Milwaukee's Colin Rea will be on the mound when the Brewers begin a three-game road series on Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves. But instead of a showdown with Atlanta ace Chris Sale, the Brewers will be matched against Braves right-hander Bryce Elder (2-4, 5.67 ERA), who was recalled Monday afternoon and will pitch the series opener. Atlanta, in second place in the National League East, won two of three against the NL Central-leading Brewers last week in Milwaukee. The Braves were 5-1 against the Brewers in 2023. Rea (9-3, 3.59) faced the Braves last Monday and did not get a decision after going 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on three hits, with two walks and six strikeouts. Rea has made four career starts against Atlanta, going 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA. Rea has started 18 games and turned in a quality start six times. Opponents are batting only .233 and he has surrendered 16 home runs. Elder was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett when the team opted to put right-hander Reynaldo Lopez on the injured list with right forearm inflammation. Sale will start Wednesday and Charlie Morton will be pushed to Thursday, giving both two extra days between starts. Elder was in a similar situation on Tuesday when he was recalled for a start against the Brewers. He responded with one of his best starts of the season, throwing 6 1/3 innings and allowing one run on five hits, one walk and seven strikeouts. He was returned to Triple-A after the game and has not pitched since. Both teams are coming off a disappointing weekend series. The Braves have lost two straight after splitting a four-game set against Miami. The Brewers lost the final two games in their three-game series with Washington and have dropped four of their last five. "I think we're fine," Milwaukee pitcher Tobias Myers said after Sunday's game. "We're a competitive ballclub, so we're never going to give in. I think we just move on the next series and get right back in there and compete." Manager Pat Murphy added, "We're young and vulnerable and going through it a little bit. You can make all the excuses you want with injuries and inexperience but we're going through it -- and we've been going through it." Milwaukee's Rhys Hoskins is riding a 10-game hitting streak, his longest since hitting in 12 straight while playing for Philadelphia in 2021. Hoskins is 10-for-36 with four homers and nine RBIs during the stretch. The Atlanta offense sputtered against the Marlins, scoring only three runs over the final two games. The Braves were shut out on Sunday, the first time that's happened at home since Aug. 28, 2021, a streak of 231 games. "It's frustrating that we didn't score any more runs than we did," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "Especially Saturday night. We were playing so well coming into this series, won the first two games and you're thinking, ‘Great.' Then it's every time you get a foothold or something in this game, you get smacked in the mouth and you're right back having to get it going again. We'll take a well-deserved day off and get back at it." --Field Level Media
Jul 29, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Colin Rea (48) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports