Baseball

Braves Aim to Break Losing Streak as Dubón Leads Off Against Padres

by
Richard Hayes
June 24, 2026

The Atlanta Braves find themselves in a precarious position, grappling with a three-game losing streak as they face the San Diego Padres in a crucial series finale. With the stakes high, the Braves understand the importance of scoring early and maintaining momentum, while their pitching will need to step up to thwart the Padres’ efforts to complete a sweep.

In a lineup notably missing Baldwin, Mauricio Dubón takes the leadoff spot and will play left field. Meanwhile, Ha-Seong Kim, who boasts a .500 average against San Diego’s JP Sears in their two previous encounters, will step in at shortstop and bat ninth. The Braves are banking on a solid performance from their hitters, who hold a significant advantage against the Padres’ lefty.

Jorge Mateo returns as the designated hitter, looking to break free from a slump that has seen him go hitless in his last three games. The rest of the lineup is poised to capitalize on this matchup, as they face off against a pitcher with a track record of yielding runs and walks in the minors.

For the Padres, Sears will be making his debut after being called up from Triple-A due to Lucas Giolito’s 15-day stint on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. Sears will be looking for his offense to support him, especially given his minor league stats that include 56 runs and 28 walks this season.

Ty France, who has struggled against Pérez with a .176 batting average and an OPS of .535, will take the first base position batting seventh. In contrast, Manny Machado, who has a .350 average and an impressive 1.030 OPS against the Braves’ lefty, has been moved up to the third spot in the lineup.

The left-handed pitchers will square off at 8:40 p.m. EDT, and the Braves are under pressure to reverse their fortunes. After falling short in extra innings on Tuesday, they must approach this game with renewed determination if they hope to salvage a victory and avoid a sweep.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.

Richard Hayes

Richard Hayes is the go-to writer for all things soccer at 21Sports.com. His international perspective and in-depth knowledge of the game have made him a trusted voice in the industry. Richard’s experience covering major leagues around the world allows him to offer unique insights that resonate with both casual fans and die-hard enthusiasts. When not covering matches, Richard enjoys coaching youth soccer in his community.