The Atlanta Braves host the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at Truist Park for a 7:15 PM ET first pitch. Atlanta sends right-hander JR Ritchie to the mound opposite Cincinnati's Brandon Williamson in what shapes up as a late-season regular season contest with real stakes on the line. The game airs locally on BravesVision and can be heard on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, giving Braves fans every option to lock in for nine innings in Cumberland.

Pitching Matchup: JR Ritchie vs. Brandon Williamson

JR Ritchie gets the ball for Atlanta. The young right-hander is in a spot where he has an opportunity to make a statement in the final stretch of the regular season. Opportunities like this one — a home start in front of the Truist Park crowd — are exactly how young arms build credibility on a roster full of proven veterans. The Braves will need him to eat innings and keep Cincinnati's lineup in check through the middle frames.

Brandon Williamson takes the hill for the Reds. The left-hander has experience navigating a big league lineup, and he'll face a formidable order from the jump. Williamson will need to be sharp early if he wants to keep Atlanta's bats quiet in a ballpark that can get loud in a hurry when the home team gets going.

Atlanta Braves Lineup to Watch

• Ronald Acuña Jr. leads off in right field — the most dangerous at-bat in the order, capable of changing the game from pitch one.
• Drake Baldwin slots in at DH in the two-hole, giving the lineup a different look behind Acuña.
• Matt Olson hits third at first base, providing the middle-of-the-order thump that Williamson will have to navigate carefully.
• Ozzie Albies bats cleanup at second base — a role that speaks to the depth of this Atlanta lineup.
• Michael Harris II hits fifth in center field, with Austin Riley sliding to the seven-spot at third base alongside Sean Murphy at catcher and Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop rounding out the bottom third.

Cincinnati Reds Lineup to Watch

• Elly De La Cruz bats second at shortstop and remains the most dangerous weapon the Reds carry. His combination of speed and power makes him a threat every time he steps in.
• Tyler Stephenson hits cleanup behind Sal Stewart, giving Cincinnati a credible middle-of-the-order presence.
• JJ Bleday, Eugenio Suárez, and Matt McLain fill out the back half of the Cincinnati order.

Keys to the Game

• Ritchie's command: If Ritchie can locate consistently and avoid deep counts, Atlanta's bullpen has the depth to close this one out. If he struggles, the Reds have enough lineup pieces to make it a long night.
• Acuña sets the tone: When Ronald Acuña Jr. gets on base in the first inning, Truist Park wakes up fast. Williamson's ability to work around him early will define the game's early trajectory.
• De La Cruz factor: The Reds shortstop can flip a game on his own. Atlanta's defense and pitching staff need to be disciplined and deny him anything too hittable.
• Middle-order production: Olson and Albies hitting back-to-back gives Atlanta one of the more dangerous one-two punches in the lineup. If Williamson loses either of them, runs will follow.

Prediction

Atlanta takes this one at home. Truist Park in September provides a genuine edge, and the Braves lineup — built around Acuña, Olson, and Albies — has enough firepower to make Williamson work deep into counts early. Ritchie needs to be sharp, but if he gives Atlanta five solid innings, the pen should handle the rest. Braves win, 5-3.