Braves Aim to Extend Athletics’ Struggles as Elder Takes the Mound

Mo. Basuony

Published: April 1, 2026 1:42 PM ET

Braves Aim to Extend Athletics’ Struggles as Elder Takes the Mound

The Atlanta Braves enter Monday’s game aiming to stay above .500 early in the season. They will look for a strong start from Bryce Elder to secure a third win in four games. The matchup starts at 7:15 p.m. ET on March 30 at Truist Park.

Pitching matchup

Bryce Elder is lined up for his first regular-season start. He finished spring training with five innings against Boston. He struck out six, allowed one run, one hit and two walks in that outing.

Elder had a rough outing against Tampa Bay before that appearance. He has not thrown in a game in over two weeks. The Braves hope his bullpen work kept him sharp.

Jacob Lopez profile

Jacob Lopez will start for the Oakland Athletics. In 2025 he posted a 4.08 ERA across 92.2 innings. His ERA- was 97 and his FIP sat at 4.26 with a 100 FIP-.

Lopez’s underlying numbers were stronger. He had a 3.64 xERA, a .211 xBA and a 28.3 percent strikeout rate. Opponents averaged 86.9 mph in exit velocity against him, and his Hard-Hit percentage ranked in the 94th percentile.

Lopez works as a lefty with a varied arsenal. His four-seamer accounted for about 35 percent of his pitches, averaging 91 mph. He also mixes sliders, cutters, change-ups and sinkers.

Athletics’ early-season form

The A’s were swept in a three-game set to open Toronto’s season. The Blue Jays racked up 50 strikeouts across the series. That total set an MLB record for the first three games of a season.

When Oakland did make contact, it was often loud. The A’s posted a 36.5 percent Hard-Hit rate in that series. That mark ranked fourth behind the Dodgers, White Sox and Marlins.

Catcher Shea Langeliers led Oakland offensively. He produced a 37.5 percent Barrel rate and hit three home runs in three games. The Braves will also monitor Nick Kurtz, Lawrence Butler and Jeff McNeil as potential threats.

Matchup context and history

Only three current Braves have faced Lopez before. Mike Yastrzemski, Jonah Heim and Mauricio Dubón account for those prior at-bats. Heim and Yastrzemski had two at-bats each, Dubón had five.

The teams last met in Sacramento. Atlanta dropped that series, but won one game 9-2. In that victory, Bryce Elder nearly reached seven innings while striking out seven and allowing two runs.

The Braves aim to extend the Athletics’ struggles, and Elder takes the mound with that goal. A repeat of his Sacramento performance would please Atlanta’s staff.