jax to the Mound

The Rays will hand the ball to Griffin Jax for this road start. Jax, a right-handed reliever who has been used in a starting capacity by Tampa Bay, is a name Braves hitters will need to prepare for carefully. No current ERA or win-loss line is available heading into this game, so the matchup will be shaped largely by how Atlanta's lineup attacks him early in the count. Tampa Bay has long been a creative pitching organization, and Jax fits that mold — don't expect a conventional approach from the Rays' staff regardless of who follows him out of the bullpen.

Atlanta Lineup Has Plenty of Firepower

Atlanta is rolling out a lineup that features some of the most recognizable names in the National League. Here's how the Braves are stacked Wednesday night:

• Drake Baldwin — DH (leadoff)
• Ronald Acuña Jr. — RF
• Matt Olson — 1B
• Michael Harris II — CF
• Mauricio Dubón — SS
• Mike Yastrzemski — LF
• Ozzie Albies — 2B
• Austin Riley — 3B
• Sean Murphy — C

Acuña Jr. hitting second gives Atlanta a dangerous one-two punch at the top of the order, with Olson and Harris II providing middle-of-the-lineup protection behind him. Albies dropping to seventh and Riley to eighth suggests some roster flexibility in play, but this lineup still has the ability to do damage in bunches. Murphy batting ninth gives Atlanta a second on-base threat at the back end, which keeps opposing pitchers honest when the order turns over.

Keys to Watch Wednesday Night

Who Gets the Ball for Atlanta

The biggest question mark heading into first pitch is who the Braves will name as their starter. Until that announcement comes, game planning on Atlanta's side carries some uncertainty. Watch for that update to drop closer to game time.

Acuña Jr. and the Middle of the Order

With Olson, Harris II, and Riley all in the lineup, the Braves have the firepower to put up crooked numbers against Jax if they can get baserunners on ahead of them. Getting Acuña going early sets the table for everything that follows.

Bullpen Management Late

In a September game with playoff positioning potentially on the line, late-inning decisions from both benches will matter. Tampa Bay's bullpen depth has historically been a weapon; Atlanta will need timely hits rather than waiting for the perfect pitch.

Prediction

Home field matters in September, and Truist Park has been a comfortable environment for this Braves club. Without knowing Atlanta's starter, it's hard to project a dominant pitching performance, but the lineup has enough depth to generate runs against Jax. Give the edge to Atlanta, 5–3, in a game that stays competitive into the seventh inning before the Braves pull away at home.